Soma In Brave New World Persuasive Essay

Written in 1931, Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World has the backdrop of a rapidly changing society following the Roaring Twenties and the start of American Consumerism. This period was an era of social innovation, though many of the changes were often seen as much too rapid. A sense of fear was created as old values had no meaning now and that the future was unpredictable. Huxley bases his novel off of these fears, delving into ideas such as sex, work ethics, and consumerism. The use of soma, a hallucinogenic drug is a parallel to alcohol, which ran rampant throughout the 20’s because of prohibition under the 18th amendment. The consumerist prospect stems from a combination of rapidly improving technology and marketing techniques. When living

in a world with such advancement, life may seem almost dystopian. Sex plays a large roll as well, going hand in hand with soma. At one point in time, sex held a certain value, yet in the 20’s and 30’s it became so casual it seemed to be just somewhat of a pastime. Using all 3 concepts in his novel, Huxley makes a statement, asserting that under such conditions, humanity may become enslaved under it’s own desires and be no different from animalistic instincts.
One of the most powerful patrons of the World State, we hear Mond throughout the novel, offering his intellectual insight on the ideals of humanity.

Rather than a generic dictatorial leader, Mond asserts his control off the will of the people, which the government enforces. In many cases, the people would be bent to the authority of the government, yet the government is subject to the people. His goal for humanity is stability and happiness; however the means of acquiring such are controversial as they involve the submission of freedom and self-determination. To Mond, happiness is freedom as it is an escape from unceasing fear. Soma plays into his values also, as it is quite literally an escape from reality. On page 237 of Brave New World, Mond speaks of soma and its effects. “And there’s always soma to calm your anger, to reconcile you to your enemies, to make you patient and long-suffering”. Mond describes soma with an unwholesomely relaxed tone, cementing the casualness of it. The familiarity of soma is so recognizable that it is marketed just like any other over the countertop drug. Huxley’s use of tripartite construction is not without cause as it is an excellent way to emphasize an idea or a concept. Not only does it reiterate the effect of soma, but it creates a sense that soma really is this wonderdrug, unlike any other

before.
Contrary to Mond, a powerful aristocrat, John is known in the novel as a savage because he lives on the reservation outside of the modern world.