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Themes and Analysis

Brave new world, by aldous huxley.

'Brave New World' explores the perils of technological advancement, the consequences of sacrificing individuality for societal stability, and the ethical dilemmas of manipulating human nature.

Main Themes

• Consumerism and capitalism: the citizens are controlled through unbridled consumerism, and they are locked into mindless busy cycles of production and consumption.
• Technological control over society: from breeding to manufacturing of goods, to organizing leisure activities, the World State controls all aspects of the lives of its citizens
• Immediate gratification and pleasure-seeking: members of the World State are kept under control through state-sanctioned systems to alleviate pain and discomfort and maximize pleasure and enjoyment for its citizens.
• Wide literary and historical references: Huxley references the Bible, Shakespeare, and historical events like the world wars and revolutions in Europe.
• Use of satire and irony: lampoons the ideology of World State through satire and irony.
• Character-driven narrative: Bernard, John, and Lenina's character development are important drivers of the novel's action.
• Bottles: the bottle in which the fetuses are developed symbolize the society's total control over the development of its citizens
• The Lighthouse: represents enlightenment; it is abandoned, therefore has lost its purpose in the society.
• Ford: the maker of the Model-T automobile is deified and becomes a symbol of productivity, efficiency and consumption.

The novel opens with a tour of the hatching and conditioning center that produces all the citizens' children in vitro. The reader is introduced to a society that manufactures humans as machines: uniform, stratified in castes, and totally under government control all their lives. Meanwhile, the protagonist, Bernard, is introduced. He is dissatisfied with society and in love with Lenina Crowe.

In the story's middle, Bernard takes Lenina on a trip to the reservation, a technologically and culturally regressed area cut off from the World State, where he meets John. John and Bernard feel outcasts in their respective societies and bond over this shared feeling. Bernard returns John to the World State, where John becomes an attraction.

John becomes disillusioned with his new society, seeing through its technological advancement to its superficial core and government control through the provision of ease and pleasure. He rebels, and Bernard and Helmholtz are also implicated. While Bernard and Helmholtz are exiled, John is detained in World State. He isolates himself but cannot escape the attention of the citizens of the society that see him as another source of entertainment. Unable to resist them, he commits suicide.

Continue down for complete analysis to Brave New World

Article written by Ebuka Igbokwe

Bachelor's degree from Nnamdi Azikiwe University.

Aldous Huxley’s “ Brave New World ” is a thematically rich work. The author delivers profound social commentary with satirical wit and a distinctive style. Huxley references a wide range of literary works and philosophical ideas, a touch that gives the work literary weight and sets it in a broader intellectual context.

The story of “ Brave New World ” deals with certain themes such as consumerism, technological control of society, immediate gratification, and loss of personal identity.

Consumerism and Capitalism

While Aldous Huxley’s “ Brave New World “ primarily critiques totalitarian control and the sacrifice of individuality, it also provides commentary on the role of capitalism and consumerism in shaping the society of the World State. It invites readers to consider how unchecked production and excessive consumption can influence a society’s values, norms, and priorities, sometimes at the expense of genuine human connections and personal development. So central is this theme that Ford, the father of the assembly line and mass manufacture, assumes the figure of a deity in the story.

In the World State, humans are treated as products to be mass-produced and mere cogs in the wheel of society. Citizens are conditioned from birth to value material possessions and instant gratification over healthy and rich interpersonal relationships and individual experiences. The caste system, the technology for developing human embryos, and the conditioning process for the citizens are eerily similar to the manufacturing of goods in a factory.

The World State deliberately fosters a culture of constant consumption and dispensability. Citizens are conditioned to replace and put aside items and people without hesitation and discouraged from being attached to anything. The rapid turnover of possessions and relationships reflects the concept of planned obsolescence inherent in capitalist economies , where goods are designed to have short lifespans to encourage continuous purchasing.

Technological Control Over Society

Aldous Huxley’s “ Brave New World ” explores technocracy, a system of government where experts and technology are the driving forces behind social and political decisions. In this dystopian world, technocracy plays a central role in maintaining control and achieving social stability.

The novel shows the consequences of technocracy when taken to the extreme. While a technocracy can harness science and technology for the betterment of society, it can also lead to the objectification of its citizens.

In the World State, this system of government is evident in nearly every aspect of society. The government, composed of World Controllers like Mustapha Mond, is a technocratic elite that makes decisions based on scientific principles and advanced technology. Human life itself is highly controlled, with citizens created in hatcheries, conditioned for certain specific roles, and sorted into castes based on their preselected intelligence and potential functions.

Technocratic principles also guide the development of the ideas through which the society is stabilized. The World State utilizes reproductive technologies, genetic engineering, and behavioral conditioning to create a population that is docile, predictable, and content. The aim is to eliminate suffering, conflict, and dissatisfaction and create a well-ordered, clockwork society. Here, technical expertise is not merely an aid to governance but radically influences culture. The result is that every aspect of society is meticulously engineered and regulated as if the individual members were parts of a machine.

Immediate Gratification and Pleasure Seeking

Aldous Huxley’s “Brave New World ” presents a dystopian society where immediate gratification and pleasure-seeking are cardinal pursuits. The World State is a carefully constructed society that prioritizes shallow, hedonistic pleasures over deeper emotional connections and true intellectual and spiritual pursuits.

