BRAVE NEW ESSAY

AP test 1999

Choose a character from brave new world (not necessarily the protagonist) whose mind is pulled in conflicting directions by two compelling desires, ambitions, obligations, or influences. Then, in a well-organized essay, identify each of the two conflicting forces and explain how this conflict within one character illuminates the meaning of the work as a whole. 

In brave new world, Huxley presents a world that readers today would consider unimaginable, not only for the loss of humanity presented, but for the loss of moral values. A character that is introduced at the beginning of the story is Lenina. When we are first introduced to Lenina, the reader can see that she is starting to question the way they live their lives. However, the reader can also see that she is easily convinced. When Lenina is speaking with Fanny, the reader can see that Lenina wants to have a monogamous relationship with Ford but society dictates that she needs to be with other men as well.

Even though the reader does not see the full extension of Lina's desires to stay in a monogamous relationship, the reader can infer that that desire will spark a chain of doubts in Lenina that will eventually lead Lenina  to question all the rules and ideas that society has.

By having doubts, Lenina is giving the reader the hint that there might be some of "present day" ideas inside of here that the makers did not eradicate when she was a fetus. This gives the work meaning because the reader can see that her eyes are being open to human emotions such as love and passion which are emotions that they have not experienced.