Huxley Essay Expirience

Last night I sat down to write this essay and let me tell you, this was probably the hardest essay topic I've ever written. There were so many directions that I wanted to take it that I had trouble organizing my thoughts into sentences that made sense when read together. I felt I introduced what I wanted to talk about well, but when it came to actually talking about it I struggled. Intro paragraphs have always been my strong suit, and while this intro paragraph isn't my best, it still beats the rest of the essay. On that note, here, in all its glory, is my Huxley essay:

Huxley Essay

               “No one is perfect.” “You’re only human.” These two phrases have been used over and over again, often interchangeably, suggesting what it truly means to be human: to be imperfect. In his novel “A Brave New World” Aldous Huxley demonstrates how imperfection is needed for humanity through John’s struggle between outward conformity and inward questioning. In order to achieve perfection we must sacrifice out humanity. To achieve the perfection of the World State, societal members had to sacrifice their humanity and become “perfect.” Conformity meant efficiency and efficiency meant perfection, so people conformed. And because of neurological conditioning, no one questioned inwardly, except John. Outwardly John conformed several times, whether it was through his love for Lenina, or his taking of soma, while inwardly John questioned the very basics of society.

               John’s suicide is a symbol. After conforming via soma and Lenina, John became a part of the perfect society he questioned. Because he became part of the perfect society, John lost his humanity, symbolized by his death. On a less abstract level, John’s death also comes as a result of his struggle between inward questioning and outward conformity. John opposed the conformity of the World State society, condemning the blasphemy and seemingly vulgar nature of it, and spent a lot of time trying to avoid becoming a part of it. So when he did cave and take part in conforming, the side of him that inwardly questioned hated himself and terminated the existence of the part of him that conformed, thus ending his life. John’s struggle between outward conformity and inward questioning cost him his humanity and thus his life.

               Even at home on the reservation, John struggled between outward conformity and inward questioning. As a boy, John just wanted to be included and take part in the activities the other boys got to do. When he was denied, John questioned the rules which bound him. He questioned the people who restricted him. John built up such a conflict that he tried to kill someone who was sleeping with his mother. John’s struggle became external, his instinct to question overcame his will to conform.

               Imperfection is needed for humanity. The struggle between outward conformity and inward questioning is imperfect and thus human. In “A Brave New World” by Aldous Huxley, John exemplifies the humanity of the internal struggle between conformity and questioning.