Originally published in 1932, “Brave New World,” written by Aldous Huxley, looks at a world in which consumerism and mass production have gone too far.

In the novel, the entire planet is under the control of one government, known as the World State. The World State has advanced technology to the point where all human reproduction is done artificially. Citizens of the World State are placed into one of many predetermined classes from birth based on their intelligence and abilities.

The book centers around a character named Bernard Marx who is having trouble fitting into society. He does not enjoy the activities that the community partakes in. He is in love with another character named Lenina Crowne, which is frowned upon in the World State, and he begins to question the society he is living in. He meets another character named John the Savage, the illegitimate son of leaders within the World State who was born naturally, at a Native American reservation and brings him back to the World State.

This creates problems as John, believing himself to be more intelligent than everyone else around him, tries to change the system and eventually runs into conflicts with leaders of the World State.

Anne Babson, instructor of English, explained the deeper themes of the novel.

“I think that the novel talks a great deal about liberty and free will,” explained Babson. “Because of the events that unfold in this book, we are called upon to question how free the characters are, if absolute freedom will make us absolutely happy, and if happiness is something worth sacrificing our freedom of choice in life for.”

By creating a world where everyone is equally unintelligent, Huxley is communicating that intellect is something valuable in society.

“It may be that smarter people are not happier people,” said Babson. “Huxley creates a world where people have the role equivalent to an assembly line worker and repeat the same task for 40 years of life. Rather than allowing this person to feel discontent about the nature of his work, they limit his brain growth. That’s terrifying, and it creates terrifying questions for all thinkers everywhere.”

Babson explained that several other authors before and after Huxley wrote this novel have grappled with this question.

“None of us would like to think that stupid people are happier,” said Babson. “So people have been pondering this for a long time: ‘Are we happier if we know more?’ The answer may not be ‘yes,’ but Huxley is not advocating for ignorance.”

Babson feels that the messages conveyed in the novel are just as relevant today as they were during the original publishing of the novel.

“It speaks particularly to this generation of students,” described Babson. “I think for students today, one of the freedoms that I don’t know if my students always contemplate is the freedom of privacy. More people seem to be interested in making their private life public through things like social media. There may be pleasure in that, but going for a quest for likes on Instagram might not be as important as having a place for private meditation and thought.”

Babson recommends that students read the novel.

“I wonder how well students know themselves outside of what they are projecting to the world,” said Babson. “Huxley is trying to show us about society’s tendency to take us away from private thought. The book is likely more relevant now than it was when it was first published.