Brave New World Reading Guide

CHAPTERS 1-3

  1. What is A.F. 632? What can you infer about this society from such a designation?
  1. How many individuals can be produced from one egg and one sperm?
  1. What is the purpose of the processes that take place in the Social Predestination Room?
  1. What is the point of condition the masses to hate nature?
  1. What kinds of things do the children hear while they are asleep?
  1. Who is Mustapha Mond? What does he say about history? Why?
  1. Thoroughly describe Lenina Crowne.
  1. What is “wrong” with Bernard Marx? Explain.
  1. What is soma? Why do people take it? What does this say about their society?

CHAPTERS 4-6

  1. Who is Helmholtz Watson? What is his problem?
  1. The Solidarity Service has elements of several rituals in our world. Which ones?
  1. What story does the D. H. C. tell Bernard? Was he supposed to? Explain.
  1. What distressing information does Bernard’s call to Helmholtz reveal?

CHAPTERS 7-10

  1. How does Lenina react to the Savage Reservation? Why?
  1. What did Lenina like about the Reservation? Why? What does this say about her?
  1. What did Bernard like about the Reservation? Why? What does this say about him?
  1. What do Bernard and John have in common?
  1. Does Lenina have any compassion for Linda? Explain
  1. How does Bernard avoid being sent to Iceland?

CHAPTERS 11-13

  1. Bernard’s life is changing? How?
  1. What questions about the Savage is Lenina unable to answer? Why?
  1. How is a “feelie” different from a movie?
  1. How has the Savage influenced Helmholtz?
  1. Who does John keep quoting? Why? Significance?
  1. Why did John go into such a rage against Lenina? What does this say about him?

CHAPTERS 14-18

  1. Where is John at the beginning of Chapter 14?
  1. Who “invades” the hospital and drives John into a frenzy?
  1. How does John try to help the mental staff of the hospital?
  1. What is surprising about Mustapha Mond?
  1. Are you beginning to dislike Bernard? Why or why not?
  1. Why does art require social instability?
  1. The advent of mass production had what effects on society?
  1. What right does John claim?
  1. When John is beginning to find peace at the lighthouse, when happens to destroy it?
  1. Was John’s decision to end his life understandable?