A satirical piece of fiction,
not scientific prophecy
The art of diminishing or belittle a subject by making it ridiculous
and arousing feelings of amusement, contempt, scorn, or
indignation toward the subject (Harris).
• Uses humor as weapon against human depravity and idiocy
• Often operates as a form of social commentary that seeks to
critique a variety subjects.
• May illicit laughter, but is dealing with serious subject matter
• Mimicry of an established concept, idea, or a person.
Usually an exaggeration.
• Parody is fun for fun’s sake. So while it is meant for
mocking, it may or may not incite society.
• Parody is just pure entertainment and nothing else. It
does not have a direct influence on society
(differencebetween.net).
Utopian and Dystopian Literature
• A Utopia is a place or society
that appears perfect in every
way.
• Government is perfect,
working to improve societies
standards of living rather then
their own
• Social aspects of the
community run perfectly.
• No war or disease, only peace
and happiness.
• Everyone outside this Utopian
society looks to this place in
wonder and awe.
• Dystopia opposite of Utopia
• A place or society which is in
complete chaos.
• Citizens are all suffering and are
miserable.
• Often times in novels what
appears to be a Utopian society is
actually revealed to be a
dystopian society.
• The citizens are often live in terror
under complete control by the
government, unaware of corrupt
world in which they actually live in,
or suppressed by the society as a
whole.
Many of the cultural concerns seen in the
novel are still matters of great importance.
In the
years since
Huxley
published
Huxley
seeks
tofirst
warn
the this
book, some of his prophesies seem far more
reader
against scientific
plausible than they did in 1932.
utopianism (impracticable
perfectionism)
• … of sexual promiscuity
• … with a drug culture in the most literal
sense of the word
• … in which the traditional family has been
rendered taboo
• … in which religion has been reduced to
rituals of physical expression
• … in which art is only for mass
communication
• … in which the positive values of western
democracy have been converted into a
rigid caste system
1. To what extent should one challenge the
beliefs of his or her society?
2. When does one put his/her beliefs over
community?
3. To what extent is society controlled by
technology and science? How is this control
both good and bad?
4. How is consumerism both beneficial and
harmful in society?
5. Are truth and happiness incompatible?
6. What roles do individuality and family have in
society? Are they necessary?
1. Community, Stability, and Identity vs.
Individual Freedom
2. Science and Technology as a means of
control
3. Threat of genetic engineering
4. Destruction of the family
5. Drugs as a means for social control
6. Oppression of individual thinking
7. The impact of rising consumerism
“Reading Brave New World elicits the same
disturbing feelings in the reader which the society
it depicts has vanquished (eliminated).”