BRAVENEWWORLD by Aldous Huxley (1894-1963)

Chapter 1 to 6

Mini Satire Assignment

Satire is a piece of work that tries to expose, attack, and/or ridicule the foolishness, wrongdoings, or strange behavior of society. Satire is often humorous, using exaggeration, irony, sarcasm, and parody to catch the attention of the reader and promote changes in behavior. Modern satire can be seen on television shows such as Saturday Night Live, The Simpsons, This Hour has 22 Minutes etc.

Brave New World is a satire of the political and social values of the early 1920s and 30s. In Britain, the industrial revolution occurred between 1750 and the 1900s, with an influx of workers moving from farming and agriculture to big city factories. Innovations such as the steam engine, cotton gin, Morse Code, dynamite, electricity, and the telegraph were invented during this time. In 1903 the Ford Model T, the first mass-produced automobile, was produced by Henry Ford. It was a time of great advancement and change, which often brought feelings of instability and vulnerability to the people of the time.

Many philosophers, artists, authors, and politicians questioned the need for these rapid changes and wondered: are they really beneficial? Many were certain that machines were taking over the world and believed human beings would one day become useless and obsolete. In Brave New World, Huxley certainly challenges these scientific and technological changes and questions whether they represent progress or the obliteration of the world as we know it.

Task:

After you have read the chapter 1 to 6, complete the assignment below, in the first answer is a fictional process or entity made up by Huxley, along with an explanation, for example. Malthusian Belt:

Fictional Example and Explanation

Malthusian Belt. Contraceptive belt; women carry their supply of contraception to ensure the prevention of any natural concept

Second answer is comparing these inventions to something that exist in our world today;

Real (Modern) Similarity

Malthusian Belt. The birth control pill and condoms

Explanation. It is a way of population control and family planning. Women's reproductive rights still in debate in today's society.

Huxley's Reason/Statement/Message; Huxley included this in the story to show how State's policies and concerns were over reaching into people's body.

Knowing what we know today, what might have been Huxley's reasons for including these in the novel?

What social or political statements could Huxley be making about human beings and society?

Now you have to answer for these words

Hypnopaedia

a)What is the Fictional Example and explanation for Hypnopaedia?

b)Can you identify Real (Modern) Similarity for Hypnopaedia?

c)What is the explanation for Hypnopaedia?

d)What is Huxley's Reason/Statement/Message for Hypnopaedia?

Bokanovsky's Process

a)What is the Fictional Example and explanation for Bokanovsky's Process?

b)Can you identify Real (Modern) Similarity for Bokanovsky's Process?

c)What is the explanation for Bokanovsky's Process?

d)What is Huxley's Reason/Statement/Message for Bokanovsky's Process?

Soma

a)What is the Fictional Example and explanation for Soma?

b)Can you identify Real (Modern) Similarity for Soma?

c)What is the explanation for Soma?

d)What is Huxley's Reason/Statement/Message for Soma?

Social Conditioning

a)What is the Fictional Example and explanation for Social Conditioning?

b)Can you identify Real (Modern) Similarity for Social Conditioning?

c)What is the explanation for Social Conditioning?

d)What is Huxley's Reason/Statement/Message for Social Conditioning?