Brave New World
Huxley, Aldous. Brave New World. New York: RosettaBooks LLC, 2010. Electronic.
Plot Description
Brave New World takes place in futuristic London, England. In this society, humans are created in a laboratory. The idea of natural birth, and having a mother or father is revolting. Each embryo is predestined to be a compliant member of the caste society. Through the use of conditioning and “soma” all members of the ‘After Ford” society are happy and complacent; except for Bernard Marx. He is an Alpha-Plus therefore a member of the highest caste, yet he is one of the very few that is unhappy in this perfect society. He plans a trip to the Savage Reservation to experience how life was “Pre-Ford”. Will what he discovers there make him long for the Pre-Ford days of savagery or appreciate this Brave New World?
Quantitative Reading Level
Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level: 8.6
Flesch-Kincaid Reading Ease: 60.2
ATOS Level: 9.5
Qualitative Reading Level
Meaning: Middle High. Text contains multiple layers of meaning.
Structure: Middle High. The narrative structure contains some complexities, more implicit than explicit and some unconventionality. Narration occasionally shifts in point of view. The order of events has occasional use of flashbacks and no major shifts in time; this categorizes the order of events as Middle Low. However, I would classify the structure overall as Middle High because the majority of the structure qualities would be considered at the Middle High level.
Language: Middle High: Text contains abstract, figurative language and irony. The language is also somewhat complex, occasionally unfamiliar, domain specific, and sometimes academic.
Knowledge Demands: Middle High/High. Text explores multiple themes of carrying levels of complexity. Some of the experiences portrayed are fantasy and are distinctly different to the common reader. The use of intertexuality and allusions to cultural elements requires moderate levels of cultural and literacy knowledge.
Content Area English, Science: Biology
Subject Area Tag English, Weekly Requirements
New York State Content Area Standard (Grades 6-12)
1. Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text.
2. Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key supporting details and ideas.
3. Analyze how and why individuals, events, and ideas develop and interact over the course of a text.
4. Interpret words and phrases as they are used in a text, including determining technical, connotative, and figurative meanings, and analyze how specific word choices shape meaning or tone.
5. Analyze the structure of texts, including how specific sentences, paragraphs, and larger portions of the text (e.g., a section, chapter, scene, or stanza) relate to each other and the whole.
6. Assess how point of view or purpose shapes the content and style of a text.
7. Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse formats and media, including visually and quantitatively, as well as in words.
9. Analyze how two or more texts address similar themes or topics in order to build knowledge or to compare the approaches the authors take.
10. Read and comprehend complex literary and informational texts independently and proficiently.
11. Respond to literature by employing knowledge of literary language, textual features, and forms to read and comprehend, reflect upon, and interpret literary texts from a variety of genres and a wide spectrum of American and world cultures.
NYS does not have a Core Curriculum for Biology.
http://www.p12.nysed.gov/ciai/mst/sci/ls.html
Curriculum Suggestions
•Pair with a contemporary novel such as Candor by Pam Bachorz
•Ask students to create a virtual tour their own perfect society
•The possibilities of applying the science in Brave New World. Is it a reality? Do we use these ideas today?
Links to Supporting Digital Content
Free online book: http://books.google.com/books?id=niDNtZoYsAUC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false
Free audio book:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnpTyLvgAxs&list=PLB89C6B796D6E0D3D&index=2
Study Guide:
http://www.aasd.k12.wi.us/staff/thiellana/my%20web%20sites/BNW%20Study%20Guide.htm
Aldous Huxley Biography:
http://www.egs.edu/library/aldous-huxley/biography/
*photo obtained from Goodreads
