A Brave New World: Dystopian Society

Roth’s, Divergent has elements of a dystopian setting, and it is a possible warning for our society. Though the novel primary reveals to be dystopian, there were originally good intentions of a utopian society. Harmon describes a utopian society as, “a perfect political state that is an imaginary ideal world,” (Harmon 492). No society is created to become the epitome of destruction. The Abnegation government created the factions to act as each working part of a successful society. They must have had a utopian mindset before the society shifted by elements that led to dystopia. Harmon also examines a dystopian society as a, “bad place.” He continues by describing, “Imaginary worlds, usually in the future, in which present tendencies are carried out

Different societies have risen and fallen in the continual search for the “perfect” society. The definition of this utopia is in constant flux due to changing times and cultural values. Many works of literature have been written describing a utopian society and the steps needed to achieve it. However, there are those with a more cynical or more realistic view of society that comment on current and future trends. These individuals look at the problems in society and show how to solve them with the use of control and power. Such a society is considered undesirable and has become known as dystopian society.

John, also known as John the Savage, is the son of Linda and his father, who are both members of Utopia. He was born and raised on the Savage Reservation. John is an outsider both on the Reservation - where the natives still practise marriage, natural birth, family life and religion - and the apparently civilised Brave New World: a totalitarian welfare-state based on principles of stability and happiness, even if it`s a happiness of a superficial and bland nature.

Even though John grew up on the reservation, he was not accepted by the community there. His complexion, along with how his mother behaved made it increasingly difficult for him to be accepted into their culture. The boys would shout, “Not for you, white-hair! Not for the son of the she-dog (Pg.127). John wasn’t allowed to participate in rituals and was rejected by many that lived there. So, he decided to have his own rituals. He once went into the wilderness and began crying, but thought, “...it was not for pain that he sobbed, it was because he was all alone, because he had been driven out, alone into this skeleton world of rocks and moonlight” (Pg. 127). In addition, John’s mother would behave promiscuously as was a normal part of life in the Other Place, but not the Savage Reservation. He was then mocked and, sometimes, even violently hurt, because his mother’s actions were seen as very inappropriate and immoral (Pg. 121). John simply wanted to be a part of Indian life and culture, but felt as far from that as possible. He wasn’t only exiled from his community, but also from the Other Place. John was looked at as the “Savage” who acted much different than they. Later on, he became a spectacle for people to watch and laugh at (Pg. 227). His background was one that people there thought was shameful and something not to be spoken of. John had his fair share of alienation from both his own Indian community and people in

The Noble Savage was the concept of a superior primitive man uncorrupted by civilization who lives under just and reasonable laws. In the book, John Savage was an unfettered

emotions felt by characters in the novel. His use of language in this way helps convey his

Society tricks the Savage by making him believe that he is free and able to do whatever he wants when in reality, he was not granted these liberties. John is shown what makes the society “civilized” and what makes the society work, but he doesn’t agree with any of their methods. However, when John asks Mond if he can go to the islands with his friends, Mond refuses to let him because he says that John needs to stay for experimentation. He is trapped

The savage has only a few defining characteristics; however, these characteristics must be distinct and present for a character to be acknowledged as the savage. First off, there are two different types of savages: the noble and the ignoble savage. The noble is peaceful, spiritual, and only kills when it feels necessary. The ignoble is the polar opposite; it is brutal, uncivilized, and kills just for the “sport” of killing. Similar to the savage, one that can also be the savage, is the individual. Individuals do not depend on others but rather support themselves and usually go against or stand apart from the rest of society. The Individual is one who realizes his morality through nature. In The Adventures of Huckleberry

“viviparous” (15). This set apart the old social ways from the new normal. Nothing is left to

Huxley's work, Brave New World, is a book about a society that is in the future. This book contains many strange things that are generally unheard of today. Yet we see that some of the ideas that are presented in this book were already present in the 20th century. The idea of having one superior race of people can easily be seen as something that Hitler was trying to accomplish during the Holocaust. Huxley presents the society in his book as being a greater civilization. A totalitarian type of leadership is also presented in his book. According to him, this would be the best and most effective type of government. Hitler also thought that a totalitarian government was best. We see several similarities between Hitler's Germany and Huxley's

Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World reflects the fallacies of utopian happiness when a totalitarian government artificially controls a society. Controllers of the “World State” in Brave New World strategically allow their citizens to use designer drugs, mainly Soma, to create an unintelligent and unquestioning population that is segregated into five different social classes. However, there are some rebels in the midst of the World State that don’t stand true to their government’s laws. Moderation is almost unheard of in Brave New World.

Aldous Huxley wisely inserts many instances of distortion to the elements in Brave New World to successfully caution the world about its growing interest in technology.

Throughout time numerous individuals have attempted to predict what the future holds for our society. If one was to narrow their focus on the past century they would see the works and predictions of Aldous Huxley and George Orwell. Both Huxley and Orwell, as one could infer, composed novels that describe future societies and their inner workings. Aldous Huxley, author of Brave New World, where members of society originate from a lab and who’s lives are pre-determined by the controllers. The controllers of Huxley’s futuristic society’s fundamental goal is to create an ideal community where every member achieves optimal happiness through the lives that are chosen for them and through the use of a euphoria inducing drug named Soma. The main

"But I don’t want comfort. I want God, I want poetry, I want real danger, I want freedom, I want goodness. I want sin." (Page 211, Chapter 17) This is the Savage explaining he would rather have real life, like in the old world, but instead, he is sucked into the World States idea of freedom; well, lack thereof that is.

John Smith’s autobiography highlights his poor characteristics as a human being. For example, when John Smith first encounters the native Indians, he tries to escape and he used an Indian as a human shield against the rain of arrows that followed him. Smith had forcibly held a man against his will as arrows pierced the Indian’s body with each arrow being driven deep into his stomach. This act of manipulation is morally wrong as everyone should be entitled to their own actions, but John Smith takes this to a new level by sacrificing another's life to save his own. In addition, Smith’s autobiography talks of the “six or seven weeks those barbarians kept him prisoner,” (105). This terminology is found throughout all of Smith’s autobiography and is revolting as he killed many Indians despite the