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Introduction

Compare and contrast how Orwell and Huxley present Sexuality in '1984' and 'Brave New World'. s*x and sexuality promote power struggles and the demise of the person or character when interwoven into a storyline. Two such novels that contain a focus on sexuality are that of Brave New World and 1984; both novels concern several characters that experience both the up side and the down side of s****l promiscuity. The given twist of both authors is that the characters all live in a totalitarian state; in 1984 the main character Winston, lives in a world where s*x has been outlawed and made a crime; in Brave New World s****l promiscuity is very much accepted as a way of live. Both Orwell and Huxley use a variety of techniques to create stories powerfully illustrating worlds in confusion, contrasting worlds where s*x is frowned upon or where it is smiled upon, through this the characters' sexuality is brought to the forefront of the readers mind, and we are able to see how the way the characters deal with s*x and whether or not the decisions that take lead to their eventual downfall. s*x is an extremely powerful weapon and this is established very readily within both novels. In 1984 s*x has been forbidden, people are brainwashed by Big Brother and the Establishment to live a mundane life, concentrating solely on worshipping Big Brother and working for Oceania. ...read more.

Middle

However when he is guided to the reality of the situation he is able to see the true form and appreciate Big Brother in a valid way. Winston's attraction could also show the desperate measures he regularly takes to make a stand against Big Brother, this is just one of the many ways Winston tries to undermine Big Brother in his own radical way, another such example is his relationship with Julia. Winston like Lenina uses s*x as a weapon against the society that he lives in, whereas Lenina is rebelling against her conditioning by not be so s****l promiscuous, Winston uses s*x to fight his corner and rebel against Big Brother's condemnation of all things s*x and l**t related. The character of the Savage called John is the only character who seems to openly renounce the ideals and appearance that the Fordian society takes on, but eventually even John is broken down by the extreme nature of the society. John comes from the Savage Reservation considered the lowest of the low class rankings in the whole of civilisation, because of this naturally people's reactions to him are one of intrigue and interest. John has not been subject to the conditioning of Fordian society and so when he is taken back to the World State he is appalled by the obvious s****l promiscuity of the society he is visiting; he believes in the long and forgotten values of love and romance and cannot believe what he sees. ...read more.

Conclusion

Orwell and Huxley both present the reader with two very contrasting worlds yet both authors agree in their perspective of s*x and sexuality-that ultimately sexuality leads to the corruption and demise of life. In Brave New World John the Savage is introduced into a world of complete s****l freedom, where l**t reigns free, this is very alien to him and as much as he tries to fight his urges he is led by the promiscuous Lenina and is eventually swallowed up the World State's conditioning, finding himself in the exact position he though intolerable. In 1984 Winston is led by his hunger to rebel against Big Brother into the arms of the equally s******y promiscuous Julia and their affair eventually leads him to embrace Big Brother with love, something he believed he would never do. Both novels are a demonstration of the extreme power that sexuality holds over human beings, and that ultimately we as a race cannot withstand s*x. This very view is summed up in the final actions of John the Savage who realises he is just as s******y driven as people such as Lenina, he has given into the very thing he was fighting against and feels that there is no other way out but to kill himself, 'Slowly, very slowly, like two unhurried compass needles, the feet turned towards the right; north, north-east, east, south-east, south, south-south west...' ...read more.

This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE 1984 section.