The drug “soma” is the primary instrument for immediate gratification. It provides citizens with a quick and artificial sense of happiness, contentment, and emotional numbness. Whenever individuals in that society experience negative emotions, they are encouraged to consume soma, which promptly alleviates their discomfort.

The society of the World State is designed to stave off intense and prolonged desire through a culture of shallow pleasures and hedonism. Citizens are encouraged to frequently indulge in casual sex and recreational activities. There is a conspicuous absence of deeper, meaningful relationships, intellectually engaging activities, or character-building cultural experiences. For example, the Solidarity Service is a communal gathering that features group singing which ends in a sexual orgy.

By conditioning the citizens to avoid any form of suffering, they are prevented from experiencing the profound joys, sorrows, and personal growth that come from facing life’s challenges.

Loss of Humanity and Identity

The World State views individual agency as a potential threat to social stability. Its government fears allowing people to make meaningful choices or experience genuine emotions and intellectual autonomy might lead to conflict, dissatisfaction, or nonconformity. Consequently, individual agency is curtailed in favor of a controlled, harmonious society.

Citizens of the World State lack the freedom to make significant life decisions, pursue deep emotional connections, or engage in intellectual exploration. In their society, happiness is a paramount objective. From birth, individuals are conditioned to accept their predetermined roles in society, conform to societal norms, and avoid discomfort or suffering. This conditioning fosters a conformist culture where citizens find happiness in their assigned roles and shallow pleasures, even if these dehumanize them.

Throughout “ Brave New World “, characters who exhibit any unsanctioned initiative or seek greater agency often face social disapproval and adverse consequences. Bernard Marx, for instance, questions the status quo and longs for more genuine human connections. His desire for agency leads to isolation and eventual exile.

John “the Savage” also embodies the tension between retaining a strong sense of self and succumbing to pressures to conform to the social mold. Raised outside the controlled society, he represents an admirable alternative answer to what it means to be truly human. However, his rebellion comes at a cost. He tries to resist the dehumanizing influence of the society of the World State, but he fails to resist its corruption fully, and he commits suicide.

Social Castes and the Loss of Freedom

“ Brave New World ” explores the theme of social castes and the loss of freedom by depicting a rigid caste system and extensive conditioning processes. From birth, citizens are engineered and conditioned to fit into their designated castes. The Bokanovsky Process allows for the mass production of identical individuals, particularly in the lower castes, reinforcing uniformity and predictability. Conditioning techniques, such as hypnopaedia (sleep teaching), instill a sense of satisfaction with one’s caste and discourage aspirations beyond one’s predetermined role. This process eradicates personal freedom and individual potential, as people are programmed to accept their place in society without question. The caste system eradicates the concept of individual freedom.

Personal choices, desires, and ambitions are sacrificed for social stability. Citizens are conditioned to find contentment in their roles and to avoid behaviors that might disrupt societal harmony. This loss of freedom is evident in the characters’ lives. As an Alpha Plus, Bernard feels alienated despite his high caste. His dissatisfaction highlights the limitations imposed even on those at the top of the hierarchy. A Beta, Lenina exhibits some individual desires but ultimately conforms to societal expectations, showing the pervasive influence of conditioning.

Key Moments

• Introduction to the World State : The novel begins with a tour of the Central London Hatchery and Conditioning Centre, where humans are artificially created and conditioned. This introduction sets the stage for understanding the highly controlled society.
• Lenina and Bernard’s Visit to the Savage Reservation : Lenina Crowne and Bernard Marx visit the Savage Reservation in New Mexico, where they encounter a starkly different lifestyle. This trip is crucial as it introduces John, the “Savage.” It sets the stage for the ultimate contest of social ideologies at the end of the book.
• Meeting John and Linda : Bernard and Lenina meet John and his mother, Linda, who lived in the World State before leaving on the Reservation. Linda’s stories of the World State and John’s upbringing at the reservation provide a contrasting perspective on both societies.
• John’s Arrival in London : Bernard brings John and Linda back to London, where John becomes a sensation. His presence exposes the flaws and shallowness of the World State society.
• Linda’s Death : Linda’s death in a soma-induced haze profoundly affects John. His grief and anger highlight the dehumanizing aspects of the World State’s reliance on drugs to suppress emotions.
• John’s Rebellion : John’s growing disillusionment leads to a climactic rebellion, where he tries to incite the citizens to throw away their soma and seek genuine freedom and humanity.
• Confrontation with Mustapha Mond : John, Bernard, and Helmholtz Watson confront Mustapha Mond, one of the World Controllers. This philosophical debate explores the values of freedom, happiness, and individuality, revealing the ideological foundations of the World State.
• John’s Withdrawal and Tragic End : Unable to reconcile his values with the World State, John withdraws to a lighthouse, seeking solitude. The novel ends tragically with John’s suicide, symbolizing the ultimate failure to find a place for individuality and true humanity in the dystopian society.

Style, Tone, and Figurative Language

Aldous Huxley’s writing style in “ Brave New World ” is satirical. He uses humor and irony to criticize social norms, exploring, in particular, the unbridled use of technological and scientific advancements in managing society.

