McGregor1

DallasMcGregor
Conrad
ERWC
Prompt#2
4April2016
JohntheSavage
InAldousHuxley
BraveNewWorld,
JohntheSavageimmersedhimselfinthree
differentsocieties,theold,thenew,andthesavage,andillustratedhisinnerstruggletograsp
themall.GrowingupintheNativeAmericansocietyconditionedJohntobelieveinspirituality
andnature,butthelocalsforbidhimfromparticipatingintheirculturebecausehewasan
outsider,thesonofawomanfromtheWorldState.Helistenedtohismotherstoriesofa
magnificentnewworldfreefromsicknessormelancholy.ButJohnwasnotfromtheWorld
State,norwashecreatedinatesttubeliketheotherchildren.Instead,hewasbornnaturally
whenhismotherwasabandonedbytheDirectoraftershewaslostduringtheirvacation.This
madeitespeciallyhardforJohntofitinamongthoseoftheWorldStatebecausehewasnot
conditionedlikethemandhepossessedawiderknowledgebase.Forinstance,Johnhadread
The
CompleteWorksofWilliamShakespeare
,filledwithstrangestories,murder,andromance,things
thatcitizensoftheWorldStatesimplycouldnotcomprehend,andasaresult,hehadhisown
wayofthinking,onethatgreatlychallengedthewaysoftheWorldState.Insummary,Johns
limitedfamiliaritywiththethreesocietiesultimatelyledtohisspiralintoinsanityandeventually
hisdeathandasheattemptedtodigestthemadnessoftheold,thenew,andthesavage.

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First,JohnsrenditionofShakespeareprovidedhimwithanincrediblynarrowviewof
theoldsociety,andasaresult,fueledhismercilessridiculesinregardstotheWorldState.Since
ShakespearewastheonlypieceofliteratureJohnhadexperienced,besidesaboringoldmanual,
hetookmanykeyvaluesfromit,valuesthatquestionedthoseoftheWorldState.Forinstance,
TheSavagewassilentforalittle.Allthesame,heinsistedobstinately,
Othello
'sgood,
Othello
'sbetterthanthosefeelies,Ofcourseitis,theControlleragreed.Butthat'stheprice
wehavetopayforstability.You'vegottochoosebetweenhappinessandwhatpeopleusedto
callhighart.We'vesacrificedthehighart.(226).Johnclearlybelievedthatoldworldformsof
entertainmentweremuchmorerivetingandworthwhileincomparisontotheWorldStates
imitationleisuremeanttokeeppeoplecalm.AnotherWorldStateidealthatJohnfoundutterly
repulsivewastheirpositiononrelationships.,It'slikethatinShakespearetoo.Ifthoudost
breakhervirginknotbeforeallsanctimoniousceremoniesmaywithfullandholyrite
(295).JohnobviouslybelievedinwaitingtohaveintercourseaftermarriagewhiletheWorld
Statedidnotevenpracticeit.Infinality,Johnsinsufficientknowledgeoftheoldworld
essentiallyforcedhimgoaway,toalighthouseoutsideofLondoninwhichhehunghimselfin
afterawhippingorgy.
Second,Lindas(Johnsmother)storiesoftheWorldStateintriguedJohn,heimagineda
societyofpeace,soobviously,hewasquitedisappointedwhenhesawthedruginduced,
conditionedattributesoftheWorldState.Johnwasspecificallyunimpressedbythefactthatthe
WorldStatesimplygetsridofwhatitcannothandle.Forexample,ButIdontwantcomfort.I

wantGod.Iwantpoetry,Iwantrealdanger,Iwantfreedom,Iwantgoodness,Iwantsin,(246).
Johnevidentlywouldratherliveinaworldfilledwithtrialandtribulationifitmeanthegotto
trulyexperiencelife,somethingthatthose

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ofWorldStateareshieldedfrom.Healsostronglyopposedtheywayinwhichtheymaintain
happinessthroughtheuseofahappydrug.Johnevencallsoutforrebellionagainsttakingit,
Hesawsomaas
itreallywas,awayinwhichtheWorldStatecouldcontrolthepeople,awaytopreventthem
fromthinkingtheirownthoughts.Inconclusion,JohnsmisconceptionoftheWorldStateledto
hisanticlimacticopinionoftheirepitomes.
Third,growingupinthesavagesocietycausedJohntobecomequiteintouchwithhis
spiritualsidebuthisheritageimpededhimfromactinguponthesefeelings.Toelaborate,
becauseJohnwasnotactuallyaNativeAmericanbornintheZunitribe,thetribedidnotaccept
himorhismother.Infact,mostoftheIndiansstronglydislikedJohnandhismother.For
instance,TheboysstillsangtheirhorriblesongaboutLinda.Sometimes,too,theylaughedat
himforbeingsoragged.Whenhetorehisclothes,Lindadidnotknowhowtomendthem.Inthe
OtherPlace,shetoldhim,peoplethrewawayclotheswithholesinthemandgotnewones.
Rags,rags!theboysusedtoshoutathim,(131).ThechildrenmadefunofJohnforhis
clothesandhismotherforherinabilitytofixthem.Besidestheirblatanttaunting,Johnwasalso
excludedfromanyandallceremoniestheNativeAmericansparticipatedin.Todemonstrate,At
thefullmoon,intheAntelopeKiva,secretswouldbetold,secretswouldbedoneandborne.

Theywouldgodown,boys,intothekivaandcomeoutagain,men.Theboyswereallafraidand
atthesametimeimpatient.Andatlastitwastheday.Thesunwentdown,themoonrose.He
wentwiththeothers.Menwerestanding,dark,attheentrancetothekivatheladderwentdown
intotheredlighteddepths.Alreadytheleadingboyshadbeguntoclimbdown.Suddenly,oneof
themensteppedforward,caughthimbythearm,andpulledhimoutoftheranks.Hebrokefree
anddodgedbackintohisplaceamongtheothers.Thistimethemanstruckhim,pulledhishair.
Notforyou,whitehair!""Not
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forthesonoftheshedog,saidoneoftheothermen,(137138).Johndesperatelywantedto
engageinthecomingofageritualbutbecauseofhisbackgroundtheNativeAmericansrefused
tolethimjoin.Toconclude,Johnslegacylandedhiminanisolatedplacethatsteeredhimto
sadnessandresultedinhisdeath.
Toconclude,JohntheSavagewasacomplicatedpersonwhoconfusedandridiculed
ideasfromthreedifferentsocieties,theold,thenew,andthesavage.HescoffedattheWorld
Statesentertainment,andrelationships,becausehebelievedinShakespeare'sopinionsonpurity
aswellashisnotionoffun.JohnalsocriedoutforfreedomfrowningupontheWorldStatefor
poisoningitspeoplewithadrugmeanttokeepthemhappyandsedated.Healsodesperately
triedtofitintothesocietyinwhichhegrewup,butthesavagescastedhimandhismotheraside.
Hewastaughttobeanoutsiderandheultimatelybecameone.Allinall,Johnsinabilityto
assimilatewiththedifferentsocietieslefthimalonetohisowndevicesandresultedinhis
suicide.