A Book Review On Brave New World
When reading the introductory passage about this book before starting it formally,the year of 1932 attracts my attention.As we all know,there was so much turmoil in Europe in the year of 1931,severe social problem ,such as depressing economy,high unemployment rate,the unrest of government,made the whole Europe a horrible place.In such a circumstance,it was spontaneous for people to dream for a better world and just judging from the name it’s quite easy to consider the book as a picture of an ideal world.However,as it is Brave New World is substantially not a brave world,but a even more horrible world.
In that world,material civilization is in high level and everything is automated.No one would ever worry about what to eat and wear;everyone is enjoying the most comfortable life.Seemed like a wonderful world,its true appearance can be thrilling.In that world, Economic prosperity and personal enjoy will become the only philosophy idea ,in the meantime ,the only religion of the whole society.
One of the biggest characteristics of that new world is unstable factors ranging from international warfare to personal illness that may influence the material production are all destroyed.For instance, soma,a kind of drug just like today’s narcotic drugs ,is used widely.Here are several sentences from the book about soma."Glum, Marx, glum.What you
need is a gramme of soma.”"All the advantages of Christianity and alcohol; none of their defects.""One cubic centimetre cures ten gloomy sentiments."(from Chapter 3)It’s clear that people’s emotion is controlled by drugs;almost everything is controlled by drugs.Never regard it as a good thing.On the contrary,it’s terrifying,it means people lost their feelings and have no independent personality.To some extent,it just like turn human beings into machines.Another trait of the world is man is produced rather than be born.In a specific place named Human Incubation Center,following a specific procedure called Bokanovsky's Process,humans are produced by eggs and sperm.As a result ,a man’s fate is actually determined before he is “born” by what conditions the operators provide.
Confronted such a crazy world,in spite of many advantages it have,everyone’s choice is likely to be the same with the Savage (Here savages means people comes from places except the brave new world) in the book:
“But I don't want comfort. I want God, I want poetry, I want real danger, I want freedom, I want goodness. I want sin.” “In fact,” said Mustapha Mond, “you're claiming the right to be unhappy.”
“All right then,”said the Savage defiantly,“I'm claiming the nght to be unhappy.”
“Not to mention the right to grow old and ugly and impotent; the right to have syphilis and cancer; the right to have too
little to eat; the right to be lousy; the right to live in constant apprehension of what may happen to-morrow; the right to catch typhoid; the right to be tortured by unspeakable pains of every kind.” There was along silence.
“I claim them all,”said the Savage at last.
However,to my disappointment,the savage finally killed himself in order to purify himself.Before he died,he said”I ate civilization.It poisoned me; I was defiled. And then I ate my own wickedness.”
You may consider nothing in the book makes real sense as the whole book is just the author’s fancy.Nevertheless,yesterday’s imagination is likely to become the reality of tomorrow;that is to say Brave New World is a book foreseeing future.With its unique significance of enlightenment,the book is bound to be taken seriously especially today when modern civilization,both economy and technology,is developing in an amazing rate.In the process of development,it’s never lose our human nature and instinct that should be bared in everyone’s mind.Only in this way can we human create a real brave new world.
Through the short story In Exile, Anton Chekov has
characterized Semyon as an optimistic, cold blooded and dignified man. In the story, the major characters Semyon and Tatar are in exile in the cold Siberia. The old man Semyon is nicknamed Canny by other fellows, which indicates he is regarded as a smart person.
Chekov characterizes Semyon through his words to the Tatar, who is always having a feeling of nostalgia, like that has been written in the book :“ I've been going like that for twenty-two years, day and night... And thank God for it, I want nothing; God give everyone such a life”. Semyon has been in exile for twenty-two years, and he is satisfied with his life which has been filled with everyday hard labor. In his speech, he first shows his appreciation to the God, then he wishes everyone can have a life like him, which indicates how satisfied he is with his situation. The story took place in the cold Siberia, with the main character who has been in exile for a long time; Chekov makes a contrast between the terrible living conditions and the optimistic Semyon, and it emphasizes his positive attitudes towards life.
Being in exile, Semyon turns to an uncaring person. When Semyon talks to the young Tatar man about his experience, he reveals his thought of life that:“ When they sent me here from Russia from the first day…[t]he devil was at me about my wife and about my home and about freedom, but I told him: 'I want nothing.' I stuck to it, and here you see I live well”. Semyon used to care about his “wife”, “family” and
“freedom”, but as he came to Siberia, Semyon starts to see those as “devil”, and decides to care about nothing. Siberia is not a good place for a person to live because of the hard weather, lacks of food and the absence of families and friends. Under such circumstance, to not care about anything may be the smart choice that people can make. Just like Semyon, who becomes indifferent, acquires a “good” life.
Though Semyon is uncaring, he is also dignified. The characterization of Semyon is further developed through his words:“ if Fate has wronged you and me cruelly it's no good asking for her favor and bowing down to her, but you despise her and laugh at her, or else she will laugh at you”. The life of Semyon in the cold Siberia is cruel, and he regards it as the mistreating of the fate. Semyon believes a person doesn’t have to surrender fate instead of “Asking for favor ”
or “bowing down” which give senses of cowardice and
obedience, or else “she would laugh at you” means that you would lose your dignity. The describing of Semyon’s words suggests to audiences that he cares about his dignity.
The writer Anton Chekov characterizes the old man Semyon as an indifferent but optimistic and dignified person. It is easy for readers to understand why Semyon is “canny”, because under the hard circumstances in Siberia, to become not to care about too much maybe the best but also inescapable choice. Chekov characterizes Semyon as a man who lives in such terrible environment, however, audiences respect him even more than they sympathize him. His story teaches us that even under this situation, a person should not be depressed and yielding. From what has been discussed above, the conclusion can be safely drawn that old man Semyon described in the story is not only indifferent, but also dignified and possess a positive attitude, and such image has been presented vividly as one of the main characters in the book and does attract much attention from readers.