BNW-Blog #3

Justin Enriquez

Mr. Fernando

British Lit/Comp.

17 April 2014

Dystopia Via Thomas

       This novel has introduced us to a world in which Huxley described, as he perceives, what a utopia is. This society is one in which the world is controlled by higher powers via the drug, Soma. However, upon further review of the details contained within the novel, it is easy to fathom that this world is indeed a dystopia rather than a utopia.

      Thomas serves as a direct example in portraying elements of dystopian nature in the novel. As Director of Hatcheries and Conditioning, he holds responsibility in controlling his power to teach (manipulate) students the processes they underwent to become a person, thus his ultimate goal is to make them believe what he states holds truth. His style of preaching his scientific ideals is done in such a swift manner that no student is able to fully absorb the information at hand.  Therefore, the students assume what he says is true, sort of like the citizens living in communistic states such as China.

     Thomas’ role of playing the most important figure in Huxley’s society comes to a halt once Linda and John arrive in London to confront him.  Moreover, as Thomas and Linda ventured upon Savage Reservation, Linda was pregnant, which this utopia considers a burden as they're accustomed to lives being artificially created. In addition, when she disappears, Thomas leaves her to fend for herself. Therefore, serving as more evidence in proving his demise as the most important figure in the novel, his impregnation of Linda and his subsequent departure of her to fend for herself in a dangerous environment has made him the best candidate in representing what a dystopia truly is.

BNW-Blog #2

Justin Enriquez

Mr. Fernando

British Lit./Comp

6 May 2014

Molly to Soma

         Religion in our school is very important as each day, class, and end of day revolves around it. However, some may view it as a form of propaganda utilized to control certain people, like Jim Jones and what he did with the "People's Temple”. In Brave New World, soma is used in controlling the population that is proving to be more effective than the outcomes religious groups may strive to attain.

         Apart from keeping all the people in restraint from creating conflict soma is used to dumb down the thoughts of all the classes within the castes. Moreover, Soma also provides a feeling of joy, much like drugs present today (ecstasy), however being the way this world in Huxley's novel is set up, far more advanced, this variation of X bears no side effects upon the user. In essence, Soma is the flawless drug for a flawless society.

Soma is ingested by all as a way to function throughout the day and deal with the "utopian" lifestyle. For example, Benito is portrayed as always having a joyful nature of being, proving he didn’t need soma to fix him. This can be observed in, “have got through life without ever touching soma” (Huxley, 65). Alongside Benito’s personality, soma never seems to phase him as the drug keeps him content with his robotic-like life, an additional clue that soma is utilized to control feelings of discontent in which lies the potential to arise in the lower castes thus creating conflict within a utopia resulting in a dystopia.

Brave New World - What does the world of the novel look, feel, and sound like?

Justin Enriquez

Mr. Fernando 

British Lit. /Comp.            

30 March 2014

Yesterday As We Once Knew It

In Brave New World, the setting is much different than what we are used to. Huxley conveys that the year is A.F. 632. The author creates an elaborate and intricate setting for his novel. He provides details about everything from technology to professions. Furthermore, he even provides us with a description of a building. The significance of this building comes with its description in that it is described as "only" 34 stories, showing us that this world is in a much more advanced time period. 

The feel of this novel is provided to us in how the author portrays this so called "Utopia". In essence, the more eye-catching the setting and the more transparent the picture, the more effective the novel.  Via elaborate detail, the author makes it that much easier for the reader in understanding the idea of a "World State" thus promoting the idea in a much more appealing manner. 

This novel sounds like a novel that involves a society that doesn't know they are controlled but can possibly soon find out and as a result rebel in an effort to gain the upper hand in this so called "World State". The citizens of this society are artificially made and therefore hold a predestined life. In short, these people are made in a test tube in an effort to make them belong to one of the five classes established in this "World State".

Blog on Protagonist & Antagonist

Justin Enriquez

2/17/14

P.6

Noble Cause? More Like a Global Threat!

As the novel progresses, we begin to observe who can be considered a protagonist and who can be considered an antagonist. By chapter 20, we can definitely name Victor the antagonist of the novel, due to his disdain, regret, and abandonment towards the monster. Moreover, Victor's creation has lead to many deaths, Justine and William to be specific.

On many occasions we see that Victor is continuously falling more and more depressed. In, “The rain depressed me; my old feelings recurred, and I was miserable”, we see that Shelley is attributing to Victor feelings of hopelessness and regret which can ultimately be traced back to the creation of the Monster. Victor is realizing that he can't keep fleeing from the Monster's non-erasable tracks. From one death to another Victor is failing to take full responsibility of his creation choosing to ignore these acts and instead experience others suffer because of it.

Unlike the antagonist Victor, I observed the Monster to be the protagonist of the novel because the Monster's loneliness and need of companionship. Sure, these reasons aren't enough to let the monster off the hook for his murders but they are reasons that make his murders more understandable in a sense. Like Victor, the monster begins to regard knowledge as dangerous, as it can bring negative consequences. After realizing he isn't human, the monster cries, “Of what a strange nature is knowledge! It clings to the mind, when it has once seized on it, like lichen on the rock.” This portrays knowledge as permanent and irreversible. Like the monster, a product of scientifical knowledge, spins out of Victor’s control, so too can knowledge itself, once realized, create irreversible harm. Therefore, ultimately the murders shouldn't be seen as a crime of the Monster's but rather a crime of abandonment, loneliness, lack of control, and disdain on Victor's end. In addition to the above stated evidence, there are other reasons I regard the Monster as a protagonist. One reason is the fact that the Monster is more human than any character, including Victor. All the Monster desires is compassion and companionship. Also, of all the characters in this story, the Monster is the only one who performs any true acts of grace. For example, he saved the little girl from drowning in the river and he gathered firewood for the peasants. Examples of the Monster's desire for a companion can be seen in chapter 17,when the monster tells Victor that it is his right to have a female monster companion. Victor refuses at first, but the monster is soon able to sway him towards performing this for him. The Monster also reveals to Victor that all of his evil actions have been the result of loneliness. In order to convince Victor to create the companion, the Monster promises to take his new friend to South America in the jungle far from human contact. With the sympathy of a fellow monster, the Monster abides to no longer being compelled to kill. Convinced by the arguments, Victor finally agrees to create a female monster. In conclusion, these reasons are why I regard the Monster as the protagonist of the novel and also why Victor is ultimately dubbed the antagonist.

