Chapters 11 & 12By : Kathleen Bailey and Amy Miller
Chapter 11 VocabularyCarping—FaultfindingMalthusian Belt—A device worn to
discourage sex in the unsterilized women to avoid pregnancy
Malthusian Drill—Another device meant for the unsterilized women to avoid pregnancy
Hypnopaedia—Sleep-teaching to inculcate prejudices into the subconscious of the sleeper
Chapter 11 CharactersDirector of Hatcheries and Conditioning—
Directory of the hatchery; gives the students a tour of the facility
Linda—Conditioned woman raised in civilization but left by accident in the Reservation by the Director years before; has son, John, who grows up as a half-breed
John—Son of Linda and the DirectorBernard—Alpha plus successful psychologist
who has an inferiority complex due to his small height
Characters (continued)Helmholtz—Emotional engineer, friend of
Bernard, also an outcast but due to his great physical beauty and muscular strength and mental excess
Mustapha Mond—Resident controller of Western Europe
Lenina—Woman who tries to persuade Bernard to take her to the reservation
Chapter 11The Director of Hatcheries and Conditioning
resigned.The rest of society finds Linda obscene
because she had a child and was “bottle born”.
Linda goes on Soma holiday to escape civilization“Soma may make you lose a few years in time”
Bernard’s New LifeFor the first time in his life, John is important.Bernard uses John to improve his social life.Bernard’s new acquaintances include:
Chief BottlerDirector of Predestination3 Deputy Assistant Fertilizer Generals
Believes that Helmholtz, his only “true friend”, is jealous.
Success goes to his head
Tour of CivilizationBernard takes John on a tour of civilizationBernard writes reports for Mustapha MondThey visit the Electrical Equipment
CorporationThey discuss how things are assembled and
who assembles whatBernard then reports to Mustapha Mond
againBernard notes that John has “an attraction” to
Linda (they don’t understand the mother to son relationship)
Tour of CivilizationThey visit the Upper School—exclusive to
uppercaste boys and girls (1 egg, 1 adult)John witnesses the end of a Malthusian DrillJohn sees a lesson on savage reservationsThey catch a glimpse of the hypnopaedic
control roomAlso learn about how the students are put
through death conditioning
A Night OutLenina takes John out for a nightLenina shared in Bernard’s fame after
bringing back the SavageLenina feels that John doesn’t like herShe confides in Fanny (the two seem to be
close friends)Lenina takes John to the feelies
John finds this horrible whereas Lenina loved itLenina gets dropped off at her appartment
and John leaves her
Chapter 12 VocabularyMagnanimity—GenerosityMollified—Calmed, allayed
Bernard Throws a PartyJohn refuses to come out of his roomBernard informs the party that the Savage won’t
be joining themLenina had planned on telling John that she liked
himShe believes that John doesn’t show up because he
doesn’t like herBad comments are made regarding BernardOnce the Arch-Community Songster of Canterbury
decides to leave, everyone leavesBernard takes some soma to escape his problems
Scene ShiftsJohn spends his time reading Romeo and
JulietLenina is with the Arch-Community SongsterBernard wakes up and rejoins the world and
his problemsBernard blames the Savage for his decline in
popularityBernard remembers Helmholtz and asks for
his friendship
Helmholtz is in trouble with authorityHe was giving a lecture in his Advanced
Emotional Engineering on the Use of Rhymes in Moral Propaganda and Advertisement.
He gave them one of his own rhymes about being alone.
“Yesterday’s committee,Sticks, but a broken drum,Midnight in the City,Flutes in a vacuum,…”
Bernard Introduces John to HelmholtzThey like each other instantlyJohn reads part of The Complete Works of
William Shakespeare to Helmholtz (Rhymes)He reads Romeo and JulietHelmholtz is repulsed by the idea of mother
and father (grotesque obscenity)The idea of Tybalt dead and not cremated
was outrageousHelmholtz states that Shakespeare was a
great propaganda technician.
QuestionsWhat causes the director to resign?The news that he has a son and is a father!Why would Bernard be jealous of the
relationship between Helmholtz and John?Bernard does not have the same relationship
with either of them.Why does Helmholtz get in trouble and why
would there be a problem with his poem?Reciting his poem to a class and the poem
talks about being alone.