A Brave New World By Bernard Marx

Although he wants to be an individual, to feel strongly and act freely, Bernard shows little creativity or courage. He is caught between conforming to the World State’s culture while also questioning their standards. He is surrounded by the World State rules so conforming is expected of him. Bernard conforms in multiple ways throughout the novel. He conforms by simply doing his job, working with hypnopedia, in which he implants messages into the minds of children, messages he does not even agree with.

Bernard was brought up knowing that hard work and effort will lead to success. With taking his father’s advice, Bernard makes sure that he is prepared for graduation. All of the time invested in school pays off when Bernard gains status as an important Lawyer later in life.

In conclusion, Bernard is interested in pursuing his personal desires, instead of conforming to society because he doesn’t like the way society is and what it is restricting people from.

If technology is the only thing people are going to use in the future, the world will revolve around it and the government will gain control. Characters in the book Brave New World by Aldous Huxley are being controlled by the government without knowing it. The government believes that the people should be acting like robots in the future. Technology has taken over the people and the government is using it to their advantage. By having the people obey the government and thinking they are superior to the people, they do not have to worry about anyone trying to leave the Reservation. They use different tactics to have them able to be cajoling the people when they are children,

In “Fifth Business”, Robertson Davies displays how the main character, Dunstan Ramsay’s, childhood friends and family influence him to be incapable of changing the course of action of his life.

You wait for them to ask you. And if they don’t…you act unconcerned.” (Dorris, 18). Bernard’s mother gives a full explanation on how to act when he is being judged by Marie’s mother, Blanche, and her sister. In past society, it is the role of the bride to impress her future in-laws by showing the family that she can cook, clean, and carry out all household duties. However, in this case, Bernard is taught what to say and how to react when he goes hunting. From this, it can be seen that his masculine personality is in question as he must listen to whatever anyone tells him. His rights of speaking and committing actions are prohibited as he must show respect and humbleness towards his future in-laws. Moreover, he must respect his family’s tradition and culture by not speaking or raising an voice to people. As time progresses, Bernard matures and realizes that he must carry out his family traditions and must be selected by Blanche. He compliments Blanche’s food as a teaching to impress her. He says “This is wonderful…The best I’ve ever tasted. What cooks are you. But you are too generous. Let me put some back in the pot.” (Dorris, 21). This exemplifies how Bernard decides to mature as a person by knowing what to say without his mother’s teachings. He begins to value his culture and traditions by complimenting Blanche on the food and showing proper etiquette when eating. Through this, it is portrayed that men in the society

Helmholtz and Bernard are both very intelligent individuals and are different from the other Alphas. They both feel like they are outsiders and are unhappy with how the community is. Bernard is considered an “outsider” because of his physical appearance, he is not attractive like the other Alphas in society and is not respected by the lower castes when given orders. Bernard says, “I am I, and I wish I wasn’t” (Huxley, 64). From this statement one can infer that Bernard is unhappy with his placement and feels like a social outcast. Unlike Bernard, Helmholtz is extremely attractive and, “...looked...every centimetre an Alpha Plus” (Huxley, 66-67). Helmholtz works with Emotional Engineering and feels that his writing could be used for greater

P144 "What should have been the crowning moment of Bernard's whole career had turned out to be the moment of his greatest humiliation." He had tried to elevate himself, to become accepted in a society that shunned him, by using the savage, but it had backfired and therefore the reader can sympathise. Not only had he lost the respect of his peers and fellow Alphas, but also he had lost the respect of someone who was, in many ways, so similar to him. Bernard can be pitied immensely for his ability to sense, see and appreciate things of beauty and as he could value and enjoy his

‘I’d rather be myself,’ he said. ‘Myself and nasty. Not somebody else, however jolly.’ (Huxley 60). Bernard is initially upset with something that his society does to maintain consistent satisfaction: the use of soma, a drug that instills ecstasy within its user without the inconvenient drawbacks of normal drug/alcohol usage. He is afflicted by the fact that one would use soma to essentially ignore their problems and “fake” their emotions. This dissatisfaction carries on with his viewpoint on how his society treats women, “‘Talking about her as though she were a bit of meat.’ Bernard ground his teeth. ‘Have her here, have her there.’ Like mutton. Degrading her to so much mutton” (Huxley 33). As a rule, “everyone belongs to everyone”, and Bernard believes women are treated disgracefully and only for the use of sexual pleasure. This also contributes as “laughing instead of thinking” that afflicts him, as well as, finally, the thrill of pastimes as an everyday activity outside of work, compared to individualist hobbies and mental activities (discussion): “Then what about a round of Electro-magnetic Golf at St. Andrew’s? But again, no: Bernard considered that Electro-magnetic Golf was a waste of time. ‘Then what’s time for?’ asked Lenina in some astonishment. Apparently, for going walks in the Lake District; for that was what he now proposed...‘Alone with you, Lenina.’ ‘But,

When Bernard is exiled to Iceland he is unhappy and decides to go the reservation even when told he shouldn’t. When in London his popularity increases and takes advantage of his new status. He used his new status to get to women, but those women were promised that they would get to meet John through knowing Bernard. Also with being exiled Bernard becomes more independent and individualized. “And then he spends most of his time by himself—alone." There was horror in Fanny's voice.”(pg 35) This is the beginning of where Bernard’s defining feature is a downfall and a virtue. It defines his virtue because it makes an individual to be alone. It’s also a downfall because it makes him insecure and manipulative to John.

Bernard Marx, one of the central characters who is an Alpha Plus but ashamed of his outlook. From his private thoughts, he has the desire to fight the system and become a popular person. His low self esteem makes him feel that he has the need to yell at the Epsilons to protect his dignity as an Alpha Plus. Even if Marx 's inner thoughts shows that he is a rebellious and indignant person, his actions show otherwise. Because of his unsatisfiable sexual desires and low self-esteem, he criticizes everyone. But the irony is that the ones he criticize are those he most desire to become. He loathes John for his barbaric characteristics. Yet, Marx has to use the "Savage" to maintain his popularity. Marx is trapped in a world which he tried so hard but failed to fit in. From his imagination, he fought his boss. But in reliality, he begged to not to be send to an island and blamed the fault to John and Watson. He critizes Lenina for taking soma. Yet, he

Bernard and Pam’s relationship was built on factors that both parties attempt to repress, forget, and deny. For example, Pam was initially attracted to Bernard’s dark color and lower class status. For Pam’s whole life, she “had been shielded from men like him”(38). There was an aspect of rebellion in dating Bernard since he was “a street boy” while she grew up benefiting from old money. Pam also liked the competitive aspect of dating Bernard; she felt like she won Bernard’s attention by stealing him away from the “‘relevant’ and ‘righteous’ campus militants”(38). Pam especially felt good about dating Bernard in the competitive sense because she stole him from a group that originally shunned her for being too light-skinned. As a result, Pam’s

            Bernard Marx was alienated in the Brave New World because of his general appearance. As an Alpha Plus, Bernard was unusually short and ugly. Suggested by Fanny, Bernard's condition resulted from an error when he was still in a bottle, the workers

“With eyes for the most part downcast and, if ever they lighted on a fellow creature, at once and furtively averted, Bernard hastened across the roof. He was like a man pursued, but pursued by enemies he does not wish to see, lest they should seem more hostile even than he had supposed, and he himself be made to feel guiltier and even more helplessly alone.” (63)

He is fervently determined to succeed in his contemporary competitive society. In a conversation with his children about Bernard, he enumerates a few