Exploring Themes of Bullying and Dehumanization in BNW Act III: John's Life in London
In this segment of BNW Act III, we delve into John's experience in London through references to Shakespeare's "The Tempest". Explore the parallels between John and Caliban, highlighting the impact of societal treatment on one's behavior and identity. The aftermath of Chapter 10 reveals the consequences of ultimate humiliation in this world. Reflect on the essential question of the year regarding systems of bullying portrayed in the novel.
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BNW Chapter 11 THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF ACT III: JOHN S LIFE IN LONDON AND HOW THE WORLD STATE GETS ROCKED
The Shakespeare Connection John wanted to come to London and quoted Miranda (the daughter from Shakespeare s play The Tempest): O wonder! How many goodly creatures are there here! How beauteous mankind is! O brave new world! That has such people in't! It was ironic: John wanted to be in the BNW because he thought it would be ideal and perfect. Now, we ll start to see the downfall of what it means to have such people in it .
Who is Caliban? Another reference from The Tempest The play tells the story of Miranda and her father, Prospero. The father protected his daughter from ever being able to socially interact with people. The father casts a spell on a boy to fall in love with Miranda, who is of the appropriate age to get married. The problem is simple: Miranda is afraid of love. The only life experience she has is with the male slave in her house: Caliban. He is mean to her, and has attempted to rape her. Caliban is referenced for a reason.
Caliban = John While Caliban is mean, and has attempted to rape Miranda we cannot forget that he is a slave to Prospero and Miranda. Think about to what we learned throughout Night: if you treat someone like an animal long enough, they will start to act like it.
The Essential Question of the Year All year, we ve explored various systems of bullying within each novel we ve read. This is the final culmination to the lesson we want you to take away with this novel.
Caliban IS John Savage John was treated differently on the Reservation. He was ostracized and made to be a pariah. It will be no different here (his beliefs will actually be made fun of to his face in this world). Much like Caliban, John will lash out and act like an animal because they treat him like an animal. He is from the Reservation a place they consider to be like a zoo. Why would they consider him different from an animal? He is one of the animals.
Aftermath of Chapter 10 The DHC has resigned and has not been seen since PROVING: You cannot come back from the ultimate humiliation in this world.
Aftermath of Chapter 10 John is the newest star of London. Everyone wants to meet him. His name goes from John THE Savage to just John Savage. Bernard is his caretaker and tour guide. Bernard does not have to leave to Iceland, after all.
Aftermath of Chapter 10 Linda is deemed a monster and is ugly . She is locked away and put continuously on soma. Mustapha Mond let her come back to run tests: Can they reverse aging? Is the conditioning still effective 25 years later? Once they find the answers they want, the W.S. will allow Linda to abuse soma willingly. Soma will kill her faster the faster she dies, the less they have to deal with that hideous creature.
The TRUTH about SOMA Explored The Doctor explains to John that soma does, in fact, kill. It allows people to feel eternity , to feel peaceful; the doctor argues that even though people would only live maybe half of their life awake and without the substance; it s still for the best. The risk of emotions is too great and not worth the risk.
Lindas Final Curtain Call Linda will die. The soma will make it happen very soon. They know it will kill her faster, so they are allowing it. It is a form of euthanasia/assisted suicide. Linda cannot work, she is not young and beautiful therefore, she serves no purpose in this life. She takes soma, so she is quiet and peaceful. It will kill her. It s a win-win for all involved to avoid drama.
Johns Reaction He hates drugs. Mescal and alcohol made it impossible for his mother to truly care for him. He had to take care of her, always and often from a very young age. In response, John hates soma. John hates that the World State is allowing his mother to kill herself. John cannot prevent this or stop this from happening. John has to slowly come to terms that his mother is going to die, and that it will happen very soon.
Character Focus: Bernard As John s caretaker, Bernard is now entitled to several new benefits. People will suddenly respect him. Women will fawn over him. He will be wildly popular. Bernard does not realize that this is not due to his own self it s only due to people wanting to meet John. They are going to use Bernard to get to John.
Character Focus: Bernard Bernard dynamically shifts, does a complete change. He takes soma. He sleeps with as many women as possible. Lenina who? He seems to have no differing emotions. When the fifteen minutes of fame of John are up, so is Bernard s sudden rise to power. He still means nothing, he just doesn t quite realize it.
Mustapha Mond Checks in on John Bernard is to report to Mond as often as possible. Bernard acts superior to Mond, criticizes the World State when he finds a place to agree with John. John is not impressed (his religious upbringing has it where he hates most of the culture) John says scientific progress means nothing (his god did the same but without hurting anyone) John is worried about his mother John worries for his own soul (similar to Macbeth when he worried about murdering Duncan)
Bernards Newest Problem In agreeing with John, Bernard does not just criticize the World State he indirectly criticizes the World Controller. Mond is not pleased. He is angry with Bernard. He is one of then in power he should not have to deal with a little man who thinks he can say whatever he wants.
A little more in-depth on Mond Mond is conditioned, but not as much as the others. Remember, he was originally conditioned and then was offered a choice. Once he made that choice to become a World Controller, he was given books. Books taught him. Books ruined conditioning. Huxley makes a hint: if people in the World State were given a book, and a chance at an education, the world could be saved. Education is important. Look at what Mond was able to accomplish: he saved himself.
Johns Adventures in London John dislikes seeing any Bokanovskified groups. Gamma s, Delta s, and Epsilon s terrifying them John talks about his home on the Savage Reservation to Alpha students. They laugh at him, and it hurts and upsets him. Even if the Savages were cruel to him, he still respects what they think or feel.
John is Caliban If we revisit the idea of a human being on a leash, John is starting to realize that Bernard is using him. Bernard escorts John around as if he was a dog on a leash. John hates this idea. Further, it reinforces the idea that John is truly alone. Bernard does not care for him. Linda never cared for him. In the end, it proves that John is much like Caliban. Alone and treated like an animal.
Linda is slowly dying We discover that the youth of the world are death conditioned . The society wants the youth to not fear death. By being around death often allows them to not fear death by encouraging them to play and to laugh and to eat food around those that are dying.
Soma Rations John notices that soma is stored in a casket. This is meant to symbolize the fact that soma does, in fact, kill you. Think about the advertisements that show you driving and drinking can kill the strongest incentives to be wary of dangerous behavior is to show the end result: a casket. In this world though, this does not worry or shock anyone. It s the everyday norm. Further, they do not bury anyone in a casket. Everyone is cremated. They don t realize what a casket would be used for in the first place.
Soma Rations Each citizen is even 18 tablets of soma per week. The soma is able to be cut and split, so most of the time the citizen take half-tablets. Linda is currently taking 20 tablets a day. Remember, the goal is to ensure that she dies quickly and painlessly. http://ts2.mm.bing.net/images/thumbnail.aspx?q=4725680051915897id=c5dd9ea8b4349f0cdf7f3cae7272fa6eurl=http%3a%2f%2fwww.funeralshowroom.com%2fstore%2fgraphics%2f00000001%2f8285.jpg
Bernards Unexpected Date On one of the tour s Bernard takes John on, he asks out the Headmistress of one of the schools. She agrees. Bernard did not think twice about what to do with John so now he has to find someone who can watch him.
Lenina the Star Lenina steps in as the new tour guide. We discover that Lenina has also become popular due to the whole bringing home a Savage and being at the Savage Reservation . She gives lectures on what it was like on the Reservation, and has also been offered roles in movies. She s enjoying the attention and hasn t seen John much since returning. However, it is safe to say she s happy to see him.
Leninas Conditioning Lenina s conditioning has started to wear thin. She seems to be interested in John much like she wanted to only really be with Henry Foster, she seems to have the same feeling towards John. She has the capacity to be different, but now that we have a true conflict and know that she has some serious feelings in regards to John it will be easier to see Lenina being really different.
The Feely Film A feely is a 3D film in which causes you to feel everything. If someone is being stabbed, you feel like you are being stabbed. If someone is kissing the main character, you feel like you are being kissed. It s like being the main character in the movie it s an extension of voyeurism that changes and shifts what reality might be.
The Date: John and Lenina John does not know what the feely film is, and Lenina will instruct John on how to enjoy the film. Lenina sees this as second knowledge, and so to her this is nothing new. For John, this is a terrifying new experience. He s never been kissed. No one ever smiled at him on the Reservation, why on earth would they kiss him? This will shock, disgust, and make him unsure about Lenina s thoughts.
The Feely: The Tragedy of Othello It s a famous Shakespeare play. The story takes place in Italy, and involves a few main characters: Othello Desdemona Iago
The Tragedy of Othello Othello: the only black man in Italy, a military general despite a time where racial tension would be high Desdemona: The wife of Othello, she is white. She is dutiful and faithful to her husband. Iago: The man who wants Othello s job. Hates Othello for having everything he should have.
The Tragedy of Othello Iago tells Othello that Desdemona is having an affair with one of their friends. While it is completely untrue, Iago sets up Othello to believe that his wife is not faithful. He drives Othello mad, and then causes Othello to murder his wife. Othello learns the truth, kills himself AFTER his wife is already dead. Iago s lies cause several other people to die.
The Feely: The Tragedy of Othello Only John Savage realizes that this film is just like the Shakespearean work. He wonders why the film is not just Shakespeare s original work and was modified to be childish. WHAT YOU SHOULD REALIZE: If the story mimics Shakespeare that closely, it must mean that Shakespeare s work does exist somewhere. We just don t know where yet.
John vs. Lenina John Lenina Hates the film. Loves the film. He is ignorant of their actions, he feels he is superior for being so pure. She is ignorant of his differences from his culture. She will never attempt to learn his culture because of her conditioning. This is proof that they are star-crossed like Romeo and Juliet. They have two wildly different in how they were raised.
Oh, Romeo, Romeo Much like Shakespeare s ever popular Romeo & Juliet, John and Lenina could never be together. They are star-crossed, and ultimately doomed. This is the third tragic character of Shakespeare Huxley has referenced. It s for a reference: Othello, Macbeth, and Romeo both shared the same fate. It could be foreshadowing that John could die just like these characters.
The Date: John and Lenina Lenina goes into this date assuming she will sleep with John. She is trying to make him a World State citizen. John goes into this date trying to be good enough for Lenina. He is about being modest.
After the date John Linda Realizes he will die alone. Rejected: This is the first time someone rejected her. John wants love, a family, a wife this is something he will never ever have. John has to come to terms with this. Even if Lenina were to come to love him she will never want to have a child. She does not understand that John chose to not sleep with her because he wants to be modest and to be good enough for her. She thinks she is defected and that he is just simply not interested. She doesn t understand the fact that John made this choice because he is an adult.
