2) Explain Linda’s social status in the reservation.
The excerpt is taken from Aldous Huxley’s novel Brave New World published in 1932. It describes the encounter of two members of the World State, Bernard Marx and Lenina, with Linda and her son John. Linda has been born in the World State and had to stay in the reservation after an accident. Her son John has been born in the reservation but has been received in the World State. Due to various reasons Linda has a very low social status in the reservation.
Linda has come to the reservation like Bernard and Lenina. She accompanied a high-ranking Alpha on a holiday trip. After an accident her compnion left the reservation without her because he thought her to be dead. The inhabitants of the reservation found her and brought her to their village. There they tended her injuries: “Filth, just filth (l.16-17). Linda is disguisted. She shows little gratitude for her saviour but tries to teach the people like children:
“And “Streptocock-Gee to Branbury T, to see a fine bathroom and W.C.” as though they were children.” (l. 18-19) This quotation shows that Linda still feels herself being superior to the members of the reservation. Her tone seems to be a arrogant one. After all the years in the reservation she still inherits the class consciousness of the Brave New World: “But I’m a Beta;” (l. 25)
The people of the reservation are probably not too pleased with this attitude. Especially, since Linda is not able to fit the basic needs of everyday life. “And you’re supposed to mend it if it gets torn.”(l. 24-25) Linda does not only not know how to mend but furthermore opposes the idea of mending torn apparel. Her reaction to medical aid goes the same line. In stead of knowing how to help herself she repeats nursery rhymes in case of need.
Furthermore, Linda is an alcoholic. The paragraph prior to the excerpt descibes her constant use of “mescal” and “peyotl” (p.108 l. 3). The reason for her alcoholism can be traced back to her education in the World State. There it is normal to react to even the slightest disturbance by taking the drug soma. It is as normal as eating and sleeping. Life in the reservation has more than only little disturbing elements. The lack of soma being only one.The fact that Linda is prone to alcohol is a reaction to the cultural differences.
Another important difference, maybe the single most important difference is the different view on sexuality. Linda is bewildered by the moral value of the denizens of the reservation. They have a system of strict monogamy. Furthermore you are thought to be “wicked and anti-social” (l. 46) if you do not obey these rules. Linda learns this code of conduct the hard way. She has sexual intercourse with different men of the village like she is used to it from the World State. The women of the village punish her for that behaviour.Linda still does not understand what the problem is and considers them being mad: “Being mad’s infectious, I believe.” (l. 63-64) But Linda earns not only the contempt of the female denizens of the reservation, vise versa it is the same. Linda despises the women for their motherhood. She compares the women with dogs (l. 54-55) for their great number of children.
To conclude the essay on Linda’s social status in the reservation, we have a look at the three main reasons. First of all, Linda meets the rustic people of the reservation with disrespect and arrogance. Furthermore she is not capable of the basic skills to survive and is an acloholic. The most important reason, nevertheless, is her view on sexuality. The promiscuity she has been conditioned to see as normal threatens the family-based society of the reservation. Therefore Linda is treated like an outsider and kept away from public life.
(645 words)
by Daniel Eiken
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