Brave New World

In Chapter 8, Bernard asks John to tell him everything about his life that he can remember up to this moment. John obliges, beginning with his earliest memories and catching Bernard up to the present. He tells of the male visitors to his mother’s bed, especially Popé, who brings her mescal, which Linda takes as a substitute for soma. He also tells of whippings his mother received at the hands of the native women, due to her lack of skill in the necessary trades and her opposition to monogamy. Linda tries to teach him the values of the World State and succeeds in teaching him to read, though the only book she can offer is The Chemical and Bacteriological Conditioning of the Embryo. Practical Instructions for Beta Embryo-Store Workers. This book naturally holds no interest for him and he calls it a “Beastly, beastly book!” (129). Meanwhile the other kids call him and his mother names and shun them.

Finally, John finds a book left by Popé for him, The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, and is mesmerized by it: “The strange words rolled through his mind; [...] like old Mitsima saying magic [...] but better than Mitsima’s magic, because it meant more, because it talked to him” (132). He grows to hate Popé, finding the expression for his feelings in the book: “[the words] gave him a reason for hating Popé; and they made his hatred more real; they made Popé himself more real” (132). Finally, John attempts to stab Popé, which, ironically, makes Popé accept him.

He gradually learns some of the ways of the natives, including working with clay and even marrying, though his marriage is never consummated. Disallowed on the vision quest of his peers, he makes his own; at one point, he comes close to killing himself, but instead “discover[s] Time and Death and God” (136). The chapter ends with Bernard offering to take John and Linda back to civilization if he can, to which John replies, “O brave new world that has such people in it. Let’s start at once” (139).

Chapter 9 begins with Lenina, traumatized by the events so far at the Reservation, taking “six half-gramme tablets of soma,” guaranteeing her 18 hours of “lunar eternity” (140). 

Meanwhile, Bernard Marx puts his plan into action, flying to Santa Fe while Lenina is out of commission and making his way through ranks of secretaries before finally getting Mustapha Mond on the line. Mond tells Marx, “Yes, I do find [Linda and John] of sufficient scientific interest” and asks that they be brought to London (141). Marx, already becoming inflated with his newfound importance, shows off for the Warden, acting as if he speaks to Mond on a regular basis.

While Bernard is away and Lenina is under the effects of soma, John sneaks into her room and goes through her things, “filling his lungs with her essential being” (143). He fondles her clothes and whispers her name with longing. Then he realizes she is actually in the room and recites poetry over her. Finally, he thinks to himself that he could easily disrobe her, before shrinking from the thought: “Detestable thought! He was ashamed of himself. Pure and vestal modesty” (145). The chapter ends with him hearing Marx’s return and hurrying out of the room to meet him.

Chapter 10 marks the return to the civilized world. The chapter opens with a description of the work within the Centre. Henry Foster and the Director enter the Fertilizing Room, with the Director telling Henry how he will make “[a] public example” of Marx “[i]n this room because it contains more high-caste workers than any other” (147). Meanwhile, he discusses his views on the relative morality of murder and unorthodoxy, concluding that the latter is infinitely worse for society than the former.

Finally, Marx arrives, and the Director makes his announcement loudly that he is shipping Marx off to Iceland. Then he asks if Marx knows of a reason why he should not carry out this plan. Marx confidently says he does, but he needs to retrieve it from the hall. He ushers in Linda, who immediately recognizes her “Tomakin” (150). The Director is horrified and calls it a “monstrous practical joke” (150). Linda responds by saying, “You made me have a baby” (151). The room falls silent at this bombshell. Then she calls in John, who calls the Director “father” (151). The chapter ends with the Director humiliated and running from the room.