MEN Vs. WOMEN In Brave New World
- The novel begins with the Director giving a tour of the Hachery (which is one of the most important jobs) where there are only boys attending. References immediately that the women have lower positions in the world state.
- Women are forced to be sterilized meanwhile the men do not
- Mustapha Mond (one of the world leaders) explains how burdened women are because of contraceptions, and praises men for being 'normal' and sterile.
- There is no mention of any alpha female throughout the entire novel. The two main females roles (Lenina and Fanny) are both of the beta class
- The sole purpose of women in this novel is for sexual acts, and they do not contribute do any major decision making.
- There are no leadership roles in this novel for Women. The 10 world leaders are all men.
Brave New World was published in 1932, and some of the concepts regarding women in society come from old traditions.
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Brave new world takes place in 2540, yet it is written in the 1930's. Aldous Huxley believed that by the year 2540 men would still be the ruling class, exemplifying the idea that men overrule women.
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Now Vs. Then
In todays society there is still discrimination against women but overall gender does not seem to play a role when it comes to leadership.
Most of the women listed here are recognized for their contribution to politics, business and technology (Forbes). In Brave New World, the women are unable to contribute because they are not thought of as equals and will never strive to achieve their full potential.
In History Who And What Changed for Women to Be Viewed As Equals?
-1944 Education Act - Improved opportunities for many girls by making secondary, as well as elementary, schooling compulsory for all children up to the age 15. (Womens Century 104).
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