Furthermore, “ Brave New World ” has literary, historical, and cultural references, encouraging readers to engage with a broader intellectual context. The narrative is character-driven, emphasizing personal development and psychological exploration. Aldous Huxley excels in world-building, creating immersive and believable environments that contribute to the depth of his story.

Bleak and foreboding in tone, the novel satirizes a society controlled by advanced technology and radical governmental authority. Huxley writes scientifically to match society’s technocratic leanings and ideal of valuing technical ability and mechanical efficiency over humanist considerations. He manages to mask the dark side of his system in euphemistic terms that society uses to approve of its oppressive policies.

Huxley employs simile in describing the uniformly precise conditioning of infants as “a drop of sealing wax”, and Mond speaks of soma metaphorically as “Christianity without tears”. He makes several allusions by referencing real-world figures and literature throughout the novel. “ Brave New World ” is taken from the Shakespearean play “ The Tempest “. Symbols like bottles, Ford, and zips are also used to represent several ideas in the novel. Situational and verbal irony are also used to underscore the absurdity of social norms and critique certain aspects of human behavior presented in the story.

In “ Brave New World ” Huxley uses symbolism extensively. Here are a few symbols found in the story.

Inspired by the car manufacturer and pioneer of mass production, Ford symbolizes industrialization and consumerism. Revering Henry Ford, society replaces traditional religious figures with Ford. Time is reckoned as A.F. (After Ford) instead of A.D. The cross is replaced with a capital T (taken from Model T, Ford’s card model that pioneered his highly efficient assembly line manufacturing process)as a symbol of worship. This worship reflects how society prioritized efficiency and productivity over individuality and humanity. Humans are effectively turned into mechanized, conditioned cogs in the wheel of the World State. Ford’s name also signifies the dominance of consumer culture, where materialism replaces spiritual and intellectual values.

Bottles symbolize human production’s mechanized and controlled nature in the World State. Through the Bokanovsky Process, humans are artificially created and grown in bottles. This shows the society’s emphasis on industrialization and mass production. Natural birth is rendered obsolete, and the process reduces childbirth to an emotionless mechanical process. Bottles also represent the predestination and conditioning of individuals. People are conditioned to fit into specific castes and functions from creation, symbolizing the lack of free will and autonomy. Finally, bottles emphasize the cookie-cutter sameness of the members of the population, ensuring they conform to standards and expectations. This eradication of diversity maintains stability, but people become dehumanized, objectified, and lacking autonomy.

The zip is a symbol of society’s fixation on efficiency and convenience. Its widespread use in clothing reflects a culture prioritizing speed and functionality in all aspects of life, from daily routines to human interactions. It also represents society’s superficiality and pursuit of instant gratification. Just as zippers allow for quick dressing and undressing, the characters in the novel engage in casual sex and shallow entertainment, activities lacking depth or complexity. Moreover, the ubiquitous use of zips in clothing highlights society’s enforced conformity in behavior, thought, and appearance.

The Lighthouse

Historically, lighthouses guide ships safely through treacherous waters and alert sailors to dangerous coastlines or obstacles. Metaphorically, a lighthouse signifies enlightenment and guidance through uncertainty or difficulty and is a beacon of hope and direction. Lighthouses are often situated in remote or isolated locations, away from bustling cities and communities. This isolation can symbolize solitude, introspection, or a retreat from the noise and distractions of everyday life. In “ Brave New World “, the lighthouse is abandoned, symbolizing society’s forsaking enlightenment, and it is to this place that John retreats to rid himself of the corrupting influence of the World State.

Flowers symbolize the tension between natural beauty and society’s artificial control. One of the novel’s early scenes shows children being conditioned to dislike nature. Flowers are paired with electric shocks and loud noises to instill an aversion to them. By conditioning citizens to dislike nature, the World State ensures that people remain focused on consuming manufactured goods and engaging in controlled leisure activities rather than finding joy in the natural world. In this context, flowers represent the natural beauty and spontaneity that society deliberately suppresses.

Personal Perspective

It seems to me that the desire for utopia is a fundamentally human one. We want to improve on our life conditions. We are always looking for ways to live easier, to eliminate hardships, to have less encumbrances. But the troubles we want to cut out of life are the very same factors that drive human development. They may even be essential for our humanity. Take marriage and family, for instance. One could think of marriage as a coercive union, and the children raised in such a setting under the thumb of parents that could well be oppressive tyrants. But a home is the best place for children to learn duty, care and love. Inter-sibling interactions help them develop social skills and help them build character. The mental health of children raised in by their parents is better than those raised in foster care. Could we really attain utopia? I doubt, because we are always trading off one thing for another. Every social institution we attempt to tweak has advantages as well as disadvantages.

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About Ebuka Igbokwe

Ebuka Igbokwe is the founder and former leader of a book club, the Liber Book Club, in 2016 and managed it for four years. Ebuka has also authored several children's books. He shares philosophical insights on his newsletter, Carefree Sketches and has published several short stories on a few literary blogs online.

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Brave New World

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Brave New World , novel by Aldous Huxley , published in 1932. The book presents a nightmarish vision of a future society.

