Mahieu1

DearMrs.Herzog:
ThecommentsIreceivedfrombothyouandmypeersonmyfirstdraftrevealedtomethatmymain
issuesstemmedfromorganization.AsIwaswritingmyfirstdraft,Ihadnotcompletelysolidifiedmy
thesisenough,soIbelievethisiswhyIwasunabletodevelopmyideasinalogicalorderwithinthe
bodyofmyessay.Becauseorganizationseemedtobethemaincauseformylackofdevelopment,I
decidedtorethinkmythesisandorganizationentirelyformyfinaldraft.
Ifirstbeganbydraftinganewthesis,andInowunderstandthateachdevicedoesnothavethesame
effect.Rather,thefoilsrevealinevitabilityofsuccumbingtocontrol,therepetitiveexpressionsgain
controlofthecharactersandthereader,andtheconcretedictionremovesindividualityfromthereader.
Withthisinmind,Ichangedtoorderofmyparagraphs,andIbelievethatthismakesmuchmoresense
andreallyaddsamuchmorelogicalflowtomyessay.
Additionally,myexplanationoffoilsinmyroughdraftdidnotcompletelyexpressmyideas.Iwasted
nearlytwopagesintroducingeachcharacterandgivingbackgroundinformationbeforeIevenbeganto
compareandcontrastthecharacters.Therefore,Idecidedtomeldthethreecharactersanalysesinto
onesectionsothattheeffectofthedeviceisclearer.Itisimportantformetoshowthateachpersonhas
adifferentperspectiveandrepresentsadifferentlevelofconformity,yettheyallconformtosocietyin
theend.Thus,itwasineffectivetoputeachcharactersanalysisinitsownparagraph.
Iamverypleasedwithmyrevisionsoverall.Meetingwithyouwasveryhelpfulbecauseitmademe
feelconfidentinunderstandingexactlywhatIhopedtogetacross.Infact,thereverseoutlinetechnique
wasextremelyhelpful,andIwilldefinitelyusethatformynextassignment.
Sincerely,
AndreaMahieu

Mahieu2

AndreaMahieu
Mrs.Herzog
A.P.Lit4
January12,2015
ControlandDisposability:AWarningofFutureDevaluation

AldousHuxleysBraveNewWorldisatrap.Uponafirstreadofthistext,numerous

devicesgrabholdofthereaderanddistracthimwhileheissubconsciouslyexposedto
omnipresentcontrol.Onthesurface,BraveNewWorldmayseemasimplenovelabouta
troublingsociety.However,inactuality,BraveNewWorldsendsamessageawarningthat
canbeunderstoodonlybythefewwhorecognizethatthecontrollingforcethatenvelopsthe
charactersalsocontrolsthereader,himself.Thenovelhasimplicationslargerthansimplywhat
iswrittenonthepage,butthetruepurposeisrevealedtoonlythosewhodonotsuccumbtothe
controlofthetext.WithinBraveNewWorld,AldousHuxleyusesfoilsandrepetitive
expressionstodemonstratehowsocietalpressurescancompletelyenvelopapersonandremove
allsenseofindividualityandusesconcretedictiontogaincontrolofthereaderandultimately
warnhimofpotentialfurtivecontrolthatmayattempttosuppresshisthoughtsinthefuture.
ThroughoutBraveNewWorld,theswitchingthirdpersonlimitednarrationintroducesthe
threemaincharactersasfoilsinordertorevealthatnooneisexemptfromthepowerofsocietal
conformity.Atthebeginningofthenovel,thenarrationisgiventhroughthirdpersonlimited,
focusingonLeninaCrowne.LeninadiffersgreatlyfromthetwoothermaincharactersasHuxley
presentsheras,initially,themostconformingtothissocietyofthethreemaincharacters,
Leninaadmitsherselftosocietalpressuresthemost.Justliketheotheryoungwomens,Leninas
mindisconsumedbythoughtsofyoungmen.However,sheisinamonogamousrelationship
withHenryFoster,andmonogamyisstronglyobjectedtointhissociety(Huxley40).Lenina

