Soma In Brave New World Essay

One of the most prominent aspect of the Great Depression was that the people of United States lost confidence in the banking system and the banking crises of the 1933 followed. Until 1930s, unregulated banking system existed with the notion that increased competition would make the market more efficient increasing the consumer choice base and thus would promote resource allocation and growth. Since people at that time weren’t too supportive of centralization, there was division of power and all the states and regions had their own banks to mobilize resources and carry out investments. This led to increasing competition to attract the same resources which escalated the rates offered to depositors and induced lenders to invest in high return, high risk areas. As a result, the financial system became fragile and there were frequent mortgage

However, even though at the beginning of the book Bernard was different than the rest of the society, when he brought John “the savage” back to society and was the center of attention for a while he started to behave like an ordinary member of society. Nonetheless, this popularity did not last long for Bernard and he was soon back to being an interloper of society. Even though Bernard is an individual whenever he takes soma he gains feelings similar to the rest of the population. Soma in a way is like an government drug that controls the citizens and keeps you part of the society so that everyone in the society can be as one, soma also makes you happy.

In Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World the use of soma clouds peoples ability to experience natural human emotions. It deprives people from understanding who they are as a human being and what they value. The drug is used as a hallucinogen and an antidepressant. Soma was designed for people to consume it when they got into tough situations or just needed a quick “holiday” away from reality. Even Bernard, who was once against the use of soma, began taking it and acting just like everyone else.

In Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley, there is a drug used and mentioned throughout the story called Soma. The characters have been conditioned by birth that Soma is always the answer when you feel alone or sad. This drug is used so people can go on "holidays" from their reality and is used as payment for the lower caste groups. People want Soma because they go on these highs and live in their "Heaven" to escape reality. After all, they do call Soma "All the advantages of Christianity and alcohol; none of their defects"(Huxley 54). Soma becomes a tool to control the people in society.

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

Throughout the book, multiple characters indulge in soma, a drug that gives the user a pleasant sensation of relaxation, known as a "soma holiday". Soma holidays allow the user to escape the unpleasantness of reality. The consumption of soma is considered normal and a necessary part of daily life. Ironically, our society considers drug use to be both abnormal and immoral. Like promiscuity, soma usage is considered normal because it is regulated by the World Controllers. Soma’s properties turns into one of the World Controller’s most powerful means of management. After partaking in soma, the people no longer feel the need to ask questions or defy the structures of society. The soma rations are an insurance against any social unrest. It removes initiative and ultimately restricts

Soma was taken all the time to make them have allusions and leave all their worries behind.

The World State forbids the citizens from experiencing any negative emotion, for fear of losing control. Soma, Latin for sleep, renders its users to a coma-like blissful state, which Congdon describes, borrowing the statement from Huxley himself, that soma allows the citizens to,“periodically escape from the pressure of routine and worldly cares”(Congdon). Citizens are conditioned to use the drug at the slightest challenge to the cultural norms, preventing any thoughts of rebellion or contempt against the government.

In this world where people can acquire anything they need or want, we have to wonder, “Is the government controlling us?” Both the governments in A Brave New World and in the United States of America offer birth control pills and have abortion clinics that are available for everyone, thus making birth control pills and abortion operations very easy to acquire. Although both governments offer birth control pills and abortion clinics, A Brave New World’s government requires everyone to take the pills and immediately get an abortion when pregnant. This in turn shows us that A Brave New World’s government is controlling the population and the development of children. China is one of the few countries that currently have control of the

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.

The citizens of Huxley’s Brave New World, are sedated with the drug Soma. In this world, happiness is used as a tool to manipulate and control the population. A British psychiatrist

The novel Brave New World uses soma as a symbol for power and control over citizen’s emotions. Aldous Huxley, the author of the novel uses symbolism to show soma helps user receive a quick fix for their problems and the consequences that comes with the drug. Everyone has their own obstacles to face, some may be harder than others. We cannot experience all the good things in life without some of the bad. Taking drugs and alcohol to escape from problems is not the solution. They might make you feel blissful for a while but sooner or later you will have to face those issue that you were once running away

In many cases when you read a novel you may find comparisons between the "fictional" society and your realistic one. The author may consciously or unconsciously create similarities between these two worlds. The novelist can foresee the future and write according to this vision. In Brave New World, Adlous Huxley envisions the future of our society and the dangerous direction it is headed in.

Soma is the answer to all of life's problems and is invented in an attempt to distract society from worry, tension, and pain. The drug is rationed by the government and is normally consumed after a hard day's work. In this utopian society, people choose to "know no pain" (Clareson 238). Instead of suffering, people fill their days with the mindless acts they were predestined to perform. At the end of each day, everyone gathers in crowded distribution rooms and waits eagerly to receive the one thing that truly makes the day worthwhile, which is his or her ration of soma (Huxley 215). This valuable drug goes beyond the literal meaning in which it is being used and becomes the one thing that everyone really lives for. The idea in the novel is that pleasure is the most powerful motivator (Clareson 238). So by giving the masses pleasure, the directors keep the world running smoothly. The directors also eliminate the time between desire and fulfillment, so one cannot help but take the quick fix of soma rather than using logic to figure out his or her problems. It is the mass' motivator and problem solver, and brings the people all the great moods and feelings that they could possible ask for because of its hypnotic power to relax the mind (Meerloo 236). Unfortunately, when the futuristic people take this drug, they eventually

Bernard tries explaining how he wants to be free, have his own individuality, and have his own ability to think and feel; not like everyone else, but like himself. He also explains how he wants to be happy, truly happy. He feels that in the World State, and because of his conditioning, this can never happen. Lenina’s response enables the audience to see how much she’s been brainwashed, showing how powerful the state is.