Brave New World

Question

Thinking of your novel (Brave New World) What role does fear play throughout the novel? How does it affect the characters’ actions?

Answer 1

In Brave New World, fear plays a controlling factor in the story. Everyone in this world is "created" to fit in, regardless of their levels of intelligence and ability; their fear would be that of not doing what they were meant to do effectively, of not being like everyone else in their respective class. For those few who are self-aware in this society--realizing that they were meant for more in life than what they have been socialized for, such as Bernard--the fear is more palpable, the fear of being discovered as being different, and possibly being severely punished for it. Lastly, for the Savage, the fear he faces is that of losing himself in this strange new world; ironically, he sees the advanced ones as being barbaric.