Is Complete Happiness Possible?
Is complete happiness possible? Discuss with reference to the literary work(s) you have studied. Aldous Huxley's 'Brave New World' talks about a utopian world, where he presents us with the technology of the future making everyone be happy. It is an upside down, inside out world, where people do not know whether they are happy or not, and what makes them happy or angry. But, is 'Brave New World' a false symbol about universal happiness? Is it better to live free and to be able to control one's surroundings while suffering diseases than to live the utopian life of always being happy? In 'Brave New World', happiness comes mainly from consumerism, 'the feelies', expensive games such as Obstacle Golf and Centrifugal Bumble Puppy, and most effective of all, soma, from which brave new worlders will get instant gratification and the cure to feeling blue. The World State is a utopia adapted only to consumption: "Ending is better than mending." Aldous Huxley suggests that universal happiness in the World State is the abolition of the most valued posessions of today's culture: family, mother, father, love. On the contrary, happiness is technology, promiscuous sex and is drug-delivered. Soma provides an "imbecile happiness"; s
Not only does society live by soma to be happy, but they are conditioned to be happy and not to question their surroundings or their position in the social caste. Superior Alphas lead the world state, followed by Betas, Gammas, Deltas and moronic Epsilons are at the mere bottom. One would think Betas or Epsilons would rebel against the World State, wanting to be more like the Alphas, but they too are 'happy', thanks mostly to soma and conditioning. With "five hundred repetitions once a week from thirteen to seventeen', who would not be happy with what they are? Alphas get to be respected, as they "work much harder than we do, because they are so frightfully clever". Epsilons do not want to be something else: "I don't want to play with Delta children". However, does Mustapha Mond's total awareness mean that he is happy? He is the World Controller and is in charge of everyone else's happiness, but what about him? Is he happy? Blah, etc... oma-vacations provide the people in the world state with the freedom they lack in their daily lives. People go to soma when they have negative thoughts or when they feel angry or depressed. This 'Brave New World' society feels comfortable taking soma, as faith and spiritual life does not exist. Soma induces happiness and tranquility and therefore equals instant gratification. And if something negative occurs, soma is there to take action and to fix everything, as Mustapha Mond says, soma i
Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 970
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)
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