Biographical Analysis of Aldous Huxleys Brave New World

Introduction Life experiences acted as one of the major inspirations to ancient writers. Many writers came up with different writings to express their experiences and visions. The writers came up with books and articles that tried to warn the society about the effects of their actions, while others tried to educate the society on what it needed to do to better its future.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Biographical Analysis of Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More One of the writers who came up with a novel based on their experiences was Aldous Huxley. Aldous wrote the book Brave New World, which reflects an astounding outlook of the future that on the surface seems more or less humorous (Trimble 21). Nevertheless, Huxley did not intend to portray humor in his book. Actually, it is hard to decipher the message put forward in the book. He predicted that there would emerg e a regime that would strip people of their freedom. Aldous book is fascinating for he paints a picture of a society attached to a pathetic regime, which is of no use to the common person. As aforementioned, Aldous life experiences contributed largely to this writing. This paper discusses how Aldous life experience influenced the content and style the Brave New World book. Aldous background Aldous Huxley was born in1894 to a famous family that was strongly engrossed to England’s scientific and literary customs. His father was the son of Thomas Henry Huxley, a renowned biologist. On the other hand, her mother shared background with Matthew Arnold, a renowned littà ©rateur. Given that he was brought up in a background comprising teachers, writers, and scientists, Aldous got quality education, which allowed him to amass a lot of knowledge. Huxley was a keen learner and during his stint, he was prominent for his intellect and mastery of English (Trimble 28). Moreover, he was ver sed with inventions in the scientific field. In spite of his scientific knowledge being shallow, he was always determined to achieve all that bordered conventional science. His education bordered both science and literature, thus leaving him at a better position to incorporate the contemporary scientific discoveries in his literary works. Influence from life experience Huxley posits, â€Å"Human beings are given free will in order to choose between insanity on the one hand and lunacy on the other hand† (vii). Most of his opinions in the book reflect his views on the effects of scientific and technological advancement on the future society. After monitoring the society for a long time, Aldous learnt that people derived their happiness from things that were not worth being valued. For instance, people were happy to engage in promiscuity, sports, and utilizing mass-produced products. Lenina claims, â€Å"How I loathe intravenals, don’t you† (Huxley 29), which signi fies the level of promiscuity in the society. In pursuit for happiness, the society ended up sacrificing the most crucial fabrics that united it like family, culture, love, and freedom. With an idea of what scientific and technological advancements were, capable of, Aldous came up with the Brave New World as a way of sending a warning to a society that strongly embraced new changes without thinking about the possible repercussions.Advertising Looking for research paper on british literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Aldous introduces a pleasure-drug, soma. The drug is not actually a utopian wonder drug. Instead, it helps in eliminating hangovers rather than transforming one’s life. After using the drug, Bernard posits, â€Å"It’ll be a failure again† (Huxley 61). This signifies that the drug did not transform him into learning professional. Desire by the society to look for shortcuts in everything i t does compelled Aldous to bring up the idea of pleasure-drug in his book. Bernard Marx took the drug hoping that it would help him become a sleep-learning professional. Nevertheless, it does not. He posits, â€Å"I know it will be a failure again† (Huxley 62) to show that the drug does not meet the intended purpose. Unlike in the past where people engaged in promiscuity, Huxley brings out a new form of promiscuity brought about by scientific and technological advancement. Taking pleasure-drug does not add value to human life in any way. Instead, it triggers an inauthentic and mindless â€Å"moron happiness.† Bernard laments, â€Å"No, the real problem is: How is it †¦if I were free-not enslaved by my conditioning† (Huxley 61). He intended to bring out the negative effects technological and scientific utopia that people were embracing blindly. If Aldous intended to tease instead of fending off emotional primeval with the biological illusion, then he could h ave visualized perfect wonder drugs that enhanced or underpinned our most treasured standards (Postman 45-52). In people’s imaginations, probably they might have been allowed to (through scientific advancements) embrace novel wonders to transform themselves into the romanticized editions of the kind of people would desire to be. In this case, the utopians could have exploited behavioral conditioning to protract, rather than destabilize, a more compassionate culture of elegant humanity and a life well lived. Nevertheless, Aldous had a different idea when writing his book. His wide knowledge in science gave him an insight on the possible effects of future scientific discoveries. He presents Henry claiming, â€Å"Some men are almost rhinoceroses; they don’t respond properly to conditioning† (Huxley 59). This assertion shows that the conditioning may at times be detrimental. Hence, he wrote the book with an aim of warning the society against embracing all manners of scientific utopianism. Huxley predicted that a time would come when the various castes would resist taking soma. John wonders â€Å"†¦aren’t you shortening her life by giving her so much?† (Huxley 104). Huxley showed that people like John had started doubting the benefits of the drug. Besides, his fear is confirmed by Dr. Shaw who answers, â€Å"In one sense, yes† (Huxley 104).