Brave New World: Connection

Brave New World vs. Harrison Bergeron

  In Brave New World and Harrison Bergeron are connected by the idea that the people can be easily controlled by certain pleasures or emotions. These stories show or tell us that someday our world will turn out that way or become it. The idea of the government having too much power is an consist battle in these stories; how some people rise up against the government.

            In Brave New World written by Huxley, people are controlled by soma or through their conditioning at birth. The government creates multiple products that takes the peoples’ minds off of unneeded emotions or unnecessary beliefs; since people are conditioned to certain things, no one feels out of place or awkward in their position in society. Everyone, in a way, is equal and no pressure or stress is brought upon them.

            The same happens in Harrison Bergeron written by Kurt Vonnegut, people are controlled through handicappers, which takes smart or beautiful people and turns them into average humans. Everyone is equal. No one is smarter than anyone else nor is anyone prettier or stronger than anyone. Since people are the same and equal there is no awkwardness between them and there is also no embarrassment of being out of place or not knowing how to do certain things.

            However, in both stories there is someone who goes against society. Brave New World, Marx, Watson, and John, the Savage, all knew the truth about society; knew that the government was controlling them into believing certain things and doing what is “normal”. For example, Watson wants a deeper meaning behind his poetry, but once he tries that the government threatens to give him the sack. In Harrison Bergeron, Harrison is a wanted man because he ran away from jail for being too smart, too handsome, and too strong. He shows up on television telling the people that he is now the ruler as he rips off his handicappers; he does the same for everyone else on stage, and chooses his bride by ripping off her handicappers. They dance to the music to their full ability, which gets the Handicapper General upset and she shots them with one bullet killing them on the spot. Again, here, we see the government putting some kind of action in stopping what they don’t like.

            Brave New World and Harrison Bergeron represent the idea of the government having too much control or power, along with this idea of a dystopia. Stories similar to Brave New World and Harrison Bergeron are warning us about our future and we should be careful about what we do, say, and think, for the government is also watching, and someday they might decide to take over; in fact, they might already have.