Here goes another blog for AP Literature class. First, I'd like to start off by saying that it is still pretty difficult for me comprehending this novel even though we are already towards the end of this whole thing. The socratic circle did help with my understanding and analysis of Brave New World, but I still can't get into the plot without some help. Well, let's being with this week's topic about possible essay topics. Since the beginning chapters, I have already been linking many of these science fiction atrocities found in their twisted society to one central theme. I would like to mention how the book stresses importance to the meaning of life. The book beings with the description of the infamous centre where all of the incoming slaves, workers, and royalty, also known as the epsilons, deltas, and alphas, are manufactured and created for the sake of their on going society. They have twisted the meaning of birth and the creation of life by developing this production line able to alter the genetic make up of babies. Babies should not be born with a predestined future. Life should not be manipulated by anyone or anything except by the person himself and his own choosing. There are many sources that can be cited for examples as well dealing with the manipulation of society and life, such as the previous novel we read 1984. This was also brought up this connection between these two novels in class during our discussion in the socratic circle. There is also a book called Relax, Your Life Is Predestined which relates to this topic. Another theme that can be discussed is the change in morality compared to our world today. The novel describes the children being taught to interact with the others on the playground while being completely naked in front of one another. This point in the novel is so insane that I do not need to further explain its atrocity. Even the actions of the adults can be subjected as being immoral and wrong. Adults are able to, actually preferred to, sleep with multiple members throughout the given month. This isn't the end of it, they also have those "meetings" where they express their worship for Ford and have special intercourse with the one they are sitting aside. Sexuality and sexual acts become increasingly bogged up and demolished. Another point brought up in our socratic discussion was the influences of the media on the morals we hold today. Movies, commercials, television, and every other form of advertisement have slowly been demoralizing our views of right and wrong. Back in the day before the whole "hippy" movement, people found the act of doing sex for joy as being completely wrong and sinful. Now, we see sex everywhere. 1984 also correlates to the use of media to influence the psychology of men. Okay, lets get to the thesis already. In Aldous Huxley's Brave New World, the author illuminates the idea that the meaning of life and morality is easily corruptible through the influential techniques of the government and media. By the way, this is just an idea. I might not, and mostly likely, won't even use either of these two ideas in the upcoming essay. I think I can easily write a well written essay on something related to religion. That would be such a postmodernist thing to do. Now, for the quote of the day.
“Right now you are one choice away from a new beginning.”
~ Oprah Winfrey
Sunday, October 4, 2009
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