In both Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley, and The Barcode Tattoo, by Suzanne Weyn, there are different cultural norms that are expected to be followed, and those who do not follow them are considered outcasts. Aldous Huxley’s novel, Brave New World, features a structural system developed upon the basis of physical and mental capabilities. This structural system is maintained by the utilization of the caste system in which each individual is born into a caste and is bred to enjoy his or her lifestyle. Within the dystopian society, each caste has one specific skill rather than a variety of skills as described, (1) “An Alpha-decanted, Alpha-conditioned man would go mad if he had to do Epsilon Semi-Moron work—go mad, or start smashing things up. Only an …show more content…
. he’s foredoomed” (200; ch. 16). The caste system is a deception because it reinforces the idea that each caste is inferior or superior to the others. Thus, the inhabitants of the lower castes such as Delta and Epsilon do not rebel with the accusation of not possessing the quantity of power that the Alpha caste has. In contrast, The Barcode Tattoo has a structural system or cultural norm defined by the genetic information in the tattoo found conveniently on the wrist of an individual. Some individuals, such as Kayla, were very curious and captivated by the uses of the tattoo. Kayla was not able to identify with the importance of the tattoo; she felt that people allowed it to take away their individuality because they let it have so much control over them. (1) “Even though [Kayla] saw tattoos everywhere, they continued to fascinate her. How bizarre to be branded like a box of cereal. Didn't people mind being counted as just one more product on a shelf? There had to be more to a person than that” (7; ch. 1). The genetic information dictates the careers an individual can obtain based on mental history. Furthermore, the genetic information is not only an identity, but also contains the personality of each
One of these books is “Anthem” by Ayn Rand. This book is strictly based on the act of conformity along with trying to be unique. This book contains many students apart of a society where no one is allowed to have their own personalities, thoughts, or style. Of course, anyone would not have to put much thought of what type of vibe this society would give out. Beginning on the first page of “Anthem,” the main character states that “it is dark in here” when describing the society he lives in. It is safe to assume that one would not be surprised that it can be described as “dark” when no one is aware of being unique.
It is this dysfunctional world that Equality 7-2521 is born into. The novel begins with Equality 7-2521 alone in a dark tunnel transcribing his story. He begins with a declaration that “It is a sin to write this… [because] men may not write unless the Council of Vocations bid them so” (Rand, 17). Equality 7-2521 writes that he was born with a curse: He is different than the other men in his society. He laments that “the learning was too easy. This is a great sin, to be born with a head too quick” (Rand, 21). From the youngest age children were taught that ability is a vice, not a virtue. They were to be embarrassed of their superiority because “it is not good to be different from our brothers” (Rand, 21). Equality 7-2521 writes that he tried to stifle this fault but was unable to do so.
Isolation in Brave New World If one's different, one's bound to be lonely." John "The Savage" In the Brave New World, people who are different from the normal standard are alienated and isolated from society because of their individuality. The society of the Brave New World is structured and ordered – the government attempts to control everything. Alienation in the Brave New World can be categorized into three areas: appearance, intellect, and morals.
Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World introduces us to a futuristic technological world where monogamy is shunned, science is used in order to maintain stability, and society is divided into 5 castes consisting of alphas(highest), betas, gammas, deltas, and epsilons(lowest). In the Brave New World, the author demonstrates how society mandates people’s beliefs, using many characters throughout the novel. John, a savage, has never been able to fit into society. Moving through two contradicting societies, John is unable to adapt to the major differences of the civilized society due to the different ways upon which it is conducted.
In Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World, the author depicts a collective society in which everyone has the same values and beliefs. From a young age, the people in the World State’s civilization are conditioned to believe in their motto of “Community, Identity, Stability.” Through hypnopaedia, the citizens of the World State learn their morals, values, and beliefs, which stay with them as they age. However, like any society, there are outsiders who alienate themselves from the rest of the population because they have different values and beliefs. Unfortunately, being an outsider in the World State is not ideal, and therefore there are consequences as a result. One such outsider is John. Brought from the Savage Reservation, John is lead to conform to the beliefs of the World State, thus losing his individuality, which ultimately leads him to commit suicide. Through John and the World State populace as an example, Huxley uses his novel to emphasize his disapproval of conformity over individuality.
To survive in society, one must fit in. There are many reasons that people always try to be like everyone else. Some are unsure and others are afraid of being different. Many people change themselves just to fit in. Although tattoos used to be a sign of rebellion, they are now common. In Tattoos were once a sign of rebellion – no...
Shakespeare’s Hamlet and Orwell’s 1984 are excellent examples of cautious tales warning about acting against society under the influence of the id alone. In both novels, the protagonists stray from societal standards by following the impulses of their ids without inhibition from their superego. Although Hamlet and Winston attempt to stay within societal rules, their ids eventually overpower any sense of reality they have, causing them to act on their deepest desires without care for the potential consequences. To illuminate the dangers of diverging from the societal status quo, Hamlet and Winston are dehumanized by the societies they rebelled against. Perhaps it is better to remain miserable doing something unenjoyable, but accepted by society, than to act on controversial actions.
