Tuesday, March 19, 2013

In Brave New World, how does John fit in with the other boys on the reservation?

Aldous Huxley's Brave New World has two protagonists, one of which is John the Savage, who is taken from his life on the Native Reservation to live in the "Brave New World" and offers a new perspective on the dystopian culture. On the reservation, John is not accepted by any of his peers for several reasons. First and foremost is John's "foreign" nature; John and his mother are white, but everyone else on the reservation is indigenous. This implies some clear visual distinctions of racial classification, which contribute to John's alienation. Also contributing to John's alienation by the reservation society, including boys his own age, is the cultural clash between his mother and the reservation society. His mother comes from a culture that practices polyamorous relationships, but the indigenous tribe of the reservation prizes monogamy. Her behavior leads to conflict, and because of his association with his mother, John is also ostracized. 

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