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Biographical Analysis of Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Today, Huxley’s predictions are prevalent. Currently, countries have come up with sanctions against numerous mood drugs (Postman 58). Besides, people fear to use even the approved drugs. Many people suffer from mental challenges that can be resolved using clinically approved anti-anxiety and mood-booster drugs. Nevertheless, many fear using these drugs and believe that the drugs might transform them into zombies. This aspect signifies the level of pessimism, which the contemporary society has towards scientific development. The pessimism emerged after the society learnt that scientists had been taking them for a ride by developing drugs that did not meet their prospects. Apart from education, another main factor that played a significant role in writing the Brave New World book was the illness that befell Huxley during his tender age. While still a teenager, Aldous suffered from eye problem that impaired his sight. Huxley had a dream of becoming a doctor. Nevertheless, as his sight continued deteriorating, it became hard for him to pursue his dream. Imaginativeness and sightlessness form part of the themes that defined his writings. In writing the Brave New World, Huxley intended to bring out the level of blindness that was dominant in the society. Lenina asserts, â€Å"Of course they don’t. How can they? They don’t know what itâ₠¬â„¢s like being anything else† (Huxley 50). Lenina signifies the level of complacency within society. His inclusion of pleasure drugs and promiscuity that cloud the society intended to portray the magnitude of blindness that infested the society. People were blindly embracing all sorts of scientific and technological utopians without considering their effects. They believed it would help in eliminating their problems. Lenina asks Bernard â€Å"Why do you not take soma when you have these dreadful ideas. You would forget all about them† (Huxley 62). The society was unaware of the future effects of this utopia and Huxley believed that he had the duty to help it understand the repercussions of its actions. Aldous Huxley was brought up in a background where love and culture were the social fabrics uniting the society (Smith 12). Families were united and the parents encouraged their children to study and practice all that was right. Mustapha Mond mutters, â€Å"Try to real ize what it was like to have a viviparous mother† (Huxley 26), which underscores the value a family had in the past. As the society continued to advance both scientifically and technologically, Huxley learnt that people were gradually doing away with the critical social fabrics that united society. Love and culture was gradually transforming into immorality and individualism. Huxley wrote the book to send a message that the continued technological and scientific advancements would rob the society of one of the most coveted thing, viz. love.Advertising Looking for research paper on british literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More He writes, â€Å"Try to imagine what living with one’s family’ meant† (Huxley 27). He used satire to bring out the negative effects of civilization in a way that his readers would understand. The utopian happiness brought by scientific and technological advancement hinged on sacrifice, and to realize it, the society had to part with religion, art, and love. After enjoying parental love during his early age as well as the love of her wife in his later age, Huxley believed that love was the most critical aspect that kept the society together. However, he felt that the demands presented by civilization were likely to tear apart love in society. He sought to sustain love within the society by showing how sexual promiscuity (brought about by civilization) demeaned love. Prior to the onset of civilization, both men and women fancied each other. Besides, they preserved sex since they believed that misusing it would mean dishonoring one another. Nevertheless, civilizati on allowed people to misuse sex thus treating women like prostitutes. In his book, Huxley introduced the idea of the caste system to signify the division that was likely to emerge due to scientific and technological advancement. Mr. Foster asserts, â€Å"We also predestine and condition. We decant our babies as socialized human beings, as Alphas, or Epsilons, as future sewage workers or future directors of Hatcheries† (Huxley 11). The affluent people in the society would require the poor to work in their industries, farms, and homes. Hence, they would use all means to ensure that other people did not acquire education, which could liberate them from poverty. Mr. Foster confesses, â€Å"But in Epsilons we don’t need human intelligence† (Huxley 47), which proves that the affluent can ensure that the poor do not get education so that they remain their slaves. According to Huxley, other castes developed the attitude of respecting Alphas who â€Å"work much harder t han we do, because they’re so frightfully clever† (21). In this context, Alphas was the caste in the upper echelon, which symbolized the rich and educated. Aldous came from an educated background. Hence, he had an idea of how the educated had the power to influence the uneducated. At some point, Mr. Foster claims, â€Å"Our colleagues upstairs will teach them to love it† (Huxley 13), which proves that the rich have the capacity to make the poor submit to all their demands. His physical blindness compelled him to expose the level of blindness towards science and technology that existed in the society. People believed that technological advancement would have positive effects on their lives. However, according to Brave New World, scientific and technological advancements were meant to benefit the affluent at the expense of the poor. Huxley felt obliged to enlighten the society on this issue since he had the knowledge. Conclusion Writers rely heavily on their life e xperience when coming up with literary works. While some writers use their experience to enlighten or warn the society, others use it to castigate certain values brought about by civilization. One of the factors that influenced Huxley’s writing was his educational background and knowledge in science. He used this experience to enlighten people on the dangers of embracing a utopian society. Another factor that influenced his writing was the blindness that affected him at a tender age. He felt that the society was blind about the dangers of civilization and he had the duty to open their eyes. His book aimed at helping the society to understand the dangers associated with civilization. Works Cited Huxley, Aldous. Brave New World, New York: Buccaneer Books, Inc., 1946. Print. Postman, Neil. Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business, New York: Penguin, 1998. Print. Smith, Grover. Letters of Aldous Huxley, New York: Harper Row, 1969. Print. Trimble, John. Writing with Style: Conversation on the Art of Writing, New York: Prentice Hall, 2000. Print. This research paper on Biographical Analysis of Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World was written and submitted by user Adalyn Rivers to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Facts and Characteristics of the Caspian Tiger

