The Outsider
Bernard Marx, the misunderstood outsider in this “brave new world”. At the beginning of the novel Bernard seems to be the antithesis of what this society is about. With his ideologies and actions he mirrors the audience's immediate judgement of the dystopian society that Aldous presents.He seems “normal” compared to the rest of the people in this world. In his novel, Brave New World, Aldous Huxley is able to use the character, Bernard Marx to demonstrate the wrongs and problems with this society, with the complete change that ultimately takes place within Bernard, Aldous represents the inevitable change that seems to happen to outsiders faced with the pressure of conformity.
In the beginning of the novel, Bernard is the perfect representation of what is is wrong with this society. He is the misfit, the outsider, the enigma of the dystopia. This is demonstrated adequately with his first date with Lenina. When Bernard denied the Soma, stating that he would “rather be [him] self”. This action of being oneself is the one thing that it seems that the others
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are avoiding when they are under the influence of soma. This is bizarre to his date but not off putting.Bernard continues to be the novel’s resident “weirdo” as the story take place. The boiling point being when Bernard was ultimately called “unorthodox” by the Director of Hatcheries and Conditioning. Not only is this a defining moment for Bernard as the alienated character, but this a turning point for the the outsider, Bernard. Although Bernard seems to prevail, walking out head held high and door slamming behind him. He remained the audience’s hero, seemingly unbothered by the opinion of such a revered and respected man in the society. However, the change that took place after this only furthered demonstrated how Huxley used Marx as a tool to what is ultimately wrong with this society and the effects of its pressure. After the calling out of Marx, he began to change or possibly reveal his true self.
He began to boast and embellish the story of what actually happened in that moment. He became seemingly selfish, and self absorbed doing only what would advance him in the society. After the small infraction of lying about this event, he brought John and his mother from their home, only to use them for personal gain and blackmail. These moments reveal that he is not so much about defining himself as an individual but more about conforming. That he did, becoming calculating and cold for self-gain.
Bernard Marx was the alienated character that seemed to do the “right thing” and reveal what was wrong with the dystopian society. He was what the reader wanted everyone else to be, before the pressure of conformity forced him to become harsh, vicious like the rest of the society. Bernard was the outsider who wanted to be
in.
In Brave New World, Huxley introduces multiple characters and problems to explore both internal and external conflicts throughout the story. One character we see in depth is Bernard. An alpha in society, Bernard struggles with inner conflict that separates him from the rest of his peers. Unlike others he sees the world he lives in as flawed. He questions everything and as a result of this, feels isolated and different. He struggles with his inner feelings as others start to judge him. He has the option to go against the part of him that says to act like every other Alpha, or to go with the part of him that wants to stand up for what he believes to be morally right.
Bernard’s unconscious wish comes true after he brings John the Savage into the civilized world: He begins to be seen as an equal to the other alphas, and begins to “have” many women as everyone else does. Huxley describes, “success went fizzily to Bernard’s head, and in the process completely reconciled him...to a world which, up till then, he had found very unsatisfactory” (Huxley 159). Through this section of the story, is is evident that Bernard becomes a hypocrite to those he once loathed who were high in power. This expression of pride in his behavior is proof that his hidden desires was to change the way things are by bringing in the savage, and also his desire to be equal to his peers. During the second half of the book, Bernard is no longer known as that one alpha who is physically stunted. Terry Cooper, author of the informative book, Sin, Pride, & Self-acceptance: The Problem of Identity in Theology & Psychology, wrote, “it is frequently pointed out that beneath the conceited behavior of many individuals is a haunting, self-doubting voice of inadequacy” (Cooper 149). Bernard’s sudden prideful attitude is rooted with his prior self contempt. Now that he knows what it’s like to be an equal after his experience of constant prejudice, pride takes control of his
Bernard Marx, being a male Alpha, is the type of person who just doesn’t really fit in. While just about all people are very open about their thoughts and personal feelings, Bernard is very secretive about many of his thoughts and actions. For instance, when Lenina tries to talk to him about “having her,” his face goes pale and he insists that they discuss it in private (pg 58). He seems to be very concerned about what people would think if he started talking about that kind of stuff in front of them.
In the beginning of Brave New World, Bernard is very easily relatable for a high school reader. He doesn’t fit in with everyone else and for this he is insecure. One reason he doesn’t fit in is because of his size. Many people look down on Bernard because of his physical handicap of being just 8 centimeters shorter than the normal alpha. For this, he gets picked on by the others. Huxley said this when describing Bernard, “The mockery made him feel an outsider; and feeling an outsider he behaved like one, which increased the prejudice against him and intensified the contempt and hostility aroused by his physical defects. Which in turn increased his sense of being alien and alone.” Many people can relate to feeling inadequate or being a little different than everyone else so they feel like they can relate to Bernard. Therefore, they hope for the best for Bernard. Everyone likes an underdog. Readers want to see Bernard succeed.
The outcome of what happened to Bernard forced him to see that mistakes were one reason a Utopian Society could not exist. The Character Bernard Marx is an example of human imperfection, not because he was referred to as deformed, but because the person who created him messed up. Individuals were decanted according to specification. Any deviation was evidently the result of some mistake, a mistake made by a human. These technological developments weren’t advanced enough to create such a perfect society. Bernard was an example of this undesired reality. He was deemed an outcast due to his imperfection. Being an outcast, however, allowed him to see the world differently. He was able to realize how everything was being manipulated and he was able to discern that it was wrong.
