Brave New World Ch.7

I didn't get to finish chapter 7 due to the absence of classes and make up work I've been in need to make up due to this new 'sample' test. However, I do believe I got far enough in order to understand the chapter and understand what is going on by indirect characterization along with other literary elements. Bernard and Lenina stubble upon an Indian after their guide takes off. And as we all know, Indians are very traditional. It's a strange siting to Lenina because she's never seen a physical form of old age. While on the other hand, Bernard is very amused. Lenina does not understand their practices and is freaked out, she wants to go but Benard is fascinated. She questions why they are how they are and Bernard responds with the fact that they're not interested with 'modernization' of society and tend to keep up with their traditions.

It was really convenient that we began to talk about changes among our masterpieces today in class because I had thought of it last night and today in the morning. I already had something in mind and throughout the morning my brain began to put pieces together and it felt great. The reason why, was because I did not feel lost on what to do and I had an idea for where I was going. As I sat in class I began to have ideas on examples for my masterpiece. When we began to talk about masterpieces, the room felt open and I knew Dr.Preston was going to begin to call out people. I was scared, but not for myself. I was scared for David because I know the struggle he faces being called out and I had a feeling he was going to be called out. He and I know that there are a few people who have and idea but are lost and I sure knew David was going tense up and freeze if he was called on, as did he. Sure enough he was called and as I sat there listening and watching him, it came to mind that he too could be a source for my masterpiece and it also came to mind that it can help him on his problem being called upon and also get him started with his masterpiece. After class, on our daily walk to the quad, David and I discussed thoughts and ideas and I mentioned my idea on my new masterpiece topic and how it can help him as well. He agreed and believed that it was a good idea and a good way to help him out. Long story short, I've changed my topic on my masterpiece.

Brave New World Ch.6 questions

• Being alone is a bad thing because it allows a person to be on their own with nothing but their thoughts which tends to lead to unhappiness: such as grief, anger, or sorry and so on.
• The ocean and moon are natural objects that Bernard finds peace with. He tends to talk about them so much that they make Lenina uncomfortable because she does not see how something so natural can make someone inspired and at peace.
• Bernard and Lenina's date ends by them taking a bit of soma and sleeping together.
• The director notices a change and difference among Bernard. He mentions he's going to keep a close eye on him and to stop questioning-thinking about the society.
• His story shows and means the significance of the mistakes he's made and the fact that he isn't proud of some.
• Helmholtz is offended by Bernard. Meaning he's angered about his attitude and feelings.
• we learn from Warden that you cannot escape the reservation, you're brought into it, born, and live there for the rest of one's life.
• Malpais is a town where Bernard and Lenina stay.

Modernist Author Project Pt I #2

 A quote stated by Joseph Conrad that I believe 'Clearly' states his philosophy on life is, "Perhaps life is just that... a dream and a fear."

     What I believe he meant by the quote was life is a fantasy. Many of us tend to have these dreams of life and plan things and believe it's going to go exactly to plan. We'll try to find a way to escape reality and enter a state of peace. However, we're always going to face an obstacle along the way and it may take us off the path we may be pursuing. In other words, not everything is going to go to plan and we may never achieve some goals. There will be ups and down along the way, that's the way life works. I also believe what he meant by Dream was, we're left in this world isolated with are thoughts and beliefs all on our very own, until shared.

Other quotes by Mr.Conrad that may support my view towards his philosophy of life are:
• "Facing it, always facing it, that's the way to get through. Face it."
• "The sea has never been friendly to man. At most it has been the accomplice of human relentlessness."
• "A man that is born falls into a dream like a man who falls into the sea. If he tries to climb out into the air as inexperienced people endeavor to do, he drowns."
• "Each blade of grass has its spot on Earth whence it draws its life, its strength; and so is man rooted to the land from which he draws his faith together with his life."

Modernist Author Project Pt. l #1

A. "I am well educated...

     I am hardworking...

     I am a businessman...

     I am a navigater...

     I am a man of many cultures...

     I am a man of languages...

     I am a man of pain...

     I am a writer...

     I am an inspiration..

     I am... Joseph Conrad."

B. Joseph Conrad practically grew up on his own working. His parents passed when he was young, approximately when he was six. His mother passed first and his father followed a few years later. A young orphan Joseph, moved with his uncle but later moved out as a teenager. Joseph was quick to look for work. He worked and traveled on French and British ships. He eventually worked his way up to navigate-pilot his own ships. When he wasn't out in sea, he looked for businesses where he could make money. He loved money. At this point in his life, his uncle also passed and all the members of his family whom he loved were gone. Joseph spent most of his time writing, whether it was on shore or off shore. It is said he was even writing when his wife was giving birth. He was friends with other famous writers and much of his literary works inspired other well known writers like F. Scott Fitzgerald, Virginia Woolf, Thomas Mann, T.S. Eliot, etc.

