MGR

The novels Brave New World and 1984 both display many foreign ideas concerning family values, sexuality, and governmental control. The differences between these books are very striking, but many of their ides were rooted in the same ground. Both Alduous Huxley and George Orwell were authors during the world war era and this probably is what influenced a great deal of their ideas of the future in the novels. In Brave New World, people are taught from decantment that everyone belongs to everyone else. There are no parents and no one to control anyone else besides the government itself. With the influence of soma and hypnoaedic training, the people are pretty content with the rules. Sexuality is encouraged, and the rules are so deeply embedded in every one's sub-conscious that they never think to question them. However, in 1984, the revolution has only occurred a short time ago. This means that a greater deal of effort had to be put into removing former ideas from people's thoughts. Chastity, or "goodsex" in newsspeak,  is what the government says that people should practice. This makes any sexual act-besides with one's spouse for the purpose of having children-is seen as a rebellion. The familial situation in Orwell's dystopian world is still in existence, but the children have no loyalty to their parents. It is all a competition for who will betray whom. I really enjoyed both of these novels and the differences in each made the other seem all the more intriguing.