How is Aldous Huxley's Brave New World a reflection of his context and societal values?

Essay by [w]ilson.[s]High School, 12th gradeA, May 2009

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Science fiction writers foresee the inevitable, and although problems and catastrophes may be inevitable, solutions are not” (Isaac Asimov – Russian born American Science Fiction writer)The notion of science fiction may be interpreted in numerous ways. It may represent:How science and technology might control our livesHow the world is likely to be in the futureThe way the quality of our lives and our culture are being threatened by new developmentsHow governments and systems tend to reduce individual freedom in order to get what they wantIn this same way, Brave New World (1932) seeks to reflect Aldous Huxley’s context and society’s values of his era. This novel’s primary genre features science fiction, differing from fantasy in the way that, within the context of the story, its imaginative elements are largely possible within scientifically established laws or theories. The setting is predominantly a science fiction civilization, which questions the humanity of man through an imaginative world created through Huxley’s ingenuity.

In this manner, the idea of our foreseeable future is portrayed as a satirized world in Huxley’s eyes. The author, through various literary techniques manages to convey these same themes across effectively to audiences.

For more than half a century science fiction writers have thrilled and challenged readers with visions of the future and future worlds. These authors offered an insight into what they expected man, society, and life to be like at some future time. Because of this, it is logical to argue that the author’s perspective of these worlds evidently stem from their own background and societal concerns of their context. A frequent theme among science fiction films is that of impending or actual disaster on an epic scale. These often address a particular concern of the writer by serving as a vehicle of warning against a type of activity,