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breakstheconfinesofconformity,here,revealingthatsheisnotcompletelysatisfiedwith
societysways.Althoughsheprefersmonogamyandbelievesthatthisrelationshiphasbeenfor
onlyfourmonths,shequicklyagreestomaketheeffortandgooutwithanothermanwhen
herfriendassuresherthatitishorriblybadformtogoonandonwithoneman(Huxley40,
41,43).Leninadoesnotattempttofightforwhatshewantsrather,shepromptlyacceptsthis
societalconventionandchangesherways.Leninaalsoregularlyutilizesthedrugsoma,asmost
societymembersdo,butwhensheswallowssixhalfgrammetabletsofsoma,enoughtokeep
herasleepforeighteenhours,thethirdpersonlimitednarrationswitchestofocusingonthe
nextcharacter,BernardMarx(Huxley140).AccordingtoHuxley,Leninasstorylosesits
importancewhenshesubmitsherselftothepowerofsoma.Sheisultimatelyovercomeby
societalpressures,andwhenshedoes,sheisnolongerimportantasanindividual.Themoments
thathintedatherindividualityaregone,andshebecomesjustanothermemberofthegroup.
Bernard,thesecondcharacterfocusedonthroughthirdpersonlimitednarration,differsgreatly
fromLeninainhislevelofinitialconformity.UnlikeLenina,Bernardoftenoutwardlyquestions
society.Althoughhedoesconformtosomeconventions,suchastakinghisdate,Lenina,ona
helicopterride,hechallengesothersocietalideals.Whileinthehelicopter,Bernardsodd
viewsarestrongenoughtocauseLeninatostoptheearsofhermind(Huxley9394).Bernard
openlyquestionssociety,yetLeninaactivelyworkstopreventherselffromevenhearingsuch
unorthodoxviews.Eventhoughshemaysubconsciouslyagreewiththestatementsbeingmade
byBernard,theoverarchingsocietalpoweroverwhelmsherandsuppressesher,disallowingher
fromeventhinkingdifferentlyfromtherestofsocietysmembers.Evidently,Bernardaccepts
societalconventionswithmuchlesseasethanLenina.However,he,too,isdiscardedfromthe

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novelafterhesubmitshimselftoconformity.Thenarrationchangestofocusingonthenext
character,JohnSavage,assoonBernardsattempttopersuadethenewlyfamousJohntoattenda
partywithhimfailsandleaveshimalmostintears(Huxley173).Bernardbecomestransfixed
byfameandpromiscuitywhicharebothtwoprominentsocietalideals.Henolongerexpresses
unorthodoxideals,butfindshispassioninexactlywhattherestofsocietyispassionateabout.
AllthatmadeBernarduniquedissipates,sohisstoryisnolongerimportant,andBraveNew
Worldcontinueswithouthim.Thenextcharacter,John,isintroducedthroughthirdperson
limitednarration,andhedemonstratesthethirdstageofconformity.Johnentersintothissociety
withacompletelydifferentperspectivethanLeninaandBernardforheoriginallycomesfrom
theReservation.Infact,theReservationissodifferentfromthesocietyinwhichLeninaand
BernardlivethatLeninadescribesitasaterribleandawfulplacefullofinhumanpeople
(Huxley109,111).Thus,whenJohnarrivesinthisnewsociety,heimmediatelyquestionsthe
conventionsbecauseheisexperiencingthemforthefirsttime.Forinstance,theartthatothers
considermostdistinguished,Johndeemsallquitehorrible(Huxley221).Johnexplicitly
expresseshisunorthodoxviewsandistheleastconformingofthethreecharactersatfirst.
However,evenJohn,theonepersonwhotrulyrecognizestheproblematicnatureofthissociety
fromthestart,isnotexemptfromthepowerofgroupmentality.Althoughheevenmovesaway
fromsocietyinordertoresistallofitsconventions,hecannotescapeJohnultimately
participatesinanorgy,oneofthesocietysmostfrequentactivities.Atthismoment,Johns
abilitytoresistconformityanabilitythatmakeshimuniqueiseradicated,andhelosesall
senseofhimself.Furthermore,immediatelyfollowingthisincident,thebookendswithapairof
feetdanglingjustunderthecrownofthearchonthestairwell(Huxley259).Thisending

