Brave New World - Chapter 16

• Consider the attitude of all three (John, Helmholtz, Bernard) in the interview with Mustapha Mond.
• What do we learn of Mond's attitudes and character during this conversation?
• What was the Cyprus experiment and why did it fail?

Choose one or two quotes which you find interesting in order to comment on their relevance in class

Brave New World - soma

Open the link from Wikipedia to read about the existence and origin of "soma". This is placed within the concept of Hinduism, which you can further investigate.
From your reading of this entry, why do you think Huxley chose to name BNW's main drug "soma"?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soma

Brave New World - Chapter 15

• Why does John quote Miranda's words? How have they changed their significance?


• "Linda had been a slave...; others should live in freedom, and the world be made beautiful. It was clear to the Savage what he must do..." What's John's sudden revelation? What does he do?


• How differently do Helmholtz and Bernard react to the crisis?


• How are the workers soothed down?


• Where are John, Helmholtz and Bernard taken to?


• What will happen to them? What do you think?

Brave New World - Chapter 14

Consider the following:

• Where has Linda been taken to? Why? Can you describe the surrounding atmosphere?


• What are the kids doing there?


• As John stands next to Linda, why does he get so enraged?


• Since the very moment John steps into the hospital, what reactions surprise the nurse?


• "Obstinately the beautiful memories refused to rise, there was only a hateful resurrection of jealousies and uglinesses and miseries." p167 What memories does John recall? Which does he want to recall?

Brave New World - Chapter 13

Consider the following:

• From Lenina's conversation with Henry Foster, to what extent do you think she's turned out to be different? ("But he's the one I want ... I shall always like him.")


• Be ready to comment on John's declaration of love. What does he mean by "At Malpais you had to bring her the skin of a mountain lion..."


• How does Lenina react to this? "What a horrible idea!" What idea does she consider so horrible?


• "The strongest oaths are straw to the fire in the blood" p159. What does this quote reveal of Jonh's feelings?


• What makes John get so furious? "Whore! Impudent strumpet!" This is a quote from Othello, as he mistakenly believes his wife Desdemona has committed adultery and ends up murdering her. What does John do?


• What happens at the end of the chapter - p 162?

Brave New World - Chapter 12

I'd like you to consider a couple of things to discuss in class..

• What does Lenina attribute John's not wanting to come out of his room to? (p142)


• What language does John use in moments of distress and fury? How can you account for that?


• Read carefully the extract involving Mustapha Mond. "What fun it would be if one didn't have to think about happiness" How do you interpret his words?


• Please, note: "O she doth teach..." p 145This extract from Romeo and Juliet epitomizes romantic love, which John worships, as distinct from the temptations of the flesh, described in the next par in connection with Lenina and the Arch-Community-Songster.


• "One of the principal functions of a friend..." p147 A piece of psychological truth: because our friends are accesible and vulnerable, we sometimes take it out on them.


• Why did Watson and John take to one another at once?