Aldous Huxley, in the Propaganda under a Dictatorship defines
Herd Poisoning as, “an active, extraverted drug, [that allows] the
crowd-intoxicated individual [to]
escape[s] from responsibility, intelligence and morality into a kind of
frantic, animal mindlessness.” While
intellectuals are defined as those who “have a taste for rationality and an
interest in facts”, and also recognized for “their critical habit of mind makes
them resistant to the kind of propaganda that works so well on the
majority”. There are various attempts
within the story that illustrate Bernard’s numerous efforts to deny herd-poisoning,
and fight to express intellectualism. In this case, I think Huxley would
recognize Bernard for his attempts, but not necessarily label him as heroic. But what caused his fight to start off so solid and
potent, and later sink back into a powerless and guinea pig-like state? Heroes
withstand; he did not.
The Dictator?
Let’s define the Director in
Brave New World. Who is he? He is one that is attempting to separate those from
individuality. For example, he says “Community, Identity, Stability” (pg. 7)
when we are first discovering the characters and their roles. But are their
roles truly theirs? Community is the Brave New World’s Society, identity is the
generated role within that community, and stability is the ability for the
higher power to preserve control over those generated beings. This statement by
the director creates a powerful euphemism, almost creating inspiration.
However, upon further examination it is truly sickening; a veritable chorus of
drones.
Let’s look Further:
Through implied negative language many would find these examples
of rising as undesirable. In the scheme of things, upsetting the “dictator” is
a form of expressing individuality. Although negative words are used within
these examples, do not be mislead, those who ostracized are those who the
higher power is attempting to discourage, in order to maintain control.
The Rise
Against Power:
The director dictates Bernard’s
character as an “ex-colleague, subverter, and an enemy of society” during their
meeting in Chapter 10. I want you to think deeper, why is Bernard given these
belittling labels? Directly prior to this meeting, Bernard is said to be
telling Lenina, “ I want to know what passion is, I want to feel something
strongly”. This expression produced by Bernard was considered to be
“incomprehensible and dangerous nonsense” to Lenina. But why?
In this instance, Lenina is a
representation of the majority, she will not question the higher power or rebel
from the society that has created her. Lenina is also an example of what the
dictator strives to assemble. One who
considers thoughts beyond the majority to be forbidden.
Where He Fell
Short:
Bernard did not have the ability to continue to be the key
protagonist. As unsophisticated as it may sound he was to the point of genetic
predisposition. He had the feelings of an intellectual, but how could he pursue those thoughts while imprisoned in a mind that was manipulated and crafted to perform
in a specific way? He never had a chance. How can a man stray away from
propaganda, let alone a society that had control over him in glass-bottle utero.
In The Brave New World, there is not
a definite hero, because all of the characters at the end of the story, do not
completely stray away from the demise of the crowd. Though, there is one
character that exemplifies the traits Huxley defined as necessary for defeat of
dictatorship. In a society filled with control, passion is unknown, due to the
fact what the characters within Brave New World are experiencing a controlled,
phony, and scientifically skewed world. Bernard Marx rises to the highest point
of intellectualism, but in the end, unfortunately, is unable to ultimately separate himself
from the crowd.
Huxley, Aldous.
“Propaganda Under a Dictatorship.” The
Way of Wisdom. Ed. William Brugger, Darrell Hammond, M. Kip
Hartvigsen, Anne Papworth, and Rhonda Seamons. Rexburg: Brigham Young
University, 2010. Print. 1-5.
Huxley, Aldous. Brave New World. New York: Harper Perenial, 1969.
Veronica,
ReplyDeleteI liked your post. I'm glad you looked at Bernard over any other character in this story because like you said, "Heroes withstand; he did not", and John the Savage could have been a great person to look at if you were looking at a hero. I liked what you said, "He had the feelings of an intellectual, but how could he pursue those thoughts while imprisoned in a mind that was manipulated and crafted to perform in a specific way?" Bernard was trapped with his love for Lenina, which was not clearly expressed, and he was secluded to a fear of being different. When he was going to be sent to Iceland, he argued and fought for his stay in the Huxleyan society. I believe he just was not ready to be an individual, but he had the ideas to be one. He even stopped taking soma! Do you think that John the Savage and Lenina had an effect on him not totally being a hero?
-David E
Good post Veronica! But to answer your question David I think that both John and Lenina and also his conditioning as veronica said did have an effect on him not totally being a hero. Usually when you think of a hero you think of someone who is selfless, however dude to his condtioning of instant gradification, when it came to Lenina and John he used them both selfishly to get what he wanted. For example Lenina was there to satisfy his emotional gratification and he wanted her all to himself. In addtion he used John to try and achieve that by using John to keep his position. However even through all his conditioning he was still able to think indiviually (although it was difficult)and there is a reason that he was sent to the island (although it was against his will). My question is do you think that he would be much "happier" on the island once he got there?
ReplyDeleteSo obviously a huge them in Brave New World is utopian. I honestly think that island is an literal illustration that Huxley used in order to maintain that utopian. It was a form of exile, but no killing was involved? I honestly think Bernard only had fear of the island, like I explained in my blog post, due to genetic make up. He doesn't know anything. He was created to love the state he was in. So how could he be comfortable going somewhere else, with others like him, that he's not allowed to be?
ReplyDeleteTo answer David's question. I think Lenina was the main reason he was not able to maintain a heroic standpoint. When I see Lenina though, I also mean the people within the Huxleyan society. The "herd-poisoned. The definition of a hero is "a man of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities". Who is there to admire him when a specific minded group of people consider his thoughts to be crazy and unfulfilling. Who does he have to impress?
I feel like many characters throughout the story posses false characteristics of a hero due to their ability to question the system, but they are never truly heroic, because thoughts are not always noble, it's the actions that get recognition.