Chapter 16

Bernard, Watson, and John are taken to the office of the Resident World Controller for Western Europe, Mustapha Mond. As they await Mustapha, Bernard is nervous, whereas Watson is happy. John, on the other hand, is merely curious about the books in the room.

Mustapha Mond shakes hands with all three men. When John tells Mustapha that he is not impressed by “civilization,” Bernard is horrified to be seen in John’s company. He is afraid Mustapha might not take kindly to such statements.

Mustapha meanwhile tries to show John that he is well read; in another bid to impress John, Mustapha turns to Bernard and tells him that although he (Mustapha) can break rules with impunity, Bernard has no such privileges.

John wonders why the old are not allowed in London and why Londoners seem to have no conception of beauty. Mustapha tells him that they want people to like the new and not be attracted to the old. He adds that London is a stable, successful civilization, that it is not racked by disease, greed, instability, or death. He argues that in the absence of these afflictions, the civilized world has no need for the concept of beauty. He tells John that by extension the civilized world has no need for Othello, or other works of Shakespeare.

Delving further into the matter, Mustapha clarifies that this is the price the civilized world pays for stability: that one has to choose between happiness and art, that one cannot have both. In the novel, Mustapha often tells the young that stability is not as glamorous as instability, and that happiness can never be grand.

John then asks why they cannot make everyone Alphas. In response, Mustapha refers to an experiment that was carried out in Cyprus. When they repopulated the land with only Alphas, they had to deal with strikes, war, and general instability. Mustapha adds that those who do menial work are not unhappy. In fact, he contends that they are happier than their superior Alpha counterparts.

Mustapha then argues that science and art have to be regulated to ensure social stability. He admits that he was once an inquisitive physicist, but had to suppress his curiosities or be consigned to life on a remote island.

When Mustapha tells the three of them that they might be consigned to a faraway location, Bernard flings himself at Mustapha’s feet, groveling for mercy and pointedly accusing Watson and John of having caused the riot. Bernard is taken away to a room and put on a soma regimen to calm his nerves.

Mustapha tells Watson and John that they should be happy about being sent to an island, as those are the only places where they can meet interesting people—individuals who did not accept orthodoxy.

Watson is happy to hear this, but also wonders why Mustapha never went to an island himself. Mustapha admits that he chose ambition over curiosity. To ease his banishment to a remote island, Mustapha asks Watson about his preferred climate type. Watson says he prefers harsh climates since he finds them conducive to good writing. Accordingly, he chooses the Falkland Islands for his transfer and then excuses himself to check on Bernard.

Analysis

This chapter gives readers a peek into the mind of Mustapha Mond, the highest authority in Western Europe. His explanations highlight the guiding principles of the civilized world depicted in the novel. His statements about stability—not happiness—being the grand pursuit of humankind are especially noteworthy in this context. He adds that grand concepts such as bravery, love, happiness, and contentment were actively sacrificed in the pursuit of peace and stability for all.

This is why humans are mass-produced in this world; they are conditioned to regard themselves as parts of a whole rather than as individuals. Those who object to this state of affairs are exiled to remote islands.