Bernard Marx Vs. John In Brave New World

How does one fit into society? Does one have to be smarter, prettier, higher rank, or come from the same place as everyone else? In the novel, Brave New World, Bernard Marx and John are the protagonist. They do not fit into society and hate the way the people are living. These two characters are similar in every way, but different as well. While Bernard was born into the “new world” where society is clean, happy, but oblivious to anything that is happening. John was born in the old world, where people got married and the technology is poor compared to Bernard’s home. They were both born in different places, however fate brought these two together. John and Bernard are like brothers, both share the same qualities. However, even brothers are

different compared to each other.
To begin with, Bernard is different compared to his companions in the novel.

He does not fit in; Bernard share the same experiences that everyone else does. For instances, when Bernard arrives to a meeting late. He felt embarrassed when a woman asked him what sport he plays, he had to admit that he does not play any sports. To make matters worse, when the members of the meeting started to “feel the lord”, Bernard did not hear anything. However, Bernard mentions, “ ‘I hear him; He’s coming.’ But it wasn’t true. He heard nothing and, for him, nobody was coming….. But he waved his arms, he shouted with the best of them; and when the others began jig and stamp and shuffle, he also jigged and shuffled” (pg 84). He pretended to like other people; to be like everyone else. John experiences the same things in his village. John’s parents come from the new world, but he was born in the old world. So he is obviously different compared to the Indians. Instead of the Indians wanting John to participate in the activities, they forbid him to do so. John felt like an outcast due to the color of his skin and where he comes from. It is the same with Bernard, everyone knows that he does not fit in, but Bernard is trying to make people like him. John wants to do everything that the Indians are doing. These two characters go hand to hand when it comes to being different in

society.
In addition, both characters felt different when their status in the new world rose.

Bernard was an outcast in society. Society thought something went wrong when he was born. He was miserable, he did not do any of the things other men did. He slept with any girls except for Lenina which is considered weird in society. As time went on, Bernard discovered John at the reservation. When Bernard brought John in from the Reservation; the director was fired. Bernard instantly became popular and arrogant. He was happy and in love with the idea of being the center of attention. For example, Bernard went to his friend Helmholtz and had a conversation about Bernard discussing how many women he is sleeping with. Helmholtz did not reply. “‘ You’re envious,’ he said….. Bernard went off in a huff. Never, he told himself, never would he speak to Helmholtz again” (pg 157). Popularity was the most important thing to Bernard. It is one of his weakness because he does not notice the society's flaws. His judgement is clouded because he found his place in

society.
Lastly, as John’s status in the new world rose, he began to hate society with passion. He hated the people, their medicine, soma, everything. John’s reaction to his new popularity is completely different compared to Bernard’s. John wanted to be isolated from society unlike Bernard who wanted to be on top. In particular, John wanted his own home outside of society. He did not care where, as long as it his far away from the new world. As John began to settle down, a crowd of people surrounded his house; they wanted him to hit himself with his whip. Matters had worsen when Lenina showed up and John sanity was gone. It was illustrated that John “ had rushed to her like a mad-man. ‘Fitchew!’ Like a madman, he was slashing at her with his whip of small cords” (pd 257). John could not deal with his life anymore, he could not stand living with his thoughts of Lenina and the way society acted towards him. John’s weakness was loving too much and hating too much. It was tragic because John committed suicide while Bernard did not want to leave society. These characters are different when it comes to living in the new world.
To sum it up, John and Bernard share similar qualities; they hated society and was not popular growing up. However, both characters had different fates due to the fact that Bernard thrived for attention and love. While John loved too strongly and did not want to live in a world where there were hundreds of clones. Each character had a strength, John’s passion made him into the person that he was. He cared for his mother even though she treated him terribly. He might of loved too hard, but it is a strength as well. Bernard wanted his opinion to be heard, that was his strength. When the Director and the Controller told Bernard to change his ways in society. Bernard stood his ground, was firm, but was exiled. Society was not the way either character wanted it to be. Society molded these two characters into who they were.