Commercialism In Brave New World

Brave New World by Aldous Huxley is set in London in 2540 C.E.; Huxley’s characters refer to the year as 632 years after the production of the first Ford Model T car or 632 A.F. (after Ford). This concept sets the commercialism and glorification of mass production themes that are woven into the novel, in addition to, the use of technology to control the citizens of the World State and the promotion of shallow relationships and instant gratification. Huxley hated the superficialness of mass popular entertainment and culture of his day, he wrote the Brave New World as satire to ridicule the quest for happiness through the purchase of things (Huxley & Hitchens).

Brave New World glorifies commercialism and the concept that happiness can be created by instant gratification and people placed

John’s character had the most violent and dramatic conflict centered around his sexual desire for Lenina, religion and romance.

Brave New World is a unique novel because it focuses on consumerism. That is a rare topic for a novel. As Margaret points out, “At the time Huxley was writing Brave New World he was still in shock from a visit to the United States, where he was particularly frightened by mass consumerism, its group mentality and its vulgarities.”(Atwood).

The way the World State glories consumption to the point that people are even “used up” and disappear at the Crematorium is so shocking that it makes a very strong point about the shallowness of the world (Huxley 77). Brave New World is a novel with a message, it is not meant to be read for entertainment. If you read the novel for entertainment you will be very disappointed because the characters are unlikable, the author doesn’t use a lot of humor, and the world he creates is very depressing. However, he is successful getting his message crossed which was his main