Linda and Lenina Comparison in Brave New World Essay Example
Linda and Lenina Comparison in Brave New World Essay Example

Linda and Lenina Comparison in Brave New World Essay Example

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  • Pages: 5 (1146 words)
  • Published: September 29, 2017
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It’s shocking how two people from different societies can be both similar and different at the same time. In Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World, Linda and Lenina are two such characters. Each of them have their own characteristics which make them unique, but they also have separate characteristics. The three ways in which Lenina and Linda can be compared would be physically, intelligently, and emotionally. First of all, Lenina’s physical characteristics help distinguish her type of character. Lenina is a typical woman in the new world, and she has all the characteristics that describe her as pneumatic.

Lenina is a particularly attractive female since many men in the society seem to be attracted to her. Even the Arch-Community-Songster of Canterbury is attracted to Lenina. “‘Lenina my dear,’ he called in another tone. ‘come with me,’”(H

...

uxley 176).

This quote shows that Lenina is able to get any guy to want her, even members of higher classes. For instance, she’s able to get Henry Foster, an Alpha, to have her as well. Overall, Lenina is a very attractive woman who uses her assets to her advantage.In comparison, Linda also has some interesting characteristics that help distinguish her character. Linda, is very different from Lenina being described as a not very appealing character. “…Two of the front teeth were missing…And all the lines in her face, the flabbiness, the wrinkles.

And the sagging cheeks…the bulge of the woman’s stomach... and simply reeked of that beastly stuff,”(118-119).

With this description given, it can be obvious that Linda would not fit in in the new world society looking the way she does.She would not fit in with everyone else with th

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way that she looked making her an outcast in the society. Linda, at one point, looked like Lenina in the civilization. After all, Linda was a Beta before she came to the reservation so she most likely looked at least a little like Lenina. Linda and Lenina seem to have more differences in their physical appearance rather than similarities. Another area that can be compared would be Lenina’s and Linda’s intellectual ability.

Lenina falls into the stereotypical person from the society.She constantly repeats many of the hypnop? dic phrases that she was conditioned to know. For instance, when she is having her conversation with Henry about the Epsilons she states, “I suppose Epsilons don’t really mind being Epsilons…” and then after a bit of explanation, “…Everybody’s happy now,” (74-75). This shows that even though a little thought was put into what she said, Lenina still uses her hypnop? dic training as a basis for everything.

Another example of this is when she continuously repeats, “A gramme is better than a damn,” (116).This is one of the hypnop? dic thoughts that are popular amongst everyone and seem to be a reaction when the word damn is used. So while Lenina can think for herself and make her own ideas about things, the hypnop? dic suggestions provide a basis for her actions that she makes throughout the story like taking soma whenever she’s bored and when she wants to get away. On the other hand, Linda’s intellectual ability is on an entirely different scale, for the most part. Linda began with all the same hypnop? ic suggestions as Lenina but her life in the reservation caused her

to lose some of that knowledge.

Linda was able to adapt to the life in the reservation. When Linda is talking to Lenina about cleanliness and when she first arrived she mentions, “But of course they didn’t understand. How should they? And in the end I suppose I got used to it,” (121). This quote is significant because it proves that people from the new world are able to adapt to another society if it’s the only way to survive, just like how Linda adapted to not having any soma in the reservation.Even though Linda adapted partially to the society in the reservation, she still tried to live as though the rules of the new world applied to the reservation. An example of that was when she tried to sleep with all the men in the reservation as though the same rules of the new world applied there.

Linda is a character who knows what goes on outside the new world but wishes that she didn’t. Lenina has her general basis on how to live through the hypnop? dic suggestions, while Linda uses the things she learned in the society and what she learned from the reservation.Finally, Lenina and Linda can be compared through their emotions and how they act with them. Lenina is a strange character when it comes to looking at her with emotions. Normally, in the society, people are not to have any attachment to someone, but this is not evident with Lenina.

There is a significant moment where Lenina shows possible affection towards another person, with Henry Foster. Lenina begins showing some affection towards Henry when she talks about him to

Fanny. “Lenina blushed scarlet; but her eyes, the tone of her voice remained defiant. No, there hasn’t been any one else,’” (40). This begins to show that Lenina is different than the other people of the new world because she has only been having one guy instead of the typical many as the society usually has it. Lenina has shown many other emotions towards other people such as John or Bernard as well.

That’s evident when Lenina brings John to go see a film and when she goes with Bernard to the reservation. Similarly, Linda also shows some emotions towards certain people as well, such as with John.Some of these emotions show love and compassion, while other emotions show hatred and grief. Linda seems to be very confused with her emotions towards John because of the fact that she cannot decide whether to hate or love John.

“‘Little beast! ’ she pulled down his arm; his face was uncovered…He tried to smile at her. Suddenly she put her arms around him and kissed him again and again,” (127). That is a perfect example of how Linda is confused about how she should act towards John; one moment she’s aggravated and annoyed with him and the next moment she’s a loving mother figure.Both Linda and Lenina are very emotional when it comes to certain people in the society.

To summarize, Linda and Lenina both have similarities and differences when it comes to physical features, intelligence, and emotions towards others. These areas allow for the comparison of both Linda and Lenina. While some parts show more similarities and differences than others, overall, Linda and Lenina are both

two very different people. Works Cited Huxley, Aldous.

Brave New World. New York: Harper & Brothers Publishers, 1932. Page #s, 74-75, 116, 118-119, 121, 127, 176

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