Brave New World is set in 2540 ce , which the novel identifies as the year AF 632. AF stands for “after Ford,” as Henry Ford ’s assembly line is revered as god-like; this era began when Ford introduced his Model T . The novel examines a futuristic society, called the World State, that revolves around science and efficiency . In this society, emotions and individuality are conditioned out of children at a young age, and there are no lasting relationships because “every one belongs to every one else” (a common World State dictum). Huxley begins the novel by thoroughly explaining the scientific and compartmentalized nature of this society, beginning at the Central London Hatchery and Conditioning Centre, where children are created outside the womb and cloned in order to increase the population. The reader is then introduced to the class system of this world, where citizens are sorted as embryos to be of a certain class. The embryos, which exist within tubes and incubators , are provided with differing amounts of chemicals and hormones in order to condition them into predetermined classes. Embryos destined for the higher classes get chemicals to perfect them both physically and mentally, whereas those of the lower classes are altered to be imperfect in those respects. These classes, in order from highest to lowest, are Alpha, Beta , Gamma, Delta, and Epsilon. The Alphas are bred to be leaders, and the Epsilons are bred to be menial labourers.

Bernard Marx, an Alpha, is one of the main characters of the story. He and his love interest, Lenina Crowne, travel to a “savage reservation,” where Marx’s boss (the Director) supposedly lost a female companion some years ago. When the two arrive, they see people living there engaging in unfamiliar rituals. They also stumble upon a woman (Linda) and her son (John, also referred to as the Savage) who Marx correctly assumes to be the lost family mentioned by the Director. The Director had recently been threatening to send Marx away for his antisocial behavior, so Marx decides to bring the two home with him.

Marx presents Linda and John to the Director, and John, the son the Director never knew he had, calls the Director “father.” This provokes the Director’s resignation, as procreation between persons is outlawed, and his crime has been exposed. John is kept in the “brave new world,” as he calls it, as a sort of experiment. Linda, however, is sent to a hospital because of her addiction to “soma,” a drug used by citizens to feel calmer. She eventually dies because of it, which causes John to go on an anti-soma rampage in the hallway of the hospital.

John becomes angrier and angrier with this society, until eventually he runs away to a lighthouse to live in isolation. He is able to evade tourists and reporters for a while, but eventually they find him and gawk as he engages in self-flagellation. The intensity of the crowd increases when John whips not only himself but a woman as well. Crowds descend from helicopters to witness the spectacle. Another woman appears (who is implied to be Lenina), and John attempts to whip her too. John is soon overcome with passion, and, after coming under the influence of soma, he falls asleep. The next morning, appalled at his complicity in the system, he hangs himself.

Brave New World was written between World War I and World War II , the height of an era of technological optimism in the West. Huxley picked up on such optimism and created the dystopian world of his novel so as to criticize it. Much of the anxiety that drives Brave New World can be traced to a widespread belief in technology as a futuristic remedy for problems caused by disease and war. Unlike his fellow citizens, Huxley felt that such a reliance was naive, and he decided to challenge these ideas by imagining them taken to their extremes. Huxley’s life was surrounded by science, something that likely helped him to produce the science-heavy Brave New World . His grandfather ( Thomas Henry Huxley ) was a prominent biologist and an early advocate of Darwin ’s theory of evolution , and his brothers also became scientists. Aldous too had hoped to pursue a career in the sciences, but a disease left him partially blind as an adolescent and thus unable to continue on his scientific path.

After Brave New World ’s publication, Huxley was accused of plagiarizing the novel My by Yevgeny Zamyatin , written in 1920 and published in English as We in the United States in 1924. Huxley denied having read the book, and the similarities between the novels can be seen as an expression of common fears surrounding the rapid advancement of technology and of the shared opinions of many tech-skeptics during the early 20th century. Following Brave New World came more dystopian novels, including, most prominently, George Orwell ’s Nineteen Eighty-four (1949).

The clearest literary influence on Brave New World can be intuited from the title, which comes from a line in William Shakespeare ’s The Tempest , a play preoccupied with what it means to build a new society. John is himself an echo of the play’s character Caliban , who is described as a “savage.” Huxley also signals the Bard of Avon’s influence through John’s education on the reservation, where the curriculum consists primarily of the works of Shakespeare. Some critics considered Brave New World to be, ultimately, a futuristic parody of The Tempest .

The reception of Brave New World at its publication was primarily negative. Many were offended by the nature of Huxley’s future, and very few understood the novel’s philosophical implications . Many schools and libraries all over the world banned the novel, and even today it remains on lists of censored books. Parents and teachers argue that the novel’s themes of promiscuity, self-harm, and overall negativity are not suitable for children. Others, however, are still influenced by the novel’s take on dystopia , which forces the reader to ponder: In a perfect world with no poverty, sickness, or sadness, what is society missing? This question and the answers provided by Huxley in Brave New World are, perhaps, the reason the novel continues to resonate .

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Brave New World Setting Analysis

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Published: Mar 19, 2024

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Table of contents

The world state: a technological dystopia, the system of social classes, the power of conditioning, the role of technology and scientific advancements, the artificial vs. the natural, relevance to our reality, a powerful reminder.