Facts and Characteristics of the Caspian Tiger One of three subspecies of Eurasian tiger to go extinct within the last century, the other two are the Bali Tiger and the Javan Tiger, the Caspian Tiger once roamed huge swaths of territory in central Asia, including Iran, Turkey, the Caucasus, and the -stan territories bordering Russia (Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, etc.). An especially robust member of the Panthera tigris family, the largest males approached 500 pounds, the Caspian Tiger was hunted mercilessly during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, especially by the Russian government, which put a bounty on this beast in a heavy-handed effort to reclaim farmlands bordering the Caspian Sea. Why Did the Caspian Tiger Go Extinct? There are a few reasons, besides relentless hunting, why the Caspian Tiger went extinct. First, human civilization encroached mercilessly on the Caspian Tigers habitat, converting its lands into cotton fields and even looping roads and highways through it fragile habitat. Second, the Caspian Tiger succumbed to the gradual extinction of its favorite prey, wild pigs, which were also hunted by humans, as well as falling prey to various diseases and perishing in floods and forest fires (which grew more frequent with changes in the environment). And third, the Caspian Tiger was already pretty much on the brink, restricted to such a small range of territory, in such dwindling numbers, that virtually any change would have tipped it inexorably toward extinction. One of the odd things about the extinction of the Caspian Tiger is that it happened literally while the world was watching: various individuals were hunted died and were documented by naturalists, by the news media, and by the hunters themselves, in the course of the early 20th century. The list makes for depressing reading: Mosul, in what is now the country of Iraq, in 1887; the Caucasus Mountains, in the south of Russia, in 1922; Irans Golestan Province in 1953 (after which, too late, Iran made hunting the Caspian Tiger illegal); Turkmenistan, a Soviet republic, in 1954; and a small town in Turkey as late as 1970 (although this last sighting is poorly documented). Confirmed Sightings Although its widely considered to be an extinct species, there have been numerous, unconfirmed sightings of the Caspian Tiger over the past few decades. More encouragingly, genetic analysis has shown that the Caspian Tiger may have diverged from a population of (still extant) Siberian Tigers as recently as 100 years ago and that these two tiger subspecies may even have been one and the same animal. If this turns out to be the case, it may be possible to resurrect the Caspian Tiger by as simple an expedient as re-introducing the Siberian Tiger to its once-native lands of central Asia, a project that has been announced (but not yet fully implemented) by Russia and Iran, and which falls under the general category of de-extinction.

Peer Review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Peer Review - Essay Example Thus three are three broader hypotheses also under which authors attempt to provide a comprehensive view of how the individuals perceive adult development based on their sociological tradition dealing, desirability of the expected change and how it contributes towards development and finally the knowledge that adults hold of the overall development process. The sampling methods adapted were selective sampling method as according to author, the bias towards sampling was necessary. This was necessarily done in order to sample only those respondents who possess the rich vocabulary to describe their beliefs in more eloquent manner. This method therefore allowed researcher to tap the young and educated respondents however, the overall differences in ratings on vocabulary are reported to be minimal within the respondents belonging to different age groups. The overall procedures adapted to gather the data involved mix of the techniques adapted by the researcher. This included oral as well as other means of collecting data under the supervised guidance of the author. Respondents were asked certain questions for rating purposes and the overall results were than analyzed by the authors in order to arrive at a final conclusion. What is also significant to understand that respondents were asked about the different sets of questions within a certain time period i.e. there was two weeks gap between the first and the second session for data gathering by the author. On both the occasions, the procedure was same i.e. respondents were asked to rate certain adjectives in order to understand their perception about the development psychology and underlying hypothesis. The results indicate that there was consensus among the various age group representatives regarding the overall process of adult development. Most of the respondents believed that the