Bernard often struggles throughout the book, although he tries to be accepting of how this society is he is often looking for freedom. Bernard then looks for freedom in john and uses it for his own advantage. Bernard desires consistent happiness but his current society outlaws it.With bernard feeling a sense of control, he then starts to criticize how the BNW is functioning. He then leaves with Helmholtz to an island to escape the BNW society and gain individual freedom. There is so many things wrong with how the BNW is, each individual has the ability to realize it and try to make a change .This untouchable status and distinction permits Bernard both to perceive and scrutinize the defects of the World
Bernard Marx was alienated in the Brave New World because of his general appearance. As an Alpha Plus, Bernard was unusually short and ugly. Suggested by Fanny, Bernard's condition resulted from an error when he was still in a bottle, the workers "thought he was a Gamma and put alcohol into his blood surrogate." Bernard did not fit in the structured order of the Brave New World and was therefore shunned by others. The error resulted in Bernard developing outside the barriers of his caste level. His ugliness and short stature led Bernard to become a perpetual outsider, alienated by society. As an outsider, Bernard was cynical of the order and structure of the Brave New World. He eschewed Electric Golf, and other social amusements in favor of loneliness and solidarity activities, such as, thinking. Bernard attempted to find a way "to be happy in some other way," in his own way, not the established way.
Bernard Marx is a character that represents those that are different from the norm, a character still relevant in today’s culture. He is an archetype of those that are looked down upon as different. He signifies those that look and/or think uniquely. Bernard is the outcast who longs to belong.
Bernard Marx an Alpha plus specialist in sleep teaching is an example of a character that changes in the brave new word. He changes from a character that symbolized individuality to a character that just wanted to desperately belong to the society. At the beginning of the novel he seemed to be very different from the society, he acts like a rebel trying to battle against the order of things. He seemed to be an “individual” in the first few chapters. For example On his first date with Lenina with lenina he says ” I’d rather be myself. ‘Myself and nasty .Not somebody else, however jolly”(77). He wanted to be something else different from the rest of the society. However we see that his root concern is to be socially acceptable and not really about becoming an individual. In chapter 6 Bernard shows signs of undergoing a change in his character. When the Director summoned Bernard to his office for being unorthodox, Bernard goes on to brag to his friend Helmholtz Watson on his victory over the director when he says” I simply told him to go to the bottomless past and marched out of the room and that was that “(85). We get the sense that Bernard’s victory wasn’t so much about personal integrity as it was social acceptance. Finally, his character undergoes a c...
In the beginning of the story we capture Bernard Marx personality as insecure because of the way he is described to the readers. Bernard is an alpha but is described as being too short and thin for his social standing. Many of the characters thought that someone slipped alcohol into his blood surrogate when he was being made which is why he was so different than the other alphas. He lets his insecurities control him and he separates himself from all of the other alphas because of his lack of confidence. Later in the story we see that Lenina is having a conversation with Fanny about her interest in Bernard but Fanny shoots her down and says “He is so ugly and so small” (46).
As said in the past paragraph, society itself sort of exiles Bernard, causing him to distance himself from everyone else. Not only is Bernard exiled metaphorically, as I’ve explained it, but he is exiled in the story literally as well. In the story, when Bernard goes to the Savage Reservation with Lenina, the Director finds himself losing his patience for him, planning to send him away to Iceland. After all, Bernard does actually end up being physically exiled from London; he, as well as Helmholtz, is sent to an isolated island. While Bernard obviously may not want to be demanded to go somewhere, deep down, he has a reason to have some satisfaction. For the first time, Bernard is free, strong, and alone (in the sense that he would like to be). After all this time of feeling like an individual that doesn’t belong, a bad error, and just an outcast of a human being, Bernard finally has this sense of freedom and peace. At this point, he ought to feel like now there’s nothing wrong with being his own self, rather than one piece of an artificial unit. Having been sent away from a place that was beginning to not really seem like “home” anymore, Bernard should feel like a huge weight has been lifted off of his
Chapter 4-8 Starting off chapter 4, Lenina and Bernard Marx are sharing a crowded elevator heading to the roof (Huxley 57). While in front of everyone, she tells Bernard that she will go on a date with him. The public display embarrasses Bernard, who would prefer to talk it over in private (Huxley 58-62). Lenina laughs at his awkwardness and then takes off with Henry Foster in a helicopter for a date night (Huxley 63). We then learn more about Bernard and how he deals with his problems. Then after blowing some steam off Bernard gets in his vehicle and flies away to visit Helmholtz Watson (Huxley 66-71). The main reason why these guys are friends is because they both are different compared to everyone else in the world. Watson and Bernard are capable
Likewise, dissatisfaction regarding government ruling is a prominent theme in Brave New World; specifically expressed by Bernard Marx and Helmholtz Watson, while less so by John the Savage and Lenina Crowe. Bernard is considered compliant, as he insists there is no freedom - conflicting against Huxley’s utopian world. Bernard’s idea of freedom is to be an individual apart from society, in his own way “not in everybody else’s way” (6.1.79). This dissatisfied comment presents an anomaly in a seemingly ‘ideal’ society - a utopia - straying Bernard from the ‘norm’ and therefore actively rebelling. The use of the pronoun ‘everybody’ separates Bernard from his fellow citizens, suggesting he is much more complex and unsatisfied, thus is erect. Yevgeny
During the nineteenth century, Karl Marx and Max Weber were two of the most influential sociologists. Both of them tried to explain social change taking place in a society at that time. On the one hand, their views are very different, but on the other hand, they had many similarities.
As a German philosopher, a politician, and an important figure within the Communist League, Karl Heinrich Marx birthed a new way of looking at things through his beliefs, ideas, and writings. Karl Marx was considered to be “…certainly one of the most important minds of modern times”(1). He wanted to know more about philosophy, so that he might understand the political and social system better.