Brave New Wold Chapter 8

1. How would you describe John's upbringing? Why do you think he says that he is "Alone, always alone." (p. 137). How does Bernard feel about John?
John was thrown into a world he could never have any true place in. He had a cruel childhood being brought up by a woman who had been conditioned to hate the idea of motherhood. His manliness was constantly being challenged by his mother’s lovers who bullied him and took away the one comfort he had in his life, the love and attention of his mother. He tried very hard to fit into his community but was rejected. All of his experiences lead him to believe that forcing himself to suffer was the only way to gain some sort of enlightenment on his sad situation. He was torn between the world and customs of the Indians and those of his mother’s previous life in the civilized world. He says he is alone because he was raised by the customs of both these worlds combined therefore no one from either of these places could truly understand him because he would have some qualities of the other world. So he was always being rejected by both sides and therefore could never belong anywhere and was always alone.

2. Why does John say at the end of the chapter, "O brave new world!" (p. 139)?
He says this because he believes that the civilized world is full of opportunity for him and he will truly be happy and fulfilled there. It is in a way a fresh start for him.