Issue 13 yes 2510 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Issue 13 yes 2510 - Essay Example According to her findings, FGC was performed for more than one reason. However, feminists and other ideologists have made us to believe that the act was meant to subordinate women in a men dominated society. The author argues that neither of these reasons was meant to subordinate women since women undertook the cut willingly. Moreover, the author rubbishes claims that the cut was meant to make women sexually passive. This argument is supported by biological results, stating that the clitoris is not the only critical point for women’s sexual satisfaction. Besides this argument, all the women interviewed for the survey confirmed their support for FGC (Ahmadu, 2000). Indeed, even well educated women supported FGC as part of African culture and traditions. I consider the author’s argument acceptable to the best of my knowledge. This is neither because FGC is meant to subordinate women nor supposed to make them sexually passive. Indeed, the cut was performed with purposes that were best known to individual societies. Furthermore, neither of the societies practiced forceful FGC. Thus, people should be left alone to decide what is good for them without brainwashing them into believing feminist ideologist. Currently, even the most educated African women support FGC. Ahmadu, F. (2000). â€Å"Rites and Wrongs: Excision and Power among Kono Women of Sierra Leone†. In Bettina Shell-Duncan and Ylva Hernlund, (Eds.) Female â€Å"Circumcision† in Africa: Culture, Change, and Controversy. Boulder, CO: Lynne

The Man of the House Essay Example for Free

The Man of the House Essay The Man of the House The book Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt is about a young man that retells his childhood, when he and his family move from America to Ireland. Throughout the book the three main characters are Angela Mc Court (Frank’s mother), Malachy Mc Court (Frank’s father), and himself. All three of the characters play a very important role in the book, and they also affect each other. The most complex character of the book is Frank. Frank is not only the protagonist of this book, but he is also able to express all of his feelings in all the situations he goes through, throughout this book. Frank is the most variegated character in this book. He is the one that has to deal with not only his problems but everyone else’s. As the book continues the protagonist, Frank is growing up to be a man by himself (324). Usually boys have fathers that help them grow up into mature men, but Frank never was able to have that. His father was out drinking, not worrying what was going to happen with his family, and being irresponsible and selfish, which is what happens to a person when they have an addiction. When his father abandons the family, the weight is then put on Frank to take care of his siblings and mother. He is then put in the spot of â€Å"the man of the house†. Frank doesn’t mind getting a job at all, in fact he rather get a job then get an education (261). He likes the idea of working because when you work you see the result right away, which is money, but when getting an education your reward is more long term than short term. He sees this as a responsibility, but he also looks forward to being a man, and bringing home the wages his father was never able to do (265). Frank goes through this struggle throughout the book, becoming a man without his father, but he also has a hard time with his religion. Frankie, at this point, goes back and forth with Catholicism. His whole family is catholic and he believes in God, but there has been so many times where the Catholic Church has shut the doors on him. All of the experiences that Frank has had with the church do not make him think of his Irish religion as a positive thing. Frank mentions that when he is out being the messenger boy the poor people of Limerick are the ones who will tip him exceptionally well, the wealthy people on the other hand, the nuns, and the priests do not tip at all (315). Mentioned  throughout the book are the sins that Frank makes, all of the sins he makes guilt him, and they just get worse as the time goes on. Frank, as any other protagonist, goes through a long journey that makes him the man that he grows into by the end of the book. He goes through many obstacles, which is why I think he is the most complex character. Frankie makes the most progress, he has a goal that he makes early in the book, and that is to go back to America, which he later on succeeds at doing. He keeps determination that comes from within, but from also people around him that believe in him and what he is capable of doing.

