Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Peer Pressure
In chapter 11 of Aldous Huxley's Brave New World, John and Lenina attend the "feelies" which are sort of like movies. So in a sense, John and Lenina went to the movies for their date. After the feely, John and Lenina realize they like each other but even then they don't tell each other. Lenina was doubtful as to whether John liked her or not, and John refusing to have sex with her only confused her even more. This made Lenina seem sort of desperate to have sex with him maybe because it's the "right" thing to do--at least in the society of Brave New World. Everyone is encouraged to have sex as a way to keep everyone happy, and happiness is the main fundamental of the society making it "the perfect society." Since John is not used to the lifestyle of the people in the society, he doesn't feel the need to have sex right away, making Lenina seem desperate. This made me think about the movie "American Pie." This movie is about four teenage boys that make a pact to lose their virginity before their high school graduation. In this movie, the boys are desperate to have sex and they want to accomplish their goal before they graduate. They are willing to do almost anything to accomplish their goal and this reminded me of desperate Lenina. Just as Lenina wants to have sex, not just because she likes John but also because it's what they're taught or conditioned to do, the boys wanted a taste of what it was like to lose their virginity due to rumors about sex. I think all of this just falls into peer pressure.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
I don't understand the connection between peer pressure in Lenina's situation. Lenina was conditioned to be the way she is, promiscuity is something that she is trained to have the urge to have sex. I don't think it's peer pressure, since everyone in the society does it and it seems normal and a must. Peer pressure is when someone or a group of things influence or pressure someone to do something that they don't want to do.
ReplyDeleteI think your idea of peer pressure is good. Lenina is being peer pressured, but it's not the same type of peer pressure. While the boys in American Pie are like most teenage boys in school, they have their peers misguiding them. But Lenina doesn't really have peers. She is trained from birth to want to have sex with whoever she wants. In a sense it relates to peer pressure, but in different levels. Did you take into account the boys hormones? While most kids in school are raging with hormones, I doubt peer pressure is the sole adviser in wanting sex. The kids themselves would have probably thought that way without anybody misguiding them. Lenina on the other hand never truly has a choice. She isn't allowed to think for herself she just knows what she knows. Did you think Lenina has hormones?
ReplyDeleteI understand where you’re coming from when you use the meaning peer pressure to relate to your theory about Lenina. I agree with you in state that Lenina is being peer pressured by her own thoughts about how things should be. John comes from a different cultural background and believes something different than the Brave New World Society. Lenina is conditioned to think that having sex with everybody is okay. Do you think if Lenina was not apart of our society she would still want to have relations with John?
ReplyDeleteI disagree with you Cassandra, Lenina is not being peer-presured to have sex with John. She feels rejected by John, because she has being conditioned to sleep with everyone you want. Lenina clearly wanted to have sexual intercorse with John, except John is more concervative. He hasn't being conditioned to be promiscuous as Lenina has. So, there is a difference between Lenina being peer-pressured to Lenina being rejected. Or if you believe Lenina has being peer pressured, then how? How and who is pressuring Lenina?
ReplyDelete