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leavesthereaderwiththepermanentvisionofJohnssuicideatragicendinginvolvingyet
anothercharactersuccumbingtotheoverarchingpower.LeninaandBernardbecomeabsolute
conformists,butJohnfailstorestrainhimselfandthereforekillshimself(Firchow14).John
hasalreadyescapedphysicallybyleavingthesociety,yetthegroupmentalitystillfounditsway
tohim.Thus,Johnfeelsthattheonlywaytoremainanindividualistocommitsuicide,for
succumbingtotheoverpoweringforceisultimatelytheinevitableconsequence(Firchow14).
Eachcharactercertainlyexperiencesaninternalfightbetweenresistingandsubmittingtothe
powerofsociety,butthebattlecanonlylastforashorttimebeforesocietyscontrolconquers.
The1979filmApocalypseNowexemplifiesthisinevitability.CaptainWillardreturnsto
Vietnamforasecondmissionandmeetsyoungsoldierswhoarejustlookingforawayback
[home]thatdidntexistanymore(Coppola,1979).InVietnam,eachmanwearsthesame
uniformandhasthesamemissionallindividualityisremoved,andeachmansimplybecomesa
soldier.Consequently,afterlivinginanenvironmentinwhichindividualityisunimportant,there
isnowaytogainbackindividuality.JohnrecognizesthisinBraveNewWorld,asheevencovers
hiseyesandyells,Oh,myGod,myGod!aftertheorgy(Huxley259).Johnunderstandsthat
afterconformingtosocietysconventionsevenjustonce,thereisnoturningback.Nocharacter
isimmunetotheeffectsofcontrolwithinasocietythatsuppressesdifferingopinions,no
onenomatterwhathisperspectiveiscanescapetheubiquityofsocietalpressures.
Inadditiontotheuseoffoilstorevealthedisposabilityofcharacterswhenindividuality
islost,theuseofrepetitiveexpressionsthroughoutBraveNewWorldgainscontrolofthe
charactersaswellasthereaderinordertoexpressthesignificanceofthesuppressionof
individuality.Repetitivesloganswithinthenovelaffectboththecharactersandthereader,as

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theindividualishypnopaedicallyconditionedandgivenamoraleducation(Larsen2).After
hearingexpressionsrepeatedoverandoveragain,theyestablishawayoflifethatisfollowed
bothconsciouslyandunconsciouslybyboththecharactersandthereaderthereaderis
ultimatelyexposedtotheverysamecontrolasthecharacters.Forinstance,Leninasconsistent
useofsomaisreflectedbyherconstantuseoftheexpressionagrammeisalwaysbetterthana
damn(Huxley90).Itisnearlyimpossibletoforgettheseexpressions,astheexcessiverepetition
engrainsthemwithinthemind.Whenthereisconstantrepetitiouschantingandconstantsoma
usage,itbecomesverydifficulttoremainanindividual.Furthermore,theslogansarenotonly
repeatednumeroustimes,buttheyarealsopresentedinachildish,singsongway.Thisservesas
apowerfulideologicaltoolforthegrouptomaintaincontrolandevendistractfromtheevilof
thesociety(Larsen2).Therepetitionoftheexpressionsmakesthesocietyappearasifitisa
wellcoordinatedgroupofindividualpeople,andbyturningthemintochildish,playfuljingles,it
persuadesthesocietythateverythingisfunctioningjustfine.Additionally,theinherentrhyme
schemeofthecommonexpressionOrgyporgy,Fordandfun,/Kissthegirlsandmakethem
Oneremovesitsdisturbingmeaningandreplacesitwithamusement(Huxley84).Everyonein
societyknowsandchantsthisjingle,andthiseliminatesallsenseofindividualityinorderto
maintainorder.Infact,thebookbeginsinfrontoftheCentralLondonHatcheryand
ConditioningCentre,thefactoryinwhichbabiesareartificiallymassproducedandthen
classifiedoneoffivedifferentways:Alpha,Beta,Gamma,Delta,orEpsilon(Huxley22).There
isnoindividualityhere,aseveryonesimplymakesupthegreatersociety.Allothermentalities
arestifledsothatsocietycanfunctionwithoutinterruption,andtherepetitiousexpressionsserve
todojustthat.Althoughdifferingideaswouldchallengeexistingruleorthreatentocreate

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disorder,theexpressionsarecompletelyinstilledwithinmembersofsocietytotheextentthatit
provesimpossibletoevadetheoverpoweringforcethatissocietysgroupideology.After
hearingthemrepeatedthroughoutthenovel,thejinglesseepintothereadersmind
subconsciously,aswell,as,essentially,mindcontrol.Huxleyswarningthatsocietyisleft
troubledanddespondentwhenindividualthoughtsaresuppressedisapparentinthecontextof
thenovel.However,thiswarningbecomessignificantlymoremeaningfulwhenthereader
realizesthathe,himself,isbeingcontrolled.Itservestocautionthereaderandrevealjusthow
easilyindividualitycanberemovedandjusthowfurtiveacontrollingforcecanbe.
Huxleysuseofconcretedictionalsoservestogaincontrolofthereaderanddeliverthe
messagethatindividualitymustbevaluedhighly.Thenovelbeginswithadescriptionofthe
squatgreybuildingofonlythirtyfourstoriesthatface[s]towardsthenorth,tointroducethe
settingfortherestofthenovel(Huxley3).Eachandeverydetailisincludedinthesetting,
leavingnoroomforthereadertopicturesomethingelse.Itisevenmadeclearthat[s]ixteen
thousandandtwelveovariesistherecordyield(Huxley8).Huxleycontrolsallofthedetailsof
thistext,andthespecificnumbersanddetailscanbeinterpretedinonlyoneway.Thiscontrols
thereaderdirectly.Whereasthecharactersareundercontrolthroughrepetitiousexpressionsand
bytheomnipresenceofconventions,thereadersuccumbstoanoverpoweringforcebymeansof
theconcretediction.JustasHuxleyssocietyremovesindividualityfromitsmembers,the
controllingforceofthetextitselfremovesallindividualityfromthereader.Itnolongermatters
whoisreadingBraveNewWorld,aseachpersonnowhastheexactsameexperiencereadingdue
totheexactitudeofitsdetails.Thereaderlacksallimportancefromthestartofthenovel,butthe
characterscometolosealloftheirindividualityasthenovelunfolds.Thus,Huxleysuseof

