Phase 3 post Civilized vs. Uncivilized

In Huxley’s “Brave New World” the society that is made up of prefabricated babies and citizens brainwashed by hypnopeadia is referred to as “Civilized”.  The society in the book that is referred to as “uncivilized” is the Indian reservation.

To me being Civilized in the book means to have technology, recourses, money, and just an overall sense of direction for your life, even if your life is decided for you. People who are “civilized’ such as Bernard and Lenina have all of those things in their lives. They have nice clothes made of acetate silk, helicopters that take them anywhere they want to go, they are never unsatisfied, and if they are soma take care of it right way and all they have to do is take it. Not very much work on their part. The book kind of describes being “uncivilized” as being dirty, smelly, poor, old, and actually having to work for the things you desire, and there is also never a shortage of feelings of despair or disappointment and things like that and having to deal with those feeling on your own.

The “civilized” people live in a society where as they say “…cleanliness is next to fordliness” and “…civilization is sterilization.” (110) This is a far cry from the animal carcass and litter filled streets of the reservation. As I stated before they wear clothes made up of a synthetic material called acetate silk and accrding to Lina who used to be a “civilized” person “…it never used to be right to mend clothes. Throw them away when they’ve got holes in them and buy new.” (121)  Compared to the “savages” who wore turkey feathers, and deer skin moccasins. “Civilized” people also have the luxury, as they saw it, of never having the symptoms of getting older in age. During their visit to the reservation Lenina and Bernard catch glimpse of an old Indian man.  Upon seeing his wrinkly, toothless, and emaciated body as Huxley described him, Lenina asks Bernard “Whats the matter with him?” (110) As if she had never seen a person in this condition, as if he was suffering from some kind of disease or sickness. After questioning Bernard’s answer of him just being old, Bernard tells her the difference between what I see as being “uncivilized old” and “civilized old”. He goes on about all of the processes their technology allows them to do to their citizens for them not to look and feel like their age tells. After watching the old Indian man Lenina gets feeling of sorrow and disgust so she decides she doesn’t wann feel that any more, reaches to get a soma capsule to take, only to find out she has none on her person and is stuck with those feelings. To me being “civilized” in the book is being able to always take the easy way out. Not having to deal with everyday emotions, like anger, sadness, and others of the same nature. The main difference I see between the 2 societies is that the “uncivilized” people do not have all of the luxuries’ that “civilized” people do. If they are sad, they stay sad until they decide to do something about it, not until the soma kicks in, then just moving along with their day.  

The whole issue of family is also very different between the two societies. The sight of women breast feeding their children on the reservation makes Lenina blush and turn her head away with disgust, while the Indians just see it as a way of providing for their children. Bernard says “What a wonderfully intimate relationship.” And “…what an intensity of a feeling it must generate! I often think one may have missed something in not having a mother. And perhaps you’ve missed something in not being a mother, Lenina. Imagine yourself sitting there with a little baby of your own…” (112)  Lenina again reacts with surprise and disgust saying “Bernard! How can you?” and “Lets go away, I don’t like it.” (112)  Another time being a mother and having a child is see to be frowned upon in the “civilized” world is when Lenina and Bernard meet Linda who used to be civilized but now lives on the reservation. In talking about the embarrassment and shame in having a child says “Just think of it: me, a Beta-having a baby: Put yourself in my place.” “The mere suggestion made Lenina shudder.” (120)

One thing I did find very interesting was when John was introduced in the book and in meeting Lenina and Bernard says “You’re Civilized, aren’t you? You come from the other place, outside the reservation?” it makes me think why would he call them civilized? What has he seen, or been taught to call them that?

In my opinion I feel like the “uncivilized” savages actually are more human.  Being human to me is not about coasting through life never wanting anything more than what you have in terms of accomplishments and knowledge and goals. Its about working hard for what you want and overcoming obstacles that are preventing you from getting it. To me having feelings is part of life, they tell you why you are doing what you are doing, give you a sense of being not just going with the flow and getting trough it, and with soma that is not possible. In the “civilized” society people don’t get to “live their lives. They are pretty much programmed to be born, merely going through life, then dying. That’s not living to me. I see them as more machines than anything, and machines aren’t human. The “savages” on the other hand have families, problems, accomplishments, highs, and lows. They don’t merely go through life, they live it.

Works Cited:

Huxley, Aldous. Brave New World. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publications, 1998. Print.