Summary:
Aldous Huxley creates a world in his book Brave New World, where all of these freedoms are taken away from each individual due to pre-destined lives. Yet, the characters in the book still believe they know true happiness. And to an extent they do. They have not experienced any other way of life because of the power and control over them.
Limitations and restrictions on behavior patterns in society can often bind one's ability to be truly happy in all aspects of the word. Aldous Huxley creates a world in his book Brave New World, where all of these freedoms are taken away from each individual due to pre-destined lives. Yet, the characters in the book still believe they know true happiness. And to an extent they do. They have not experienced any other way of life because of the power and control over them. However, those on the outside looking in, such as John (a Savage brought to the reservation for observation), know that there is much more to be desired than just imbecile happiness. Happiness therefore depends upon one's freedom to choose their own place in society, the relationships they form with others, and intellect to make their own decisions.
Societal restrictions are placed on the characters in Brave New World from the beginning. They, from their technologically advanced conception, are assigned a social class and job which they are to perform from the moment of their decanting. There are five social hierarchies, Alphas being the highest and Epsilons being the lowest. Alphas are predestined to become super intellectuals. They work in the hatchery, write hypnotic phrases and propaganda, and enjoy supremacy in their pursuits of life. Epsilons, on the other hand, are conditioned to be inferior to everyone else. They are benign workers, such as elevator operators, coal miners, and steel workers. The people of each class enjoy their work and find themselves quite happy with their occupations. The secret for the happiness of the people in Brave New World is "making people like their un-escapable social destiny" (Huxley 16). Through conditioning and "hypnopaedia" they find contentment in their work (Huxley 25). John, being of natural birth, is perplexed when he arrives to the World State. He does not understand how people can live under complete control realizes that they do not know true happiness. How can so many be content in doing such simplistic tasks? Do they not want more? The characters do not know that society offers more. They work the jobs that the World State issues them. They do not ask questions, they are under the control of others and therefore cannot find true happiness in society.
In Huxley's vision of the world "every one belongs to every one else" (Huxley 43). This thinking controls the way the characters view relationships. There is no real connection with anyone. Each relationship is a 'fling'. Emotionally, there is no attachment and therefore, there is no hurt when the relationship ends. John is unable to grasp this idea. On the Savage reservation his mother is scorned for her promiscuous behavior with the married men opposite of the relationships found in the 'new world.' For John, love is special; not just a fleeting moment to satisfy bodily urges. When John is in the World State, he meets Lenina (an Alpha plus) and the sight of her beauty struck him. He felt emotion toward that he had read about in Shakespeare; emotions of lust and love, of splendor and beauty, of hurt and pain. However, their differing views about relationships prevented them from being together. John believed in forming a relationship based on monogamy and Lenina was "brought up" to have relationships without attachment, therefore hindering the feelings of true emotion that John so deeply trusts and preventing true happiness. The conflict between the two ideals of John and Lenina, in the end, did not give them the chance to receive love. They could not compromise and be together, and as a result experienced the only what they knew, which was not happiness for either. The controls of their upbringing pertaining to what was normal provided only remorse. John knew of a type of love and happiness shared with one person he thought he was destined to be with. Lenina could not be truly happy with that one person because of the environment she was raised in. Her happiness could not extend to love because she did not understand the ideas expressed in the love stories John spoke of. Her happiness was in the power of others and cost her the right to find love.
The minds of the characters that lived in the civilized world were not allowed to prosper in the intellectual pursuits. The controllers of the World State believed that beauty and intellectual endeavors such as those written by Shakespeare, were not conducive to stability. None felt this more than an Alpha Plus named Helmholtz Watson. Helmholtz was a professor at The College of Emotional Engineering and was viewed by his superiors as being far too able and skilled for his job. Bernard, another Alpha Plus, was defected due to alcohol in his blood surrogate. Like Helmholtz, he was different from the others and therefore became isolated from the norm. He often expresses to Bernard that "[he had] something important to say and the power to say it- only [He didn't] know what it was, and [he couldn't] make use of the power." (Huxley 69). Helmholtz wanted desperately the ability to express that which of true feeling, insight, and art. But, because of the dangers and instability that accompanied emotion there was no muse for Helmholtz to use. There was a void in Helmholtz's life that he could not fill. This void of not being able to articulate his mental power prevented him from finding true joy.
When the characters of difference in Brave New World felt a void in there lives, they refused to accept their emptiness as unhappiness and looked for ways to fix it. When they found that no real solution could fulfill their brokenness, they turned to a drug called soma. Soma created a sense of false happiness and ecstasy that allowed them to escape their pain and that filled the void they experienced. From decanting they were taught that "one cubic centimeter cures ten gloomy sentiments" there was no room in the civilized world for unhappy, unproductive individuals (Huxley 54). The soma relieved the inhabitants of any other emotion. Huxley's characters are forced to be happy. The state in which they were born into caused them to be faced with a happiness that was proscribed. If one cannot experience anything else (love, hurt, intelligence, etc.), happiness ceases to be happy, and therefore becomes normal. A normal that is not really normal at all, it is controlled. Without desperation, grief, guilt, or any other emotion, one can not fully understand happiness. Soma relieved these emotions, but in turn gave them "imbecile happiness" (Huxley 200). Soma was always available "to calm your anger, to reconcile you to your enemies, to make you patient and long suffering."(Huxley 238). John claims the right to be unhappy; something the people of civilized society can not do. The people of The World State have given up that freedom. The controllers "abolished the slings and arrows" (Huxley 238). They do not suffer them they do not take arms against them. And the price for this caused the people of the World State to achieve "imbecile happiness."
Quick fixes can often appear to be the best route. No one wants to feel unhappy "to be lousy, to live in the constant apprehension of what may happen tomorrow" (Huxley 240). Feeling pain and sadness can be associated with failure. But true happiness depends on it. It is only through pain that we can experience self-worth and joy. Our sorrow and grief for expresses a part of our love. Our fear of change is necessary for us to feel alive. Artistic endeavors allow us to communicate with each other in ways words can not express. The characters in Huxley's Brave New World are limited in experiencing happiness. Their means of freedom and truth, of feeling emotions and making choices are controlled by the authority above them. They do not have the free will to make their own decisions in society, the emotions to make real connections and form relationships, or the insight to become intellectual beings and this, results in a type of happiness that only becomes a standard, and is not truly 'happy' at all.
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