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concretedictionisusedinanefforttoshowthereader,personally,howeasilyhecanbe
overpoweredandcontrolled.Huxleyspointbecomessignificantlystrongerifthereader
recognizesthatheisbeingcontrolled,foritbecomesapparentthatfurtivepowercanaffectmore
thansimplycharactersinadystopiansociety.Ifthisimitationofcontrolisrealizedbythereader,
itservestoadvisehimthathemustbecautiousoffuturecontrolthatmaystrivetodiscardhis
individualitysothatitcanevaderesistance.
BraveNewWorldbyAldousHuxleydoesmuchmorethandepictadistortedsocietyof
materialistic,dependentpeople.Moreimportantly,BraveNewWorldenvelopsthereaderina
hypnoticstuporinwhichheexperiencestheexactcontrolthatHuxleyworkstowarnhim
against.Theuseoffoilsandrepetitiveexpressionsrevealtheinevitabilityofsuccumbingto
power,andthecombinationofrepetitiousexpressionsandconcretedictionestablishesthereader
asoneofthecharacterswholosesallsenseofindividuality.Thisapparenttrap,then,onlyif
realized,revealsHuxleyswarningthatindividualityshouldneverbedevalued,foritisusedto
overpowerandcontrolpeoplewhosedifferingideologythreatenstobringaboutdisorder.
Controlcanbesurreptitious,soonemustbeconstantlyselfawareandunderstandtheimportance
ofexpressingonesownthoughtstothepreservationofsocietyasitistoday.

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WorksCited
ApocalypseNow.Dir.FrancisFordCoppola.Perf.MarlonBrando,MartinSheen,andRobert
Duvall.Paramount,1979.
Firchow,Peter."ScienceAndConscienceInHuxley'sBraveNewWorld."Contemporary
Literature16.3(1975):301.LiteraryReferenceCenter.Web.8Nov.2014.
Huxley,Aldous.BraveNewWorld.NewYork:Harper&Brothers,1932.Print.
Larsen,PeterM."SyntheticMythsInAldousHuxley'sBraveNewWorldANote."English
Studies62.6(1981):506.LiteraryReferenceCenter.Web.9Nov.2014.

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LitExGradingRubric Name_AndreaMahieu_
_____Thesisclearlyencapsulatesaspecific,provableargument.Thethesishastheideas,
buttheyneeddevelopment,consideringwhereyoutakethemlater.Yourealsomissingone
ofyourmajorpointsinwhichyoumakeinthepaper,andthephrasingofthethesisdoesnot
currentlyindicatetheorganizationandprogressionofideasinthepaper.
_____Paperislogicallyorganizedtopersuasivelymakeyourargument.Thisisproblematic
thinkaboutcause/effectandprogressionofideas.Thefoilsareusedto____whichaffects
____andcauses____.Theideasatthispointarequitedisorganizedwithfurther
organization,theirprogressionandcorrelationwillbeclear.
_____Conclusionsummarizesandaddsinsightwithoutbeingrepetitive.asawhole,yes!
_____Eachpointisthoughtfulandsupportedwithwellchosenevidencefromyourtext,
criticism,and/orilluminatingtext.attimes,furtherevidenceneeded
_____Quotesareblendedandcited.extremelywelldone!
_____MLAformatisfollowed,includingforWorksCitedpage.yes!
_____Languageisclear,concise,andprecisetoneisscholarly.Forthemostpart,but
sometimesyourelyonvaguephrasingbesuretoextendwithspecifics
_____Paperiswelleditedforgrammarandmechanics.Yes!
Youhaveverygoodideashere,butinorderforthemtoprogresslogically,thinkabouttheir
connectivitytoeachother.Inthisway,theideaswillbeespeciallypotent.
RoughDraftGrade:____75__________
________________
FocusforRevisionandEditing:

FinalDraftGrade: