In chapters 6-9 of Brave New World, we were exposed to a whole new side to the book. When Lenina and Bernard travel outside of the Conditioning Centre in London, to a reservation in New Mexico. When exploring New Mexico, Lenina and Bernard encountered the Indian culture and met a new group of people that were able to expose them to a new world.
I enjoyed chapters 6 through 9 more than the first five chapters of Brave New World. I feel like the first five chapters of the book are less entertaining than chapters 6 through 9. The story line of chapters 6 through 9 is on one track instead of here and there like the first five chapters. I enjoyed the story of John and Linda. Learning the background of the two new characters and the different life they lived from Lenina and Benard was more interesting than the life in the conditioning centre.
John differs from the other characters of his world while Bernard differs from the characters in his world. John seeks acceptance in his world, and in this way he can connect to Bernard. In chapters 6-9 we are also introduced to Bernard’s world. Although it was a bit confusing to understand, I was able to understand Bernard a little more. Bernard is the type of person who wants to step outside of the box and not go by the rules of the world he lives in. He doesn’t want to consume soma all the time, he feels belittled by his superiors, and all he wants to do is be different. But, while he was trying to be himself, he was threatened by the Director to be transferred to a sub-centre in Iceland.
In chapter 6, you can easily tell the difference between Bernard and Lenina. Lenina is so used to the condition life style that she has been living in, while Bernard wants to break free of the conditioned lifestyle. In chapter 6, Bernard states “Yes, ‘Everybody’s happy nowadays.’ We begin giving the children that at five. But wouldn’t you like to be free to be happy in some other way, Lenina? In your own way, for example; not in everybody else’s way.” After this statement Lenina replies with “I don’t know what you mean.” In these statements, we can clearly see that Bernard thinks differently from the people in his world. He feels differently as well. Bernard would probably be able to live easier if he had a friend like John in his life that he can connect with. Bernard does have Helmholtz, but Helmholtz pities Bernard. When Bernard speaks, Helmholtz either zones off or continues to speak about himself. But, Bernard may think of John as a savage now being that he caught John running out of his hotel room. Hopefully, John is able to explain himself, and Bernard still decides to take him to London with him and Lenina. If John travels back to London with Lenina and Bernard, it may benefit both John and Bernard. John may be able to explore a new world and hopefully be accepted by society, or Bernard can show that life outside of conditioning is beneficial.
