Manipulation In Brave New World, By Aldous Huxley

In the novels, 1984, by George Orwell, and Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley, there are many hidden messages that are meant to warn society. These novels show the struggles of having governments with full control and their methods of controlling people. The messages that Orwell and Huxley portray throughout their novels are that manipulation can be used to limit freedom, technology can be used to further control people, and governments will use fear to regulate thoughts and activities.

In both of the novels, the governments use manipulation to limit and remove freedom. In the book, Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley, the women are conditioned to know to always take birth control. As stated in the text, “Lenina did not forget to take all the

contraceptive precautions prescribed by the regulations” (Huxley 77). In this society women do not birth their own children or else they will be seen as an outcast. Another form of conditioning is with the children. The author of 1984 states, “‘You’re a traitor!’ Yelled the boy. ‘You’re a thought-criminal! You’re a Eurasian spy” (Orwell 23). The author uses this scene to demonstrate that by manipulating the children, they could be used as police within their own homes. Children are very easy to manipulate, but since the governments in these societies are so demanding, this behavior carries on into adulthood. George Orwell writes, “Oceania was not after all at war with Eurasia. Oceania was at war with Eastasia. Eurasia was an ally” (Orwell 180). As adults, the people are forced to believe whatever the government officials are saying. This also happens when it comes to purchasing goods. Instead of fixing old products, the people are expected to buy new. Huxley states, “Ending is better than mending. The more stitches, the less riches” (Huxley 49). The authors of these novels use propaganda and conditioning to inform the readers of the harm the government could do with manipulation and how it could remove their basic freedoms.
Not only did these societies use manipulation, they also use technology to enhance their control.

One of the most alarming technological advances in the novel 1984 was the use of the telescreens. As read in the text, “‘Do you know how it got hold of me? In my sleep! Yes, that’s a fact” (Orwell 233). The telescreens are used to constantly track, listen, and watch people. In this situation, Winston's friend was arrested for saying rebellious things in his sleep. Another example of the telescreens was when Winston was being tortured and they were able to access his thoughts to learn his fears. As stated in the text, “‘Your especial fear is that it will be your backbone. You have a vivid mental picture of the vertebrae snapping and the spinal fluid dripping out’” (Orwell 233). The government does not just use the telescreens to regulate the people to avoid detrimental events, but they use them as a weapon against the people. A form of technology that is used in Brave New World was a shock therapy that was used to influence consumer purchases. Huxley writes, “The idea was to make them want to be going out into the country at every available opportunity, and so compel them to consume transport” (Huxley 22). The use of technology in this novel is used to advance medical practices that influence economics. By controlling reproduction and behaviors, the government is able to demand people to work the jobs that are given to them and influence purchasing. The message that author George Orwell tries to warn the reader of is the effects of allowing the government to watch over one’s life with technology. Furthermore, Aldous Huxley explains how technology could be used to control reproduction and job

freedoms.
Lastly, the authors use their novels to express how some governments will use fear to heighten the amount of control they have. Throughout the novel, 1984, by George Orwell, propaganda is placed around Oceania to remind the people that they are being watched. Orwell explains this by writing, “BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU, the caption said. While the dark eyes looked deep into Winston’s own” (Orwell 2). By placing posters of Big Brother it places fear in the people and forces them to act how the government says they should. Furthermore, the use of torture is used to create fear and regulate freedom. Orwell writes, “‘How many fingers a, I holding up, Winston?’ ‘Four.’ ‘And if the Party says that it is not four but five-then how many?’ ‘Four.’ The words ended in a gasp of pain” (Orwell 249). The goal of the government of Oceania is to control what the people do and how they think. The people should agree with everything that the government says and actually believe it while still loving them. A similar process is used in Brave New World when Huxley writes, “psychologists used to call an ‘instinctive’ hatred of books and flowers. Reflexes unalterably conditioned” (Huxley 22). With this process, the people are unaware of their conditioning. The message that the authors are trying to warn society of with these scenes is that fear can be used to take control even if the people are unaware.
In the novels, 1984, by George Orwell, and Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley there are many messages that they use to alert society of possible future issues. By using fear, manipulation, and technology in their novels the authors are able to express these messages. Overall, there are many alarming themes in these stories.