Brave New World

Taking place after the fall of the Director, Chapter 11 begins with a brief mention of the Director resigning and then describes the languishing Linda, cast aside by everyone but John and content to spend the rest of her life obliviously under the spell of soma. She is essentially in a self-induced coma.

The chapter then documents the rise of Bernard Marx. Because he controls access to “the savage” he is in high demand; he makes the rounds at parties, and has women hanging onto his every word. Marx believes he has finally made it, and boasts to Helmholtz about having “six girls last week” (156). However, “behind his back people shook their heads. ‘That young man will come to a bad end,’ they said, prophesying the more confidently that they themselves would in due course personally see to it that the end was bad” (157). Helmholtz also seems aware this change in fortune cannot last; Bernard takes his reticence as jealousy. Mustapha Mond becomes annoyed at the presumption Marx shows in his reports.

During one of the many parties and social affairs Bernard drags John to, they watch a projection of a film of some natives self-flagellating.