Introduction
Brave New World was written in 1931 and published a year later. The author, Aldous Huxley, was born in England, and through his works, he has managed to intrigue critics and fans alike. His higher education was at Balliol College in Oxford, where he was awarded a degree in English literature. He has published various works throughout his career, including short stories, screenplays, and short stories. In one of his notable works, Brave New World, he depicts a dystopian world whereby children are born through artificial wombs, after which they end up being confined in a predetermined caste system. Some are bred to be world leaders, while others become menial laborers, Alphas, and Epsilons, respectively. Sex is non-existent, and the population takes a drug referred to as Soma, and the primary objective of the drug is to tune an individual out of reality. Additionally, the population is highly dependent on TV stories, which significantly inhibits the population from thinking or doing much.
In 1999, the book was ranked among the best one hundred best English novels of the 20th century, and it ranked fifth (NPR 1). Since its publication, the book has been banned numerous times in numerous countries. The ban has happened for several reasons, despite the book being ranked among the best English novels. One of the significant reasons the book is banned is that the themes depicted in the book clash with family and religious values (Olson 1). Additionally, the book has highlighted the usage of drugs and promiscuity, which are taboos in modern-day society. Through the book, a child ends up being encouraged to promote their sexual advances, whereas the book seems to encourage erotic play with other children (Olson 1). On the other hand, the novel fosters a polygamous life instead of having a single partner (Olson 1). The drug soma is seen as a way people use to escape happiness, and this is a significant reason many are inclined towards banning the book. The book has several taboo subjects, including parenting, familial relationships, and individuality. The themes do not align with conventional norms, raising questions about whether the novel should be banned. Although banning the novel will shield individuals against sensitive topics, censorship necessitates critical thinking and societal reflection.
Parenting
One of the major taboos that is evident in the novel is parenting. In the novel, terms such as father and mother are inappropriate and should not be mentioned. Parenting is depicted as profanity. In the novel, genetic engineering is used as a means through which children are born to create a world state whereby people are expected to be happy about who they are. Additionally, the population is expected to be satisfied with what they do. As stated earlier, some are bred to be world leaders, while others become menial laborers, Alphas, and Epsilons, respectively. The Alphas wear gray; they are hardworking compared with the Beta, Gammas, and Delta children, who wear green (Huxley 27). Sex is non-existent, and the population takes a drug referred to as Soma, and the primary objective of the drug is to tune an individual out of reality. In the world state, individuals are manipulated medically and psychologically so that they can have the required intelligence and other characteristics, such as attractiveness and strength, so that they can fill various societal and economic positions. In the novel, children grow up without their parents’ influence.
Children are grown in bottles, unlike in normal pregnancies. Two parents will walk together on their pregnancy journeys. In the novel, the future of the artificially manufactured embryos has already been predetermined. “A Fertilizing Room” held approximately 300 fertilizers (Huxley 10). Young children are brutally trained, whereby they are forced to behave in a certain way. They are not offered the caring and nurturing environment parents would offer. Parents influence their children and play a massive role in their child’s cognitive, emotional, and physical growth. A parent-child relationship is one of the most important relationships a child should be predisposed to.
The book depicts a world where family relationships are absent; family ties are replaced by solid allegiance to the state. The novel undermines the importance of family ties to society and their role in leading to a unified culture. Such depictions of families can be seen as dangerous and uncalled for since they end up predisposing people in society to question their family relationships while at the same time promoting a sense of detachment from people we love. Banning the book can be justified since it will end up protecting vulnerable readers, especially young readers. On the other hand, since the novel promotes a lack of family relationships, a nihilistic worldview is fostered. In this worldview, individuals end up having a general belief that values are baseless. Additionally, this worldview is associated with extreme pessimism. Individuals with this worldview will have no loyalty or vital purpose in life other than causing destruction. The novel depicts a society where emotional connections are not valued and are described as obsolete. Therefore, a sense of hopelessness and despair is instilled in the reader. Banning the novel is justified because these damaging narratives will not be promoted. Thus, the sanctity of family relationships will be preserved.
