Brave New World Reading Assignment 2 Chapters: 4-6

Bernard's main problem, and the thing that he is troubled by most is his size. Whenvever he is around a lower caste he feels that he needs to express himself if bigger ways such as yelling to get them to do what he wants. I think Bernard is 'much more alone' and 'utterly miserable' during the solidarity service than anyone else because he went into it with the attitute that he was not going to fit in. That is the way he goes through life. Because of this, yes in some regards I do believe that Bernard is responsible of his own problems and unhappiness.

In a world of happiness true happiness means very little. Being happy in the World State is being under the affects of soma. With someone like Bernard his happiness will need to come from becoming who he wants to be. He will never be happy by just doing what is 'normal.' I think that in the book only he knows what can be done to ensure his happiness.

Both Helmholtz and Bernard feel that their lives are somewhat meaningless. They are both successful at things but something is missing for each of them.

Bernard and Lenina interact in a strange way. Bernard is backward and more to himself when around Alphas other than Lenina because that he is so different. When around Lenina Bernard is more outgoing doing what he thinks is right rather than what is accepted. This represents the idea that there is almost always another side. Even in a world that seems to be completely the same where everyone feels, acts, and does the same thing people are different. When it seems as though there presonatlities have just one aspect Bernard shows that this is not the case, and that he can be a different person depending on who he is with.

When Bernard learns that is actually going to Iceland he becomes more reserved. He starts to rethink his rebel attitudes and all the times it outwardly went against his conditioning.