Brave New Essay

In Kate Chopin's The Awakening (1899), protagonist Edna Pontellier is said to possess "That outward existence which conforms, the inward life that questions." In a novel or play that you have studied, identify a character who outwardly conforms while questioning inwardly. Then write an essay in which you analyze how this tension between outward conformity and inward questioning contributes to the meaning of the work. Avoid mere plot summary.

   In Brave New World by Aldous Huxley there is only one character that appears human from the rest of the people, that is Bernard Marx. He has sane, human thoughts that are lacked by other people, or "clones" that are created. Here are some examples as to why Bernard matches the description of what Kate Chopin said.

  First, Bernard has human-like feelings of lovesickness and jealousy, despite the fact that the director announced that the emotion was completely erased. Bernard also has different views of relationships and sex. Bernard believes that a relationship should last between two people and should not jump around sleeping with a different person every day. His thought completely goes against what exactly the director is trying to raise the children to become.

  Another example of Bernard's different thoughts and feelings are his feelings of their director and Ford. Every child made looks up to the director and also worships Henry Ford like a god. Bernard doesn't have the same feeling towards the two like all the other children do. To hide his feelings, he only pretends like he's excited whenever they are in presence.

  So that sums up how Bernard, the only human-like character in Brave New World relates to Kate Chopin's quote of conforming and questioning inwardly. For he is the only character that goes against the beliefs and action of the new world and what the director wants of the children.