Brave New World, Chapter 6

For today's class, we read chapter 6 of Aldous Huxley's Brave New World. Now that we understand a little more about the World State and its main characters, Huxley seeks to depict what unhappiness looks like in a world where everyone is "happy."

Bernard Marx, our main character, and Lenina, his on-again, off-again "girlfriend" (as scandalous as this word may be to members of the World State), go on a series of dates that attempt to fit social norms, but do not end well. Repeatedly, Marx tries to engage Lenina in solo tasks where they will not be in crowds or around large, social events. Lenina, on the other hand, suggests big outings that are social, commercial, and involve participating in the world's economy.

Whether attending the Semi-Demi-Finals of the Women's Heavyweight Wrestling Championship or "looking at the sea in peace" (90), neither party is truly happy when they spend time together, and both dates do not end well. In some ways, this unhappiness stems from a lack of understanding what the other person wants; in others, it stems from the definition of happiness itself.

What new readers to the book may not understand is the social disquiet Huxley himself felt at the rise of media in his culture with the advent of the talkies--live action films set to music with pre-recorded audio tracks. In Brave New World, the feelies are Huxley's version of this new kind of entertainment, stimulating more than just the ears and eyes, but the whole body's senses.

Interactive Activity:
Below is a famous clip from the 1927 talkie, The Jazz Singer. Watch the clip, then, with a partner, answer the discussion questions below.

Discussion Questions:
1) In The Jazz Singer (1927), what do you hear, see, and feel?
2) What makes these experiences artificial rather than real?
3) How does the clip we watched in class today parallel Huxley's own complaints about the talkies that he discussed in 1929?
4) Lastly, how are the feelies--and other forms of social entertainment--similar to Huxley's description of talkies? Your experience with the talkies (above)?