Write a comparative analysis of your research and what we see in chapters 9-11.

Justin Enriquez

2/6/13

P.6

Unattainable Truths Possessed by Nature

            In chapters 9-11, we begin to see how Shelley is portraying humanity via the monster and Victor. Through the monster we begin to see that he isn't included in society, as he desires. The monster’s development of understanding of the significance of family relates to his feelings of difference and loneliness. In addition, the cottagers’ devotion to each other serves as a more appealing example than that of Victor’s total abandonment towards the monster. This lack of interaction with others, in addition to his unknown identity, places emphasis on the monster’s lack of social identity. On the other hand, through Victor the reader begins to see how Shelley is portraying humanity through an actual human. After Justine’s execution, Victor becomes increasingly depressed. He rules in suicide but restrains himself by thinking of Elizabeth and his father. Like all humans when we are faced with consequences we, if possible, place the blame on others just like Victor did with the murders he was ultimately responsible for. Moreover, we also see Victor show sympathy towards the monster. The monster understands his position in the world, the regret of his existence and abandonment by his creator, and is out to seek either reasons or revenge for Victor’s attitude towards him. For the first time, Victor begins to realize that what he has created is not only the product of an experiment but an actual living being with needs and wants.

One of the many writers present during Mary Shelley's time was Percy Bysshe Shelley. The two serve as a great example due to their views toward humanity in their literary works. In Mary Shelley's, Frankenstein, humanity and nature are of great significance like that of the poems written by Percy Bysshe Shelley. For example, in Percy's, To Wordsworth, "and this intense connection with the natural world gives him access to profound cosmic truths", the poet is portrayed as having a deep, mystic appreciation for nature. This relates to the monster's great appreciation of nature in Frankenstein. As seen in chapter 12, the theme of nature’s divinity, resurfaces in the monster’s awe to springtime. Nature proves as important to the monster as it is to Victor: as the temperature rises and winter begins to fade, the monster takes comfort in a green and blooming world, appreciating nature’s creation when he cannot duplicate that for his own. For a moment, he is able to forget his artificial self-being. This shows how elements of both writers’ style incorporate nature as great significance to humanity. In Percy's, To Wordsworth, "and this intense connection with the natural world gives him access to profound cosmic truths", it is shown that nature reveals elements of life in ways nothing else can thus giving access to knowledge humanity could not discover any place else. On the other hand, in Shelley's, Frankenstein, nature serves as great importance for both Victor and the monster. For Victor, nature allows him to observe it in order to find a cure for disease in humanity and for the monster, nature allows him to see the reality of his self-being via the waters reflection and no longer having to ponder over reasons as to why humanity fears him.

Reading Blog

Justin Enriquez

Period 6

January 24, 2014

A Career Sparked By Death

Throughout the duration of the third chapter in Frankenstein there were many events that occurred. The most important event is Elizabeth being exposed to the illness of scarlet fever. Fortunately for Elizabeth, she recovers. However, Victor’s mother is whom she passes it to thus leading to the death of Caroline Frankenstein. On her deathbed, she reveals to Victor and Elizabeth that she wants them to get married. Victor and Elizabeth carry out Caroline's plan and become a married couple. An additional event that occurred is Victor leaving to study at a university called Ingolstadt. Upon arriving, he discovers a place to live and starts socializing with professors. Among these professors is Mr. Krempe, who teaches natural philosophy and has dropped alchemy as a course entirely. Following this event, Victor realizes that all he has prepared for has been a waste of energy and time due to the university's failure in providing a course he is interested in. Luckily, Victor meets an appealing chemistry professor named Waldman, who persuades him to study science instead. 

The images contained in this chapter are the chimera, eye and mechanism. The chimera is worthy of knowing due to the fact that it symbolizes a collection of Victor's knowledge and all he has accomplished. The mechanism compares Victor's soul to a machine, making emphasis on Victor’s actions embodying those of a machine. His infatuation with his discovery and creating life has lead to him to act as a machine, single-paced and refusing to stop unless programmed to do so.

In addition to important events and images portrayed throughout the duration of this chapter there are some forms of Victorian Literature. For example, forms of homoerotic sayings & emphasis on difficult lives, and affection.  Emphasis on difficult lives can be observed in Victor's mother's death via scarlet fever and the family's grievance. Moreover, this situation portrays the affection between Victor and Elizabeth showing that they are able to overcome this obstacle in their lives and also later becoming married. In Frankenstein, Victor says, "We could not tear from each other not persuade ourselves to say the word 'farewell'!” This quote embodies a homoerotic saying that Victor utilizes on many occasions. 

Finally, this chapter contributes to the storyline because after witnessing his mother’s death due to scarlet fever, Victor is sparked with a desire in achieving a career as a scientist. Largely due in part to the death of his mother, Victor becomes infatuated with saving lives in humanity, which he will try to accomplish by way of his expertise in the field of science.