Posted: March 20th, 2017

Banned Book Project

In the history of literature and arts, there exists some works that were banned for public appreciation. Among the said banned written works is the Bible itself. There are certain reasons of the society why books and other types of written works are banned for the public to see. In this regard, the book entitled “A Brave New World” by Aldous Hauxley.

Why has this book been banned and how does the writer fairly present his idealisms of utopian community? These major questions are to be addressed in the paragraphs that follow. About The Author Aldous Hauxley is a British writer who opted to stay in California during the year 1937.

He is a known social satirist writer. He has also been a contributor of the Vanity Fair and Vogue magazines. Aside from this, he has also been known for having a fine collection of poems that has been published as a book of collections during the year 1916. The said book has been entitled The Burning Wheel and had a fair share in the book selling market. Aside from the said creations, he has also been able to come up with four satirical novels, which also became very successful in the book industry. The said novels were entitled Chrome Yellow (1921); Antic hay (1923); Those Barren Leaves (1925) and Point Count Point (1928).
After these four successful novels came the creation of the Novel “Brave New World”. However, unlike the previous creations that were done by Huxley, this Novel received the least appreciation by major socialist groups. How did this Banned Book Project page 2 happen? What is the reason behind the banning of the said novel? These questions shall be entertained by discussing the inner context of the said literature. About The Book It has been noted by Huxley himself that the Novel he wrote has been inspired by the novel written by H. G. Wells entitled “Men like Gods”.
The said novel dealt with a utopian community that is introduced by an optimist view of the future. The title on the other hand has been based upon Miranda’s speech in Shakespeare’s written work entitled “The Tempest”. In act V scene I it could be read: “O! Wonder! How many goodly creatures are there here! O brave new world That has such people in it! ” (41) As it could be obviously observed in the context of the stanza, where the title has been taken from, a utopian society could be depicted from the lines pertaining to the phrase “brave new world”.
From this context, the theme of the novel written by Huxley has been created. Mainly discussing a future situation of the human society basing from the actual contemporary situation of the society. However, when it comes to the novel by Huxley, the future was presented in a horrible situation. This is the reason why many socialists were alarmed and decided to ban the said literature. As it could be seen, the future was presented in a negative utopia. Banned Book Project page 3 A Brief Analysis of the Novel
The time when the novel was written were the years pertaining to the Industrial Revolution. The massive changes that the said era brought to the human society has inspired Huxley to write the novel in a more industrial focused sense of setting. In a futurist fantasy, the idealism of Huxley of a utopian community based upon the development of the present situations in the society towards the future has been clearly stated in the novel. The focus of the theme of the “Brave New World” is particularly pointed towards the fear of loosing ones identity in a fast-paced system of things.
Mainly, this shock of the new society is based upon the personal shock that Huxley experienced the first time he set foot in California. The industrialization of the said community has inspired Huxley to write his novel basing from the said social situation. In an era of people naturally interested in foreseeing the future, Huxley provided the readers with the truth that they did not much like to know. However, it is according to him that if the present situations of those times would continue to progress at a fast pace, the future would much likely turn out to be what his novel suggests.
The story started in London. The situation of the world was much likely centralized by a world government that is called “The World State”. Through the said government, the society is divided into five classes, mainly, the Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta and Epsilon. The whole human society is characterized to be continuously happy. However, the said happiness is rigidly ill defined. It is characterized by a trained community in becoming good consumers. Everyone in the society is encouraged to have a social life, being aloof from the society is discouraged, aside form this; sexual
Banned Book Project page 4 promiscuity is a social norm. Human production is also encouraged but not in a natural way. On the other hand, the reproduction process happens in a laboratory wherein hybrid children are enhanced and reproductions are controlled in a way that the industry could still further support the population. On another part of the story, another society is introduced. It is situated in New Mexico. Most likely, this society depicts the present situation of the human community, whereas there is fashion, arts and science that identifies a person’s happiness.
Normal reproduction is also present in the said community. The characters that came from this side of the story considered London’s advancement and happiness to be a soulless situation that is dried up by the progress of industrialization. Why the Novel Was Banned As clearly described on the previous paragraphs, the novel has been highly inclined to picturing a an ideal society when it comes to economic status, however, when it comes to morals and individual being, the said society is indeed a negative community.
For this reason, the socialists who were able to know the contents of the said novel feared that the society who would be able to read the said literature would be able t have a negative view of the future and would consider sexual promiscuity and other immoral ways of living as a social norm. This may then lead to a social downfall when it comes to morality and individuality. On the contrary, it could be observed that the novel has been a simple exaggeration of the actual situation of the society at present. In a mere measurement of the social situations at present, it could be recognized that there is indeed a possibility by
Banned Book Project page 5 which a future society as to that situation which was portrayed in the novel of Huxley. As it could be seen, sexual relations today are even promoted through the media. Pornography and the materials that introduce it to the society are even considered as a norm. All these are manifested by the profit driven world that exists in the society today. In an optimistic way, the publication and the distribution of the book may have waken up the society as to how things might turn out to be if they continue to thrive in a profit-focused situation.
Personally, the author of this literature analysis sees the banning of the book to be an unnecessary move of the socialists. As the author views the work of Huxley as a wake up call to the human society for them to at least have time to change their ways and be more positively inclined especially when it comes to morals. Conclusion In a positive view, the novel of Huxley may be an exaggeration of the present situation in the society. However, publishing it may have caused many readers to become more aware of the changes that happen in the society and thus shift their profit-driven priorities towards a more morality-focused life.
Young children may not understand the context of the novel as a whole; however, making them see the need of social change is a vital part of ensuring a social future inclined to a more morally clean social view. Hence, it could be noted that banning the said novel may have been a mistaken move for the socialist groups. BIBLIOGRAPHY Aldous Huxley. (1998). Brave New World. Harper Perennial Modern Classics; Reprint edition BLTC. (2005). BRAVE NEW WORLD ? A Defense Of Paradise-Engineering. http://www. huxley. net/. (December 1, 2006 – Write a paper; Professional research paper writing service – Best essay writers). Shakespeare Homepage. (2005). The Tempest. http://www-tech. mit. edu/Shakespeare/tempest/. (December 1, 2006 – Write a paper; Professional research paper writing service – Best essay writers).

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