Reading Log 2: Brave New World

There are several different conflicts in the novel Brave New World. It seems to me as if the majority of these conflicts are, somehow, connected to one character in particular, namely Bernard Marx. Being an Alpha-Plus struggling with both low self-esteem and the feeling of not fitting in in society causes several internal conflicts within him, some which eventually culminates in external conflicts. 

I believe his self-esteem problem is based on the feeling of being an outsider. This feeling, in its turn, is caused partially by the fact that Bernard is much shorter than the other Alpha-Plus males, something that has resulted in a lack of respect from members of the lower castes. Moreover he usually does not use soma, this allows him to feel other feelings as well, not only the happiness, which is induced when taking soma. Yet another factor that induces the feeling of not fitting in is the fact that he does not enjoy the same activities as the other residents of the World State, this leaves him rather lonely. All these aspects sometimes make Bernard raise the question of whether he should try to adapt to society or not, a question that breeds yet another conflict.

Throughout the novel there is an on-going conflict between the society and Bernard Marx.  He is the exception from the World State being the ideal society. His values are, even though, he too has been conditioned with hypnopaedia different from the other inhabitants. It may be due to the fact that there was a mistake made when he was still a foetus. However, it might also be because he is a hypnopaedia specialist and somehow, by knowing what hypnopaedia really is he might be able to resist what he was taught when he was conditioned. Although this is not very likely, seeing that there must be other hypnopaedia specialists who do not act or think any differently than they are supposed to. Even so, the society does not appreciate his unusual behaviour. The fellow residents do not understand him or his way of thinking. Meanwhile the authorities feel almost as if he was an abomination, since his values and way of acting, his ability to really decide for him self, is a constant reminder of their failure to create the perfect world.          

Eventually the internal conflict between the society and Bernard becomes an external conflict between The Director and him. Even though the director is not the society in whole I do believe that he is an authority and that his way of acting reflects the society in full. The Director is not pleased with Bernard’s unconventional ways. He does not think Bernard is a very good role model and he does not like the way Bernard makes the London Centre appear. Basically I think The Director felt as if Bernard was a great disgrace in general, to him, to the centre, to the world. Therefore The Director threatens to transfer Bernard to the Centre in Island, a small centre where no one will pay any attention to him, if he does not change. However, Bernard is not willing to give up to easily. As The Director had a momentary lapse of judgement Bernard finds a weakness to exploit, even though he is not yet aware of it himself. Nevertheless when the opportunity comes along, he takes it. As a result Bernard brings a savage named John and his mother, Linda, back to civilization from a Savage Reservation where The Director had left her, pregnant, years before. When The Director is exposed as a father, the worst thing ever imaginable, he immediately resigns and so Bernard wins.