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The Unlawfulness of Science and Technology in the Brave New World

How it works

Aldous Huxley’s purpose for writing Brave New World was to alert the world about the unlawfulness of science and technology. The novel was written during 1931 when the world was changing politically and industrially. Huxley also emphasized the fact that if everyone was the same, the world would not be that great. Brave New World highlights on synthetically made things are not perfect and they are not a solution to all problems. The novel is a reflection of modern society because humans are losing character and becoming more and more similar as days pass.

People are becoming more similar and therefore human progress and love and marriage is dwindling due to the social structure enforced in this dystopian world.

In the first line of Brave New World written by Aldous Huxley, it declares that the motto for the World State is claimed to be: “Community, Identity, Stability.” Their motto is contradictory to what is actually portrayed within this dystopian world. Community is known to be diversity among the individuals in an area. Identity is known to be the differences between individuals and what makes others unique from one another. Lastly, stability is seen through strength and solidity. The way that the motto contradicts the actual meaning can be seen through many of the events that occurred throughout the novel. The Bokanovsky’s Process with cloning as well as conditioning is the exact reason why community is not present. With just the five social classes of Alphas, Betas, Gammas, Deltas, and Epsilons, there is sure to be no diversity other than these five categories. With the class system present and put in place, it averts individuality and selfhood amid the people. Perhaps people see the World State as being exceedingly controlling but it can be scrutinized by the rights of individuals are non-existent and people are cloned to be the same person which takes away from unique characteristics. Despite the efforts to maintain a stable world, John’s suicide at the end of the book emphasizes the fact that the World State is amoral.

The use of satire in Huxley’s novel provides a social commentary on various characteristics of modern society. Huxley ultimately portrays examples, sometimes to the extreme, of how technology, which right now is seen as revolutionizing, can eventually lead to the severe which could end up enslaving human nature. As a result to the technology and scientific advancements, the traditional family and society is “old-fashioned.” Diversity among individuals have been abolished and the the World Controllers view that sacrifice is unthinkable which is then progress, “…well, because progress is lovely, isn’t it?”(Huxley 86). Human progress can be seen humans defining their own character and changing things around them to better the world. Brave New World is engrossed in the powers of technology that human progress is weakened. With the mass production and cloning within the world, there is no say from anyone to revolt against the means of life in this dystopian world. People are born to love mass production, soma, and sex. They are born into a society in which human progress can not thrive. Due to the technological advancements and the reduction of character, human progress is sure to be irrelevant to this world.

Brave New World illustrates a divergent way of being born and raised. Through the conditioning, family growth is absent in the fact that adults are “raised” to fit the progress that the World State desires. Unlike the world today where parents instil their values into their own children, the State decides how each child is developed. A way for the different classes to flourish, relationships of a father and mother to a child as become an irregular and unacceptable scheme. Due to the social structure, the “individuals” are governed to act only as a member of their class. Dating and marriage is forbidden in the world because it leads to monogamy and ultimately goes against the motto: Community, Identity, Stability. The goal of the World State is to value pleasure in replace of family values and education. The use of Soma is a favored drug for a quick and easy way to feel good. Soma is used to escape reality for a few hours or even for a few days. “A gramme in time saves nine”(Huxley 60). Since the conditioning, this slogan was drilled into individuals minds to help relieve pain and create a sense of happiness. Because of the heavy use of Soma in the world, individuals never know the stress and pain that comes along with supporting and raising children, nor do they see the joy. To sum up, dystopian governments view relationships and marriage as distractions to what they believe in and what laws they are trying to live by.

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111 Brave New World Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

The importance of Aldous Huxley’s novel Brave New World can’t be overestimated. Today, its themes are as relevant as ever. If you’re looking for Brave New World essay titles or examples, you’re on the right page! But first, check out our simple writing guide.

🔝 Top 10 Brave New World Essay Topics

🏆 best brave new world topic ideas & essay examples, ✔️ good research topics about brave new world, 🔍 interesting topics to write about brave new world, ❓ brave new world essay questions, ✅ interesting brave new world research paper topics, brave new world essay topics: how to choose.

First, you should pick up the topic. The first thing that your readers interact with when they read your paper is the topic and title. That’s why you should carefully select the issue you’re going to discuss in the essay.

Here’s how to select the perfect paper subject:

• Carefully read the essay instructions. Make sure that you understand them correctly.
• Look through the Brave New World essay examples on the page below. Make notes while reading them and select relevant topics.
• Adapt the topic to meet your requirements and start the research.

Brave New World Thesis: How to Write

After you’ve finished your research, it’s time to write Brave New World thesis statement. It should reflect what your paper will be about.

Remember, you should analyze the book instead of summarizing, unless you’re assigned to write a book summary. Keep the thesis statement short and strong.

Brave New World Essay Outline

The next step is to create a Brave New World essay outline. The more detailed it is, the easier will be the whole writing process. Point out key ideas you’re going to cover in your writing: your opinion, supporting arguments, and research results.

In your Brave New World essay introduction present your topic and thesis statement. Then, in the main body, share your point of view and provide supporting arguments. Lastly, in conclusion, summarize the key issues.

