Marxist+Theory+Chapters+9-15

This version was collected from all four classes and then edited by me in order to ensure accuracy and relevancy. Italicized text has been inserted by me.

__**CHAPTER 9**__
The citizens of BNW have learned to grant themselves "soma holidays" if they have experienced, according to Lenina, "a day of queerness and horror." In order to experience a state of euphoria and separation from any prior "emotional" conflicts, they engage in the use of soma as an escape and ultimately a revival. Also, Bernard's almost robotic or routine activities serve as proof that the ideology of planned, "busy" behavior exists in BNW in order to keep the citizens in constant action to therefore ensure a so-called "happiness," for example "a vibro-vac massage, electrolyic shave, leisured luncheon, etc". //All of these things at as distractions, which keep citizens of BNW from questioning the ideology.//
 * IDEOLOGY**

//Most students did not pick up on this particular example: 1. because it was a difficult concept to find in this chapter 2. because most of you did not go back to your notes to check the actual definition of "class consciousness," which always refers to the "working" or underprivileged class. Therefore, Bernard's condescending behavior is just his character reasserting what had always been his, power.//
 * CLASS CONSCIOUSNESS**

John: John isn't fully conscious of his class consciousness and his "savage" label yet. //However, as John goes through Lenina's clothes and then examines her while she's on "soma holiday," Bernard does begin to understand just how different he is when compared to those of BNW//.

** __CHAPTER 10__ **
Due to his lack of infantile behavior, Bernard is made an example of and fired in front of the entire hatchery by the Director. The Director preaches to Bernard and the rest of society that having children and viviparous living is against what the Brave New World is all about, however, he discovers at the end of the chapter that he has a son with the girl he assumed was dead. //This paradox is a perfect example of the "false consciousness" of an ideology coming back to haunt the individual. It is almost impossible for an ideology to be "perfect," but we are always taught to follow it regardless of its imperfections because that is how, according to Marx, an ideology continues to support the power structure. Of course, this scene is also extremely ironic, which Cody pointed out during his presentation to the class.//
 * IDEOLOGY**

__ **CHAPTER 11** __
The main ideology in Chapter 11 refers to the main conflict between John and his views from the Savage Reservation vs. the views of the Brave New World. //The line below show how citizens in BNW view death and the individual. Linda is allowed to O.D. on soma because she is no longer of any use to society, but soma is rationed for all other because in the end, consumption and production reign supreme in the ideology of the Brave New World.//
 * IDEOLOGY**

P 155: " of course" dr shaw went on "you can't allow people to go popping off eternity if they've got an serious work to do."

All in the BNW are conditioned from youth to be satisfied with the life and status they are given. Deltas specifically, or any of the lower caste are given more and more drugs or conditioning to make them "happy" with what they do. They do the hard work and are unaware of this insane system going on to brainwash them. John, an outsider, sees all of this happening and is distraught by the insanity. He sees these insane things occurring and does not understand how t his could be.
 * WORKING CLASS MISERY**

P163: "... We don't encourage them to indulge in any solitary amusements." P164: "they get it after there works over. Four half gramme tablets. Six on Saturday's."

//In BNW, those "in charge" have completely removed the possibility of "working class misery." It really doesn't exist in this chapter, but John, a "savage," can plainly see how morally corrupt this system is.//

The Caste system in BNW is set up to satisfy all its members, whether it be through intense conditioning or poisoning (as referenced above). In this Chapter there is no dispute over how the classes merge in the Brave New World. //This is important guys...because in the BNW, class struggle has been eliminated. However, this only reinforces Marx because it shows what extremes a society must go to in order to rid it of class struggle. This only further supports Marx's theory of capitalist societies.//
 * CLASS STRUGGLE**

__ **CHAPTER 12** __
Bernard arranges a party of important people for them to meet John the savage. However, when they arrive John refuses to leave his room. He is aware of the class differ ence and notices the difference of the world state and it disgusts him. He finds this world to be superficial and inhumane, and eventually sees that he is the outsider of both the world state and the savage reservation. This is what is making the people that bernard has over want to meet this savage.
 * CLASS CONSCIOUSNESS**

John reads his book of Shakespeare to Helmholtz as an effort to share his beliefs and inner feelings to someone who he can relate to. As John starts speaking of the troubles that is presented in //Romeo and Juliet//, Helmholtz starts laughing hysterically at the fact that the problems revolve around monogamy, which is socially unacceptable in the modern day society. Although Helmholtz is different than others of his caste, he has still been conditioned to not believe in the whole concept of keeping yourself to one individual. This proves that no matter how different Helmholtz perspective is, he is still a part of the new world society.
 * IDEOLOGY**

__ **CHAPTER 13** __

 * IDEOLOGY **
 * Lenina "World State"
 * conditioned against commitment-horrified at the thought of it
 * infantile behavior, conditioned to get whatever/whoever she wants whenever she wants it/him
 * against violence and outlash
 * not ashamed or embarassed of expressing sexuality


 * John "Old World"
 * monogamy
 * marriage, commitment
 * wants to prove he is worthy of Lenina, wants to work to earn her affection
 * reacts in the same way the women of his village do towards Linda, who had slept with most of the men in the village
 * feels awkward, ashamed

__ **CHAPTER 14** __
The main factor to look at when discussing The Ideology is Linda's death, When people die in this world there is not a lot of sympathy. They pretty much just mass produce more people, so 1 person doesn't matter. This involves the quote " Ending is better than Mending" It is better to die than to grow as a nation, but it doesnt matter because you could just mass produce more people.

__ **CHAPTER 15** __

 * IDEOLOGY **


 * John views the soma as a poison.Soma restricts human feelings which is essential in the make up of an individua l.
 * I<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">n Brave New World, Soma is seen as a way of limiting identity thus ensuring stability in the society.


 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">WORKING CLASS MISERY **
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Soma distribution after each work day.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Deprivation of soma is an appalling thought. The Delta's rebel against the "truth" told by John.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">The caste system is so defined that the only way to make sense of their boring life is by taking Soma <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11.6667px;">.

**<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">CLASS CONSCIOUSNESS **
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Delta's brainwashed, they have no idea that they are slaves.

====//This is the essence of Marx' notion of ideology. For Marx, it is the way a society controls its working/lower class so that stability is ensured. This in turn ensures that power stays in the hands of the few. In BNW there is not time for "working class misery" because all contrary thoughts (even in an Alpha Plus) is immediately drowned in soma. And it is impossible for the working gammas, deltas, or epsilons to become conscious of their "class" if they are not allowed the time or "state" of mind to reflect. One might argue that these individuals are happy, so why does it even matter, but as a class of over 100, it seems that most of us agreed that no one in BNW is truly "happy," because happiness is different than bliss or contentment (being satisfied).//====