The Exploitation of Abnormality The principle of homogenization lies within the foundation of every society, creating standards for which the individual must follow in order to be culturally accepted. Whether being due to a specific birth defect or simply to their unique nature, individuals incapable of meeting these standards are judged upon their social shortcomings. In the article “Son,” Andrew Solomon defines these abnormalities as one’s horizontal identity which consists of personally acquired traits that often separate a person from the rest of society.
Tradition of humans permanently marking their bodies has consistently been utilized as a means of identification. Greeks used it as a form of punishment and branding of those considered as “others” which comprised of slaves and convicts- ideology that was then carried over into Roman culture as a tool of state control (Fisher, 2002). Indigenous tribes that lacked a written language applied tattoos as a system of visual communication. Both the Osage and Omaha tribes tattooed themselves based on success in warfare, bearing a skull on the back of their heads to signify victory in battle. Inuit men would mark on themselves how many whales they hunted, while ink on women conveyed marital status (Porcella, 2009). Despite a long-standing history in other cultures, it is emphasized that the Polynesian and Japanese cultures are largely responsible for the diffusion of tattoos into Western society.
To illustrate the significance of society in achievement, in the book ‘outliers’ Gladwell relates a story of a Colombian pilot, named Laureano Caviedes, who will probably with a high chance will crashed a plane because he wasn’t confident enough to stand up to the threatening control tower agents and demand to land. Cultures that support inactive submission to pecking order indistinct delicacy may discover themselves at a disadvantage in a number of situations.
For instance, ‘invalids’ are confronted with restrictions in their ability to choose their occupation; the dystopian society only allows Vincent to perform menial jobs. This is reinforced in two ironic quotes “no matter how much I lied in my resume, the real resume was in my genes,” and “the best test score in the world would not matter unless I had the blood test to go with it”. Systematic discrimination has been continuously reinforced. It is indicated by the continuous identity check scenes (such as blood, urine and air tests) shown in the film. Additionally, GATTACA dramatically argues that mankind is more than their “genetic potential” and portrays the significance of the human spirit.
Our society has many ways of manifesting its obsession with physical perfection. In our society people go to extreme lengths to achieve perfection. The 'Birthmark';, written more than a century ago, is an early version of our modern obsession with physical perfection.
Symbolism and meaning is by far one of the most important aspects of the tattoo industry. “The abstract emotions and human awareness of emotions show what really is going on in ones life (Johnson)”. For that reason tattooing is a form of self-expression, and can stand for literal interpretations. For the most part these interpretations are the conveying of spiritual meaning, or marking milestones such as life or death” (Johnson). For those who think tattooing is just for looks or put a bad judgment on it, should also realize that ones personal interest reflects upon their lives. “Many individuals get their first tattoos during adolescence or young adulthood.”(Bravermark) Due to the mainstream culture, these traditions traditionally associate with stereotypes. Stereotypes defiantly have a huge impact on life. Which leads to the next point? Whether flaunted or hidden, sought as art or brought out on a whim, the tattoo has left a huge impact on generation after generation.
It isn 't uncommon to see people walking around with tattoos permanently stained on their body. It is also uncommon to know that they usually have a meaning. From Chinese symbols to images devoted to the flying spaghetti monster, people love to keep these tattoos to remind them of a message or a special someone. According to the World Book Advanced Dictionary, a tattoo is "to mark (the skin) with designs or patterns by pricking a line of holes and putting in colors. ' ' And the meaning of an individual 's tattoo can vary depending on where you are. In this essay, I will discuss contrasting elements in prison and in tribal tattoos. This will be done by doing a cross sectional study of their history, meaning and methods. Are prison and tribal tattoos similar or different?
In each society, there are different types of rules and ideologies that are used in order to help govern its people. Within these communities, these rules create a social hierarchy developed through a ranked system based on either economic value or religious beliefs. A type of ranked system that most people are familiar with is the Caste System in India, which is a system of classification in a society based on birth. This complex social structure is most prevalent in India, where social hierarchy is in affiliation with Hinduism. It recognizes two concepts known as Varna and Jati. Varna is a word in Sanskrit meaning color and includes four main groups: the Brahmans, Kshtriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudras. The fifth group, the most segregated caste in the system, is the Untouchables. Within each Varna contains an array of sub-caste called Jatis, which are also based on birth. The rules of the cases are governed through religious ideas of purity and pollution. These two socially constructed ideologies determine whether or not you were respected in the community. Caste assignments in India are predestined at birth rather than a personal choice. Individuals act and dress like those of their own caste in public, due to strict caste laws. Pressures of these rules tend to brainwash people into conforming into what society considers pure, as we’ll see in Kakar & Kakar’s reading. As human nature takes precedent, caste rules become less relevant. Indulging in one’s own desires or needs, especially during times of hardship, outweighs any types of rules that we’ll see in Freeman’s reading and the movie Distant Thunder. Though the caste system is such an intrinsic part of life, when faced with needs to survive, it becomes nothing more than just a...