Brave New World Essay Prompts

Now, let’s talk about the content of your future paper. Below, you’ll find examples of Brave New World essay questions with prompts to discuss in your writing:

• Happiness and truth. Can anyone be happy without expressing their will freely? What are the elements of happiness described in the book? Investigate, what do you think happiness is and what constitutes it.
• Characters. Who is your favorite character? Provide in-depth character analysis in your paper.
• Shakespeare and John. What is the role of Shakespeare in Brave New World?
• What modern issues does Brave New World cover? How does the novel correlate to current events? Provide examples.
• Theme of drugs. How does soma contribute to the main theme of the novel? Express your opinion if people should self-medicate when they want to avoid true emotions?
• Theme of love. Is there a place for love and sentiment in the World State?
• Racial equality. How does the author describe gender and racial equality in the book? Does the World State have it?
• Depression and suicide. What are the reasons that led to John’s suicide? Could he avoid it?
• Technology and its impact on society. How did technological breakthroughs impact the establishment of the World State? How does the power of technology affect the citizens of the World State?

Aldous Huxley’s book still remains one of the most controversial masterpieces and has much more ideas for analysis than we provided above. IvyPanda essay samples presented below will also reveal some interesting opinions and thoughts you can use as a source of inspiration for your writing. Whether you’re looking for argumentative, descriptive, narrative, and expository essay topics, check the paper examples below!

