Gridlock

Oyyy, I was not here in class for this, so I'm giving it a wack! If I feel it's absolutely terrible, I shall ask ze Doctor for help.

Title: Safe Sex
The title alone is a little fuzzy in understanding, but once the poem is read, you see that it alludes to the idea of a "safe" relationship where feelings are left out and yet you can supposedly remain satisfied.

Paraphrase:
Hall proposes a scenario where one ejects their own feelings of affection from another and as a result there less pain and struggle.

Attitude:
I'd say cold. Throughout the whole thing there's no feeling of love or warmth. It's a little twisted seeing as how the point of the poem (through my perspective) is to portray the good qualities of love, by boldly stating the terrifying qualities of it.

Shift:
I'm not quite sure on where the shift is. There's definitely a point in the poem where the examples and phrases become a little more harsh, but in the end the entire thing is a little brutal so I feel as if it's a bit up to perspective as to where the poem shifts.

Title Revisited:
Trying to leave emotions out of love, results in nothing. (that makes more sense in my head)

Theme:
Love is a feeling based on emotional ups AND downs

Brave New World Essay

What it means to be an individual is often the thought provoking idea writers try to convey in their stories.  Through characters and societal upbringings they try instill a mood in us that causes us to question who we really are. Even more inciting and haunting is the idea of what it means to not be an individual and the type of cultural backgrounds that could lead to this numb, hollow space we call ourselves. Through the ostracizing and alienation of Bernard Marx, Huxley reveals this “Brave New World” and their society’s assumptions and moral values about sexual individuality, scientific progression, and societal norms of the time.  

                In the beginning of the story, we are quickly introduced to two of the most significant characters; Bernard Marx and Lenina Crowne. Through their problematic relationship, we see the first glimpse of Bernard’s estrangement from what is accepted. He longs for a monogamous relationship which causes Lenina, and society as a whole, to deem his as odd. His appreciation of conversation over physical intimacy also puzzles and distresses people.  Rejection of society’s sexual tendencies that have been conditioned since childhood cause for anxiety from the people. Through this apprehension we see how society does not value the idea of individual intimacy beyond the physical level and instead separate sex from love. In this Brave New World sex is viewed solely for pleasure of the body rather than bonding of souls.

                One of the most cherished beliefs of the brave new world is science. The industrial world is one to be eternally grateful for according to society, however, once again we find Bernard to be on the opposite spectrum. His uncaring attitude towards society’s industrial advances are detested and as a result he becomes ostracized by the DHC and his peers. Through this we can clearly see how society rejects people who do not agree with their ideas to maintain their pleasurable status. Soma is a frequent element in the story that society is fixated on, yet once again, Bernard does not care for it. Instead of indulging in the pleasure drug, he seeks out a trip to the Savage Reservation in an effort to find himself. All of these attributes Bernard holds threaten society, and more particularly, the DHC which results in Bernard’s dismissal to Iceland where he will no longer be a burden.

                In an effort to isolate himself from the world he is coming to hate, Bernard flies of over the expanse, vast, and utterly empty ocean. Where he finds comfort, Lenina finds fear. The idea of being alone and not belonging to a particular collection is one she and society have been taught to reject and loathe. Not only is being alone rejected, but being with just one person is also appalling. In the brave new world everyone belongs to everyone, and no one is entitled, or for that matter wants to commit to just one person. Connecting with another person is not a value that is cared for in this society, and Bernard seems to be the only one seeking it. After much internal frustration Bernard finally realizes that he is completely and utterly unsatisfied with the emotional numbness and hollowness that is this world.

                The way a society reacts and a character is treated can portray and enhance the many beliefs and attributes of a world and a story. In Brave New World we see Bernard become rejected and ignored by his peers and his entire society. Through his alienation and rejection their assumptions and moral values about sexual independence, scientific principles, and societal customs are highlighted.