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Happiness And Truth In Brave New World

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Happiness and truth, though seeming similar, are distinctly unique. Happiness is the fulfilment of desires and aspirations whereas truth is the fulfilment of questions and knowledge. Brave New World demonstrates a society in which fully obtaining one is accomplished only by completely abandoning the other. Helmholtz, a propaganda technician, was plagued by an unusual thirst for truth. He realized that happiness only blinded him from the truth, stating that some form of “madness and violence” (169) were the inspiration for Shakespeare’s words, not any blissful ignorance. When facing exile he held his head high, choosing the tumult of storm and wind over the peace of tropical rapture. By embracing such discord, he committed himself to the pursuit of truth without the happiness he once knew. Lenina, in contrast, always sought happiness. Truth and discovery outside her realm of comfort frightened Lenina, choosing instead to leave on soma-induced …show more content…

Bernard, due to his appearance and insecurity, refuted happiness. He chose to be himself, not “somebody else, however jolly” (89). However, when John showed up and presented a means of fitting in, Bernard chose happiness, abandoning his previous biases on a whim. Inevitably, when his fickle and insecure nature was faced with the choice between the two, he stood by Helmholtz’s side and left London. When confronted with a similar decision, Mond made the opposite choice. In his youth he was an “inquisitive young scullion,” seeking scientific truth apart from what was widely accepted (203). He was almost sent away like Helmholtz and Bernard. Happiness and truth couldn’t coexist, so Mond had to abandon his pursuits of “pure science” and instead trained to be a Controller. Despite his interests in “truth” and “science,” he realized that they put the public at risk because they were a danger to the happiness society had carefully cultivated

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