• The World State’s Idea of Perfection
• The Role of Escapism in Huxley’s Novel
• Huxley’s Novel as a Critique of Modernity
• Love in a World of Artificial Happiness
• Individuality vs. Conformity in Brave New World
• Themes of Control and Oppression in Brave New World
• Technology as a Double-Edged Sword in Huxley’s Novel
• Conditioning and Indoctrination in Brave New World
• Freedom of Thought vs. Censorship in the World State
• Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World and Contemporary Societies
• The Brave New World Dystopia by Aldous Huxley The primary assertion in the novel is that the cost of this stability is the loss of individuality, creativity, and genuine human connection.
• The Dystopian Societies of “1984” and Brave New World The three features which are discussed in this respect are the division of the two societies into social strata, the use of state power and control over citizens, and the loss of people’s individualities.
• Quotations in Aldous Huxley’s “Brave New World” It was the sort of idea that might easily decondition the more unsettled minds among the higher castes make them lose their faith in happiness as the Sovereign Good and take to believing, instead, that […]
• Comparison of G. Orwell’s “1984”, R. Bradbury’s “Fahrenheit 451” and A. Huxley’s “Brave New World” The leadership is in charge of virtually each and every single activity that takes place in the lives of the inhabitants of the society.
• Brave New World by Aldous Huxley: Novel Analysis In addition, the clash of Alphas and Betas is drastic some strive for recognition and living in a fake world, while others try to preserve their human nature.
• Biographical Analysis of Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World The writers came up with books and articles that tried to warn the society about the effects of their actions, while others tried to educate the society on what it needed to do to better […]
• Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley He chooses to stay on, despite his clear disapproval of the society around him Before his trip to the wilds, he becomes aware of the imminent threat of exile.
• Dystopias “Brave New World” by Huxley and “1984” by Orwell The modern world is full of complications and the moments when it seems like a dystopia the darkest version of the future. In the novel, promiscuity is encouraged, and sex is a form of entertainment.
• The Future of Society in “Brave New World” by Huxley and “Amusing Ourselves to Death” by Postman Thus, this work will study the similarities between the visions of the authors of these literary works and their view of society.
• Huxley’s Brave New World Review Huxley has written in the introduction of his recent print of the book that much of the inspiration for the book was a result of his visit to the high technology Brunner and Mond plant […]
• Technology Control in Aldous Huxley’s “Brave New World” They leave you with a, but there is a self-limiting effect of all of our contemporary psychotropics and mood-alterers. The tabloid news is full of people who have become addicted to prescription drugs, or find […]
• Circumstance and Individual in Huxley’s “Brave New World” He is not allowed to participate fully in the rites and ceremonies of the Reservation, so he fashions his system of thought out of the scripture and the dramas he reads.
• Novel Response: Brave New World For instance, he uses changes in the world state society of the characters to illustrate how the changes influence their lives in a negative way.
• Common Theme Between Books These include psychological manipulation of the citizens, exercising physical control on the people, and using technology to control information, history and the citizens for the benefit of the party.
• The Predicted Modern Society in “Brave New World” by Aldous Huxley
• The Depiction of the Utopian Community in Huxley’s “Brave New World”
• The Funhouse Mirror: An Examination of Distortion of Government in Aldous Huxley’s “Brave New World”
• The Consequences of Living in a Society Under a Totalitarian Rule in Aldous Huxley’s “Brave New World”
• An Analysis of Satiric Elements in “Brave New World” by Aldous Huxley
• The Lost of Emotions for Social Stability in Aldous Huxley’s “Brave New World”
• Alcohol in Our Society; Huxley’s View in Relation To “Brave New World”
• The Similarities Between Government Control and Suppression of Individuality in “Brave New World” by Aldous Huxley
• The Satirical Representation of the Perfect Society in Aldous Huxley’s “Brave New World”
• Constant Individual Conditioning Is Needed to Reinforce Society in Huxley’s “Brave New World”
• An Analysis of the Reality That the World Have Inhuman Society Controlled by Technology in “Brave New World” by Aldous Huxley
• The Theme of History in “Brave New World” by Arthur Huxley and “1984” by George Orwell
• The Origin of Happiness in “Brave New World” by Aldous Huxley
• An Analysis of Propaganda and Hypnopaedic Teachings in “Brave New World” by Aldous Huxley
• A Literary Analysis of a “Brave New World” by Aldous Huxley
• Suppression of Individuality in Huxley’s “Brave New World”
• The Important Role of Reproductive Technology in the Social Control of “Brave New World” by Aldous Huxley
• A Contrast Between Two Societies in Aldous Huxley’s “Brave New World”
• The Superficial Reality of “Brave New World” by Aldous Huxley
• The Advancement of Science and Its Effects on the Individual in “Brave New World” by Aldous Huxley
• The Social and Sexual Interaction in the “Brave New World” by Aldous Huxley
• The Values of Society in Aldous Huxley’s “Brave New World” and Ridley Scott’s “Blade Runner”
• A Review of the Dangers of Technology in “Brave New World” by Aldous Huxley
• The Moral Dilemmas in Our Society in “Brave New World” by Aldous Huxley
• An Analysis of the Futuristic London in the Novel “Brave New World” by Aldous Huxley
• The Theme of Selfishness in a “Brave New World” by Aldous Huxley
• The Implications of Having Adults Filled With Suggestions From the States in “Brave New World” by Aldous Huxley
• The Dystopian and Utopian Societies in “Brave New World” by Aldous Huxley and “1984” by George Orwell
• The Pursuit of Happiness in Aldous Huxley’s “Brave New World”
• A Society of Drugs and Promiscuous Sexual Relations in a “Brave New World” by Aldous Huxley
• Using Soma to Find Happiness and Pleasure in “Brave New World” by Aldous Huxley
• The Issue of Cloning as Described in Aldous Huxley’s “Brave New World”
• The Role of Government and Technology in Aldous Huxley’s “Brave New World”
• The Role of Technology in Aldous Huxley’s “Brave New World”
• The Importance of Soma in Control of Social Stability in Aldous Huxley’s “Brave New World”
• An Overview of the Construction of “Brave New World” by Aldous Huxley
• The Portrayal of Community, Identity and Stability in Aldous Huxley’s “Brave New World”
• The Use of Distortion in “Brave New World” By Aldous Huxley
• A Critique the Depiction of Role of Science in “Brave New World” by Aldous Huxley
• The Non-Existence of Individualism in the “Brave New World” by Aldous Huxley
• An Analysis of the Advancement of Science in “Brave New World” by Aldous Huxley
• Utopia and Dystopia in the Futuristic Novel “Brave New World” by Aldous Huxley
• How Does “Brave New World” Illustrate the Point of Happiness?
• Does “Brave New World” Suggest That We Should Seek Something Else in Life Rather Than Our Happiness?
• How Are Women’s Bodies and Reproduction Depicted Within “Brave New World”?
• What Are the Parallels Between “Brave New World” and Our World Today?
• How Does “Brave New World” Compare to Biology?
• What Does “Brave New World” Suggest Be Valuable?
• How Does “Brave New World” Resemble the 21st Century?
• Why Does John Reject the Civilization Represented in “Brave New World”?
• How Does “Brave New World” Reflect the Context in Which It Was Written?
• Why Would Shakespeare Not Work in Brave New World?
• How Does the Novel “Brave New World” by Aldous Huxley Suggest That the Individual Will Be Treated in the Future?
• Will Aldous Huxley’s “Brave New World” Be Our Brave New World?
• How Far Have the Prophecies of “Brave New World” Come True?
• What Are Mustapha Mond’s Arguments Against Freedom in “Brave New World”?
• How Does Huxley’s “Brave New World” Portray Authority of Science and Technology on Society?
• Is John From “Brave New World” Really Freer Than the World State Members?
• How Would Plato and Sophists View the World of “Brave New World” by Aldous Huxley?
• What Is Huxley’s Vision of a Utilitarian Society in “Brave New World”?
• How Does the “Brave New World” by Aldous Huxley Compare to the Real World?
• Why Does Mustapha Mond Insist That Science Must Be Constrained in the Same Way That Art and Religion Are in “Brave New World”?
• How Does the “Brave New World” Fit Into the Six Characteristics of Malark’s Theory of Characteristics?
• What Traits of Humanity Does John Savage Represent in the “Brave New World”?
• Is Huxley’s Society in “Brave New World” Able to Suppress Religious Impulses Completely?
• In What Ways Does Huxley Moralize Sexuality in the “Brave New World”?
• Do You Believe That Huxley’s Blindness Influenced the Way He Viewed Society in “Brave New World”?
• Why Does John Savage Kill Himself at the End of the “Brave New World”?
• Do You Believe That Mustapha Mond Is the Antagonist of the “Brave New World”?
• Is “Brave New World” a Utopia or a Dystopia?
• What Is the Main Message of “Brave New World”?
• Can Happiness Be Reached Through Drugs Like “Soma” From “Brave New World”?
• Ethical Implications of Genetic Engineering in Brave New World
• Brave New World vs. 1984: A Comparison of Dystopian Societies
• The Critique of Consumerism and Mass Production in Brave New World
• The Theme of Dehumanization of Art and Creativity in a Technologically Advanced Society
• Psychological Manipulation and Mind Control in Brave New World
• How Gender and Sexuality Are Represented in Huxley’s Brave New World
• Religion and Spirituality in a Technological Utopia
• How Control and Surveillance in the World State Create the Illusion of Freedom
• The Impact of Conditioning and Sleep-Learning on Characters’ Behavior
• Huxley’s Vision of the Future: Predictions That Came True
• The Historical Events That Inspired Brave New World
• The Role of Soma in Maintaining Social Stability in the World State
• Satire and Social Commentary in Brave New World
• Savage Reservation’s Contrast with the World State’s Society
• Brave New World and Utopia: The Paradox of Perfection
• The Fall of the House of Usher Research Ideas
• Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God Research Topics
• A Good Man is Hard to Find Essay Ideas
• The Things They Carried Questions
• The Story of an Hour Essay Ideas
• The Road Not Taken Topics
• Fahrenheit 451 Titles
• Animal Farm Research Topics
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

