Brave New World Diction Essay

Chapter 3, pages 34-35
Brave New World Diction

“Main Day-shift off duty…..’I shall make a point of going,’ said Henry Foster.”

In chapter 3 of Aldous Huxley’s novel Brave New World, many things are revealed about hot the society in this novel functions. It shows more about the work that the people do and how the society functions. Huxley uses repetition and descriptive diction to provide a deeper look into the society that is shown in this passage. In one paragraph, one specific word helps to clarify the meaning of the repetition of the word “whisk”. While talking about history, the Controller states that “History is bunk” to the students. In context, bunk is taken to mean nonsense, or unimportant. It serves the authors purpose by revealing more about the society in this passage. History is irrelevant to the alphas. The word “bunk” further helps to explain the diction in the next paragraph of this passage. The word “whisk” is repeated twelve times in one paragraph. It is used to describe how easily history is wiped away and forgotten. It even shows that music and feelings such as passion are gone. The repetition of the word “whisk” is fundamental in illustrating how insignificant the past is to this society.

The authors use of descriptive diction gives further insight about this society. The author uses words and phrases such as “tactual”, “Embryo Store”, and “Psychology Bureau” among many others. This is significant because it illustrates how technologically advanced the society in this passage is. This passage reveals that society has completely disregarded history and advanced in the scientific field. The author uses the word “forbidden” to describe poetry books and religious books such as the Bible. This further develops the society as a society where feelings evoked by poetry and religious faith are frowned upon. As this passage demonstrates, history and literature have been removed from this society. History and literature are subjects that connect people, and tie them together, but without them, this passage shows that this society is very advanced in the field of science. This society is clearly appalled by life led by their ancestors. They have effectively gotten rid of history, and any feeling that helps them make lasting connections to other people. Through the use of descriptive diction, the authors purpose of providing insight into this society is fully accomplished.

The diction in this passage illustrates how dynamic the society in this novel is. This society revolves around science, and wants nothing to do with the past. This passage provides very important insight into how this society functions, and the structure of the society. The author successfully achieves his purpose through the use of repetition and expressive diction.