Brave New World: Characters

The Director of Hatcheries and Conditioning (DHC):

As the title suggests, the DHC is at the helm of the Hatcheries and Conditioning. A tall and thin man, he seems blindly confident about his belief in the three pillars of his society—“community, identity, and stability.” He is a difficult boss and extremely particular about adhering to rules and norms in the pursuit of civility. The Director, referred to by some characters as Tomakin, harbors a particular dislike for one of the novel’s central characters—Bernard Marx. He demotes and publicly humiliates Bernard for not using the prescribed drugs and being too individualistic.

The DHC’s dramatic fall from grace is caused by the revelation that he is John’s biological father. Since it is a taboo in his society to have biological children, he is forced to give up his role as the DHC. He is especially shocked to find out that his child has been raised a savage.

Henry Foster:

Henry is a successful Alpha engineer who specializes in statistics and numbers. Like the DHC, Henry, too, dislikes Bernard Marx. He regularly dates Lenina Crowne, a high-caste technician in the Hatchery, who seems to find Bernard more attractive than Henry. Lenina’s interest in Bernard displeases Henry, and he uses every opportunity to deride and humiliate Bernard. However, Henry refrains from mistreating Bernard when the latter’s social standing improves. Henry decides that it would be more beneficial to be in Bernard’s good books, and becomes appreciative of Bernard.

Henry is shallow and rigid in his ways, but also shows signs of humanity occasionally. Toward the end of the novel, he abandons Lenina in danger despite knowing that doing so will result in her getting raped and killed.

Mustapha Mond, the Controller:

Mustapha, a mysterious man and one of ten Controllers in the novel, governs Western Europe. Though he only makes occasional appearances, he is an important character, especially since he is also the ruler of London. Given his high social stature, most characters, ranging from the DHC to Bernard Marx, are keen to impress him. He is extremely watchful and well-educated about the “savage” way of life.

When Bernard, Watson, and John almost cause a riot, Mustapha demands a meeting with the three men. It is in this meeting that the extent of Mustapha’s intelligence becomes apparent: he is extremely erudite and displays a great understanding of literary classics, religions, philosophies, and cultures of the old world. He argues that it is impossible to create and sustain an industrial civilization if religion and the culture of the “savage” world are not dealt with. Though he transfers misfits to remote places, he also respects the savages’ right to free choice.

Lenina Crowne:

Lenina is a complex Alpha Plus woman, who seems to like Bernard Marx, a character generally disliked by most other characters. During her affair with Henry Foster, Lenina finds herself thinking of Marx quite often. Lenina pursues her affections for Bernard and is delighted when he takes her on a trip to the savage reservations. However, despite her excitement for this rare holiday, Lenina is shocked by the way of life there. In the reservations, she witnesses tribal festivities and meets a young, attractive savage man and his ex-civilized mother.

Lenina returns a tired and upset woman in dire need of several doses of “soma” to feel normal again. She falls in love with the young savage, John, but cannot understand his morals. She pursues sexual gratification, and, like other citizens of the fictional world, is conditioned to find romantic love uninteresting. However, she does seem to fall in love with John later. Lenina’s tale is tragic: a young, socially acceptable woman in the beginning, she is raped and killed by John, the man she loves, toward the end of the novel.

Bernard Marx:

Bernard is an Alpha Plus male, but has a reputation for being “strange.” He is a small man and is routinely teased by his colleagues for being different and emotional. He is a private and acutely self-conscious person. Because of his diminutive physical stature, Bernard has to work harder than others to earn approval and respect. The mockery he endures makes him feel like an outsider, which in turn distances him from his society. Alienated and disgruntled, Bernard harbors deep contempt for his peers.

Though he is ostracized, Bernard is a rebellious character nonetheless. He does not try to conform; instead, he seeks to understand his individuality and desire for solitude. When Bernard is looked upon favorably by his superiors and colleagues, he begins to cherish his own importance. While readers may have been able to sympathize with Bernard for his plight at the beginning of the novel, toward the end, however, he becomes vain and only seeks to conform; he becomes preoccupied with earning approval and respect. Bernard is also a misunderstood character, and being misunderstood impacts his personality adversely: he is not honest or loyal and is eventually confined to a quiet, drab life in the remote islands where all misfits are sent.

Benito Hoover:

Benito is a good-natured man. Unlike many characters, he does not seem to need drugs to feel joy. He is introduced in chapter four looking at Bernard Marx with “manifest cordiality”—in fact, he is one of very few characters in the novel to regard Bernard with respect. He is popular among women and has a charming demeanor.

Helmholtz Watson:

Helmholtz is introduced in chapter four as a bulky, yet agile, man who works at the Propaganda House. With strong features and dark, curly hair, he is desired by most women and is the epitome of the Alpha Plus male. Despite their opposing personality traits, Watson and Bernard Marx are good friends. Watson is arguably the most intelligent and empathetic character in the novel. He supports Bernard when he is depressed, and is saddened when Bernard becomes a vain, conformist man.

Watson is fiercely loyal and honest; he stands by John even though he nearly instigates a riot. Watson happily accepts a transfer to the quieter islands where fame and fortune are rare; he seems to find the company of other misfits enlightening. He takes full responsibility for his actions in the novel.

John:

John is introduced only halfway into the novel, though he is one of its central characters. He was born to Linda, a woman who had an affair with the DHC; Linda had been declared lost on a visit to a savage reservation, and John, who was born in the reservation, is a product of two opposite worlds—born to high class parents of the civilized world, but raised in the savage reservation. John’s struggle to come to terms with these different worlds brings to readers’ minds the Calvinist debate concerning “nature versus nurture.”

When John travels to London from the savage reservation, he is awe-struck by the newness and difference, but is not particularly impressed by the technological advancements. He sees London’s technological prowess as mere infantile processes. John is a deeply moralistic man who is troubled by his own vices; he finds himself a quiet corner to escape the ostentatious London life, but is often hounded by “civilized people.” John’s life ends tragically: he kills himself out of remorse after raping and murdering the only woman he had truly loved.

Linda:

Linda is an ordinary Beta woman who is declared lost during her vacation in the savage reservation. Subjected to hypnopaedia and classist conditioning as an embryo, her life in the “normal” human world is fraught with confusion, fear, and ostracization.

She gives birth to a son and raises him in a world she does not understand. Linda is an alcoholic; she is abused by men and hated by women. However, she is rediscovered by the civilized world and brought back to civilization, but once back she spends her days in the throes of soma-induced stupor. Linda dies in a civilized hospital, unable to recollect details about her own life, or her son, John.