A Separation of Life :: essays research papers

Water, the median of life. Growing up in a small town nestled tightly in the arms of the wasatch front, I learned early the importance of nature. There was a fine line drawn between religion and the outdoors, and the quest of my life was to determine an appropriate balance. Water, signifying the line between the spiritual and physical, played an important role in my secular teachings. Cutting through the center of town it was the very phenomenon that I had grown to love, the river. Soul restored and imagination stirred, the words of the river echoed the marks of God. Although by nature I stood alone, untutored and untouched, the waters of life left me free to understand the natural side of God’s order. With its flowing properties and unbridled passion to move forward, the water was my spirit. An old weathered palm tree emerged from the seemingly impenetrable sandy beach. I leaned back against its rough surface as the waves of the emerald blue ocean slowly crawled to my feet. They lapped relentlessly against the shore as if trying to take me back with them. The wind blew gently over the top of the distant incoming waves as they mirrored back the competing rays of sun. With each reflection, I narrowly squinted my eyes and continued to marvel at this picturesque interaction of color and beauty. I raised my hand to my brow, wiping off the beads of sweat that saturated my face. As my fingers moved across my sensitive skin, I could tell the sun had left its mark. I felt their was no escaping the blanket of rays only the clouds above seemed to be able to control. The pain was uncomfortable, but disappeared quickly as I scooped up the cool water and splashed it on my face. I knew that I could not drink the seemingly infinite volume of water which surrounded me, so I headed for a nearby stream. Kneeling down, I penetrated the stream with cupped hands and raised the fresh water to my dry lips. I was unable to control the water as it sifted through my fingers and ran down my arms, as if trying to escape back to the stream. I licked my salty lips and drank. I had never before tasted a more refreshing drink of water. This euphoric experience was one that I savored, as I reached for a second handful. There have been few experiences throughout my life that I remember more vividly than of that day on the beach. I often think about where the water would flow, and who would be the recipient of its aqueous forgiveness.

Osmosis and Simple Diffusion

Study guide questions: Movements through membrances 1. Prepare a graph that illustrate the diffusion distance of potassium in 10 minutes 2. Explain your graph : 3. Define simple diffusion: 4. Define osmosis: Osmosis can be defined as the movement of solvent molecules across a semipermeable or selectively permeable membrane ,from a region of lower concentration of the solute to that of a higher concentration till equilibrium is attained. 5. What is the change in the level of molasses in 10 minutes? 6. What is the change in the level of molasses in 30 minutes? . What force is responsible for the movement of substances through the filter paper? The filtration by the fiter paper is done by the volume and the surface 8. What substance did not pass through the filter paper 9. What factor prevented these substances from passing through 10. Define filtration 11. Which stage (phase) of the cell cycle was the most numerous in the blastula? Explain your answer 12. In what ways are the new cells (daughter cells), which result from a cell cycle similar? 13. How does the new cell slightly differ? 14. Abdominal impact injuries often involve the spleen. Explain the structural tissue characteristics that make the spleen so vulnerable to serious injury. 15. Explain the advantage for melanin granules being located in the deep layer of the epidermis 16. Explain how a hair is formed? 17. What cells produce the pigment in hair? 18. Distinguish the locations and tissues among epidermis, dermis, and subcutaneous layer 19. How do the cells of stratum corneum and stratum basale differ? 20. What part of hair extends from the hair papilla to the body surface 21. In which layer of skin are sebaceous glands found 22. How are sebaceous gland associated with hair follicles 23. In what layer of skin are sweat glands usually located 24. Explain how bone cells embedded in solid ground substance obtain nutrients and eliminate wastes. By answering yes or no, indicate which of the following provides an example of simple diffusion. 1. A perfume bottle is opened, and soon the odor can be sensed in all parts of the room —– 2. A sugar cube is opened into a cup of hot water, and without being stirred, all of the liquid becomes sweet tasting——- 3. Water molecules move from a faucet through a garden hose when the faucet is turned on —– 4. A person blows air molecules into a balloon by forcefully exhaling——– 5. A crystal of blue copper sulfate is placed in a test tube of water. The next day, the solid is gone, but the water is evenly colored——- By answering yes or no, indicate which of the following involves osmosis 1. A fresh potato is peeled, weighed, and soaked in a strong salt solution. The next day, it is discovered that the potato has lost weight —— 2. Garden grass wilts after being exposed to dry chemical fertilizer —— 3. Air molecules escape from a punctured tire as a result of high pressure inside —– 4. Plant seeds soaked in water swell and become several times as large as before soaking —- 5. When the bulb of a thistle tube filled with is sealed by a selectively permeable membrane and submerged in a beaker of molasses’, the water level in the tube falls——- By answering yes of no, indicate which of the following involved filtration 1. Oxygen molecules move into cell and carbon dioxide molecules leave a cell because of differences in the concentrations of these substances on either side of the cell membrane —— 2. Blood pressure forces water molecules from the blood outward through the thin wall of a blood capillary ——- 3. Urine is forced from the urinary bladder through the tubular urethra by muscular contractions – 4. Air molecules enter the lungs through the airways when air pressure is greater outside these organs than inside——- 5. Coffee is made using a coffeemaker (not instant) ——