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Tip 1: Read the instructions

Every year when I write a blog about my top tips for the application cycle, I start with this tip: Slow down and read ALL of the instructions. Seems simple, right? But with all that you need to keep track of with applications and school-related responsibilities, it is easy to miss something important. This is especially true this year because for the first time, Michigan Ross is a First-Year Admitting Unit at the University of Michigan. Read the blog I published in June to learn more about this change. 

We have a variety of resources on our How to Apply: First Year Applicants page Also, if you happen to forget where to submit your portfolio, we have a Ross Admissions Portfolio website with the SlideRoom link available. 

Tip 2: Take ownership of your application process 

The more organized and in control of your college application process, the less stress you may feel. Taking ownership means understanding and tracking all deadlines you need to meet for the colleges you are applying to (including financial aid). This also means organizing what materials you need to submit in addition to what is requested within the actual application. You will need to submit transcripts, and letters of recommendation, among other items, and it is your responsibility  to ensure that these materials are delivered on time.

Another tip I often give to students is to write a thank you note to your recommenders about a month before each application deadline (which also means you gave them more than a month to write your letter). This is both a form of gratitude, and a good way to politely remind your teachers and counselors if they have not already submitted your letters. 

Tip 3: Make the call, not your parents 

Speaking of ownership, it is important that you make the call or initiate the email when you have a question related to your application. It can be brave to navigate a complex application or university system, but it is also a very important experience for you to gain before you arrive on a college campus. Building that independence begins now. The more confident you are now in talking with the staff and faculty at colleges and universities, the more successful you will be later. Remember the common phrase, “no such thing as a stupid question”. That is entirely true! We are here to answer every question you may have and it excites us even more when we talk to a student who is considering our program. 

Tip 4: Show an authentic voice through reflective writing

Your voice is the most important part of the application process. College essay writing is reflective writing - not academic writing, and usually not creative writing. What do I mean by reflective? We want students to reflect on their interests, goals, what they will contribute to this new academic community, and what they want to gain from it.

Let’s take that typical “why [this college] essay.” When you answer that question, it is not about what the school will give you in terms of job placement rates or fancy facilities. It is about what you want to get out of your college experience. Reflect on the moment you knew you wanted to study business and tell us why. Was it a class within your high school? An extracurricular activity that exposed you to a new concept or idea? Try to be present with your thinking and stay away from essays that center others as your reason, such as the “dinner time conversations with my parents on their business/job” or “my cousin who attended business school.” Remember, you are the one completing this degree, not anyone else, so you need to show that you have thought through your why.

And, write all of this without platitudes on how great Michigan or Ross is. We certainly love Michigan and Ross, too! But the essay is about you, your goals, and a reflection of what you want to study and why.

Tip 5: The Business Case Discussion is not a research-based prompt

In the BBA program, we solve a lot of problems and case study analysis is at the core of our broad-based management degree. Therefore, the portfolio has a performance assessment known as the Business Case Discussion that allows us to view and analyze your problem-solving ability. I recently wrote a blog post on it and recommend that you check it out. But to quickly summarize a few things here, the Business Case Discussion is not a research-based prompt. You will give no citations or reference works of others. That is because the topic you will choose is local and not global. We are instead looking to see how you identify the business implications and what steps you take to think through or get to a solution. It should all be original thinking on your part. 

Tip 6: Submit by the Early Action deadline

I will end with the last tip I always give: Please apply by the Nov. 1 Early Action deadline. We build the majority of our class with Early Action applicants. Also, applying Early Action means you get your admission decision by late January and financial aid and scholarship processes can commence sooner. Early Action is non-binding (we do not have any application deadline restrictions or Early Decision deadlines. We receive, review, and make decisions periodically for the BBA program, and the later you apply, the higher likelihood that we are filling up and will have less space for admission offers later in the process. 

I hope these application tips were helpful. Remember that our website is a wonderful resource for more information on applying, and we have many ways to connect with us . I look forward to reading your applications this winter.   

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