Brave New World Essay

Prompt: Choose a novel or play in which cultural, physical, or geographical surroundings shape psychological or moral traits in a character. Then write a well-organized essay in which you analyze how surroundings affect this character and illuminate the meaning of the work as a whole.  Do not merely summarize the plot.

Essay:
       "If one's different, one's bound to be lonely." In every society, one is always striving to fit in because they want to be successful and in order to do that, it is important to be well liked. In Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, Bernard Marx is the outcast. Although he has been placed in the highest caste of the World State, he feels left out because he knows he different than everyone else. This is seen by the reader in the very early stages of the novel, and it will be a key element in the rest of the development of the novel.
        The first time the reader notices is when Huxley begins to describe his physical difference compared to the other Alphas. He is much smaller than them and feels like it would fit in better with some of the lower classes. It is said that there might have possibly been a mix up, and alcohol was placed in his egg when he was being created. And because of his physical difference, himself and other Alphas have labeled him as the outcast and so he feels like he doesn't belong.
        This label makes him keep to himself and therefore critics the World State, which furthers his distance from the others. In Brave New World, it is odd for others to keep to themselves, and because Bernard does this often, others tend to keep their distance from him as well, aiding in his insecurity. Because of his insecurity, he does not have a commanding voice where he can demand the lower castes to do things for him and this even furthers the idea of him being an outcast. An example of this is when he is preparing to leave in his helicopter and tries to get the lower castes to get it ready, but they refuse to do it right away.
        In the World State, stability and happiness are the main goals needed to maintain. And since Bernard is instable and unhappy because of his given label it affects his moral traits and how he acts as a character. Surroundings always affect a person, whether it's positive or negative, and this is definitely proven by Bernard in this novel.