Lit Openers
Episode 5: Brave New World
by Aldous Huxley
Interactive Biography Chart
ESSENTIAL BIOGRAPHIC INFO |
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| Author Name: | Aldous Leonard Huxley | |
| Pseudonym: | /// | |
| Nickname: | "Ogie" (short for "Ogre"), a childhood nickname | |
| Date of Birth: | 26th July 1894 | |
| Place of Birth: | Godalming, Surrey, England | |
| Date of Death: | 22nd November 1963 | |
| Time Period: | Late Victorian Era, Edwardian Era, Modernist Period, Post-War Era | |
| Type of Education: | Classical education; initially studied science, later English literature | |
| School/University: | Eton College (1908-1913); Balliol College, Oxford (1913-1916, graduated with honours in English literature) | |
| Places where the author lived: | Godalming, Surrey; Oxford; London; Italy (1920s); Southern France (1930s); Los Angeles, California (1937-1963) | |
| Peculiar events: | At age 16, contracted keratitis punctata, which left him nearly blind for two years and partially sighted for life. His mother died of cancer when he was 14. His brother Noel committed suicide in 1914. Huxley's house in California burnt down in 1961, destroying his personal papers and manuscripts. He died on the same day as President John F. Kennedy was assassinated, which overshadowed news of his death. | |
LITERARY PRODUCTION |
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Main works |
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| Complete title: | "Brave New World" | |
| Genre: | Dystopian novel, science fiction | |
| Synthesis: | Set in a futuristic World State in the year 2540 (632 AF – "After Ford"), "Brave New World" depicts a totalitarian society where humans are genetically engineered, socially conditioned, and kept docile through the drug soma. | |
Other works |
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| Title: | "Island" (1962) | |
| Genre: | Utopian novel | |
| Brief Synthesis: | Huxley's final novel, Island presents a positive counterpoint to "Brave New World". Set on the fictional island of Pala, it depicts a society that has successfully integrated Eastern philosophy, Western science, and sustainable living practices. The protagonist, Will Farnaby, is a cynical journalist who becomes stranded on the island and gradually learns about its harmonious way of life. | |
| Title: | "The Doors of Perception" (1954) | |
| Genre: | Philosophical essay, autobiographical account | |
| Brief Synthesis: | This influential non-fiction work documents Huxley's experience with mescaline, a psychedelic substance. He explores how the drug altered his perception of reality, allowing him to see the world with heightened awareness and beauty. Huxley discusses the nature of consciousness, the limitations of ordinary perception, and the potential of psychedelics for spiritual and philosophical insight. The title references William Blake's idea that if "the doors of perception were cleansed every thing would appear to man as it is, Infinite." The book significantly influenced 1960s counterculture; Jim Morrison named his band The Doors after it. | |
| Title: | "Point Counter Point"(1928) | |
| Genre: | Modernist novel | |
| Brief Synthesis: | This complex modernist novel presents a panoramic view of 1920s London intellectual society. Using a "musical" structure inspired by Bach's counterpoint technique, Huxley weaves together multiple plotlines and perspectives. The novel satirises various philosophical positions through its diverse characters – including writers, scientists, aristocrats, and political activists. | |
Ep 5 Brave New World ANSWERS
created for LnT
by Ms. Anna-Maria Bellomo
Former High School English Teacher
created for LnT
by Ms. Anna-Maria Bellomo
Former High School English Teacher