C. As talked about, Joseph Conrad's parents died at an early stage of his life. I believe this help spark a sense of writing style among him. His father, Apollo, was also a writer and I believe a young Joseph Conrad kept a few journals as sentimental value. Eventually when he grew old, he read his father's journals and understood what he was trying to state. Joseph also spent a great period of his life working and traveling on ships. I believe his experience and time among the crewmen also influenced his writing style. Joseph also spent six years of his life trying to have sex with a women he was close with. He eventually gave up and soon met his wife. She, however, was about 12 years of age apart from him and she was not well educated as he was. Also, as said, Joseph was good friends with authors like Henry James and Stephen Crane.  Finally, I also believe the passing of his uncle, a father figure, had a great impact on his writing style. I believe all these events in Conrad's life a great influence on his writing style.

D. Quotes by Joseph Conrad:

• "I don't like work--no man does--but I like what is in the work--the chance to find yourself. Your own reality--for yourself not for others--what no other man can ever know. They can only see the mere show, and never can tell what it really means"

• "we live as we dream--alone."

• "We live in the flicker -- may it last as long as the old earth keeps rolling! But darkness was here yesterday."

• "the mind of man is capable of anything--because everything is in it, all the past as well as the future"

• "I believe that not a thousand miles from these shores

certain public prints have betrayed in gothic letters their
satisfaction--to speak plainly--by rather ill-natured comments."
• "I have never ordered a man to do any work I was not prepared to do myself."

• "nothing I desire less than to appear as a portenous bore before so many readers"

(There are a few quotes that I did not read from text but found online that caught my interest)

Brave New World: Ch. 3 questions

1. How do the children play together? What is childhood like?

• The children happen to play along nude. They are "taught" at a young age the way to mature as they grow, when in fact they are being forced to do so along with mostly everything else.

2. How is our world depicted? How do we get from here to there?

• As I see it, today we tend to build and create new objects in order to "fix" things that need to be fixed. However, this tends to leave a pile up of thee old. Think of it as over printing a piece of paper, you only need a few but are left with a stack that you do not even know what to do with.

3. Why must games be so complexed in this society?

• The adults in the novel want to mature and teach the children new things, therefore approach the topics with complex games.

4. Why are strong emotions dangerous? Family relationships? Romance? Religion? Art? Cultural?

• If shown, one is viewed as abnormal and may be treated as if you were psychotic.

5. How is sexuality used in this novel? Do you see any problems with it?

• Sexuality seems to be a way of life in the world they live in. It seems to be a huge factor towards life. I do not see anything wrong with sexuality because it's normal thing throughout life. However, in the novel, they seem to be much more open causing us to see it as strange and weird.

6. What does mustapha mond do? What is his relationship towards history?

• Mustapha Mond is a history teacher. Once the children grow older, they tend to seek him out in order to learn how the world was in the past.

7. Is there anything unusual about Lenina Crowne? Bernard Marx? What? Why?

• The rules of their society, or world, do not seem to be followed by the two. At times they can be rebellious. They express themselves freely, unlike the other people in the world who just do as they are told.

8. How does Huxley use the cinematic technique towards the end of the chapter?

• Huxley tends to use the cinematic technique, for the reader to realize some main stories from the past certain characters. They're important because they help describe a character and we can also see the main obstacles they've faced in the world they live in. This being said, it also helps unveil more about the world they live in, in order for the reader to understand it clearly.

9. What is soma? What are its uses?

• Soma is a substance used to relieve the stress from being unhappy.

10. How do people age in this society?

• The people age by knowing physiological knowledge and becoming wiser. They do not age physically.

"Modern"

In our current society, we live in a world where people are open and free to express themselves. However when someone tends to do so, there are a few who are always judgmental and/or sentimental leading to disrespectful comments. Most things we see or hear today like profanity, half-naked women/men,etc, do not bother us as much because it's seen or heard daily. Where five or even fifty years ago, all these things we're seen as offensive and disrespectful but we've grown into a society where none of it matters and everyone expresses themselves how they wish to.

As I continued to read chapter 1 of Brave New World, I kept on wondering how they can compare the creation of man; to photographs, speak of it as a grocery, and kept stored reproduction cells contained as if they were canned foods. The more I read, the more I wondered if today's techniques were similar as described in the book. How can the characters and the people of today view this topic such as in the novel?

Translation of French epigraph from Brave New World

Utopias seem to be much more achievable than we formerly believed them to be. Now we find ourselves presented with another alarming question: how do we prevent utopias from coming into existence? …Utopias are possible. Life tends towards the formation of utopias. Perhaps a new century will begin, a century in which intellectuals and the privileged will dream of ways to eliminate utopias and return to a non-utopic society less “perfect” and more free.”