John the Savage
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In this work of fiction, there exist reserves for the uncivilized members of the World State. These areas are surrounded by electrified barbed wire, and as stated in the book 'those that are born there, die there'. Visiting is restricted to very few; Bernard Marx, being a psychologist, is an exception.
The reserves are uncivilized according to World State standards, because the inhabitants practice religion, and they have families. The reserves are also uncivilized by the standards of Huxley and his audience, because they resemble the Indian reservations of the time. John the Savage lives on such a reserve, but unlike the other inhabitants, he is fair skinned and has light hair. His mother, Linda, used to live in civilization, until she became pregnant with John. Mothers were an abomination to civilization, and so Linda was too ashamed to leave the reservation. But she maintained her old promiscuity, and so Linda's conditioned attitude about sex combined with John's English features caused the other inhabitants to mock John.
John "The Savage" was brought up outside of the World State system, but he too was 'conditioned' by three things: 1. the primitive Indian tribes 2. The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, which was an outlawed book in World State, and 3. his mother's own shabby guidance.
When Bernard and Lenina encounter John "The Savage" (also known as 'Mr. Savage') he is overjoyed, having never been accepted by his own society because of his mother's sexual misdemeanors and his fair skin.
He travels to the brave new world, along with his mother, and becomes a novelty. Bernard, who was an outcast of his society, uses him to gain popularity. John becomes disillusioned by his mother's death, the use of the 'Soma' drug, the meaningless life of the Londoners, and by the terrible "twins" - scientists of the future have discovered how to cause a zygote to "bud" and create multiple copies of a single human; the resulting "Bokanovsky groups" are assigned to menial tasks suited to their stunted mental and physical condition, thus maintaining social stability.
John "The Savage" says he wants real danger, pain, and sin. He is unable to return to the reservation, and unable to accompany Bernard to an 'island'. He therefore attempts to isolate himself, and undergoes a strict regimen of self-torture to make himself worthy.
Because of the large amount of public attention he receives (brought about by the airing of a 'feely' of him whipping himself into repentance) he engages in a Soma induced orgy, and he begins to despair from the nature of the Brave New World.
Finally, he commits suicide, and the "brave new world" wins him over. His death can be seen a symbol of the complete destruction of his society.
| Characters |
|---|
| Bernard Marx | Lenina Crowne | John the Savage | Mustapha Mond | Helmholtz Watson |
| Historical characters |
| Henry Ford | William Shakespeare | Sigmund Freud | George Bernard Shaw | Thomas Malthus |
| The World State |
| Alpha-Plus | Epsilon Minus | Soma |
| Adaptations |
| In pop culture | Brave New World (film) | Brave New World (TV) |
