BNW Essay Draft 1

Writers often highlight the values of a culture or a society by using
characters who are alienated from that culture or society because of gender,
race, class, or creed. Choose a play or novel (BRAVE NEW WORLD)
in which such a character plays a significant role, and show how that 
character’s alienation reveals the surrounding society’s assumptions and 
moral values. 

Prewrite:

John ----> How the citizens are being controlled by the government
        ----> How unnatural this whole utopia really is

Bernard -> How people who are different are outcasts
             -> How judgmental the society really is



Essay:

Alienation in literature is key to show the morals of a particular society.  In Brave New World, John and Bernard are both alienated.  They do both, however, bring out the different ideas the utopia finds acceptable and civilized.

John is the savage that cares.  He wants to change society for the better.  John sees soma as narcotic and taking over the minds of the civilians.  The citizens feel like soma is the only way out, just what the authorities want.  The authorities are a bit too controlling, which makes the whole utopia feel unnatural.  John also finds the whole "orgy when ever you want and it doesn't matter latter" deal.  John finds this disgusting, as he is used to having one girl, forever.  The ideals of society are brought out with the introduction of John.

Now Bernard, he was already a part of this system.  The man on the inside, Bernard shows how people already a part of the utopia can be just pushed aside.  John isn't as smart as the others, he doesn't know where he is going in life.  This alone is enough for the others to kick him out.  Blame it on alcohol (in his test tube) and don't talk to him much, he is pretty much an outcast.  Bernard shows how a simple trait can completely push you out of a society.

Outcasts can bring out the evil in a society.  As readers, we see the wrongs brought upon these people.  Even when they present easier ways of living, the ideas are struck down in order to preserve the "normality" the citizens have come to know and love.  Being alienated can reveal all the wrongs of a society.