Individuality
One of the major themes that have emerged from the novel is the suppression of individuality, whereby conformity and uniformity have been fostered. In the book, an individual is not expected to be unique. All individuals residing in the Utopia state have been conditioned to embrace uniformity. The uniformity is depicted across the board, whereby specific characteristics are associated with particular groups. Therefore, group uniformity ends up being achieved. Uniformity is defined in terms of how hardworking an individual is and their intelligence. Society has gone further to achieve uniformity through the way people dress. As stated earlier, the Alphas wear gray; they are hardworking compared with the Beta, Gammas, and Delta children, who wear green (Huxley 27). In the novel, Helmholtz Watson is depicted as intelligent, making it possible for him to be aware of his individuality. When he becomes aware of his individuality, he is exiled. Essentially, there is a feeling of frustration after he was expelled. Notably, he tries to have an understanding of his life’s purpose. As he moves away from what can be considered a “civilized” society, he talks to John. Therefore, he ends up achieving satisfaction.
On the other hand, the novel depicts Bernard as an alpha. However, when compared with others, Bernard is relatively weaker and smaller. He is the absolute opposite of Helmholtz, and one of the primary reasons for this is that he wants to fit in. Essentially, his primary target was to become a better alpha and conform to the uniformity trend depicted in the utopian society described by the author. In contrast, Helmholtz’s primary purpose is finding purpose outside the already stipulated societal norms, which can be seen as the main reason he converses with’savage’ John. His exile acts as an eye-opener, and he can have a better picture and understanding of the “pre-Ford” years. The main reason he was exiled was because he could have ended up spreading revolutionary thoughts.
On the other hand, he readily accepted his exile because he would have an opportunity to meet men and women from different regions. When we compare and contrast Helmholtz and Bernard, it is evident that happiness depends on the individual. To experience true joy, an individual must feel self-satisfaction and self-fulfillment.
As stated earlier, individuals in the novel are conditioned to reject individual expression, which they are conditioned to do from birth. The suppression of individuality, as seen through the book, can be depicted as potentially harmful to several audiences, and this is one of the reasons the novel’s ban can be justified. Individual expression and personal freedom are undermined, inhibiting the emergence of a world that depicts and values uniqueness in people. The portrayal of a world where uniformity and conformity are valued undermines the sanctity of individual identity, as seen in the case of Helmholtz Watson. Notably, one of the significant consequences that might end up being recorded due to promoting the notion of conformity is oppressive regimes and authoritarian practices. Banning the novel can be seen as encouraging and celebrating individuality, a fundamental human right.
Counter Argument
While Brave New World depicts the absence of family relationships, the novel uses this aspect to successfully describe the consequences that might end up being recorded when an authoritarian government is in place. The reader has successfully depicted the consequences that will be recorded when people are inclined towards collective obedience over relationships and personal connection. As stated earlier, in the novel, terms such as father and mother are deemed inappropriate and should not be mentioned. Parenting is depicted as profanity. Essentially, banning the book because it has depicted parenting as profanity is uncalled for; the primary reason for this is because the reader or the audience is overlooking the contributions made by an authoritarian regime toward the suppression of people’s freedom. Banning the novel because it explores family relationships and parenting will stifle the discussion on the essence of family in promoting an individual’s well-being and identity.
On the other hand, some might argue that the novel’s exploration of individuality disrupts social order; we cannot ignore that a totalitarian regime significantly contributes to the erosion of people’s freedom. When the book is banned, we overlook the contributions of an oppressive system towards freedom infringement. Through the novel, we are allowed to reflect on freedom and self-expression. Additionally, we can learn the consequences of sacrificing our autonomy for conformity.
Conclusion
I will restate the thesis statement: “Although the book has several taboo subjects, including parenting, familial relationships, and individuality, The themes do not align with conventional norms, and this ends up raising questions about whether the novel needs to be banned. Although banning the novel will shield individuals against sensitive topics, censorship necessitates critical thinking and societal reflection.” The novel should be used as a lesson on what will be recorded if people embrace totalitarian forms of government.
Works cited
NPR: “100 years, 100 novels, one list.” NPR: May 7, 2009, www.npr.org/2009/05/07/103869541/100-years-100-novels-one-list.
Olson, Ben. “Banned Books in Review: Brave New World » Sandpoint Reader.” Sandpoint Reader, 28 Sept. 2023, sandpointreader.com/banned-books-in-review-brave-new-world/.
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