Theses

This blog format offers me the unique opportunity to explore various themes and discourses that I found interesting in the novel, without being limited to a six-page paper or finding a way to make all of my ideas interconnect. With that being said, I have three separate thesis ideas that I will be writing about, all of which fit in with ecocriticism, feminism, or both.

Thesis 1:

The oppression of women and nature created by the World State of the novel Brave New World by Aldous Huxley runs parallel with the real life oppression of nature and women that began to occur during the 17th century.

Thesis 2:
Vivipary, and subsequently live childbirth and parenthood, especially motherhood are deemed revolting and indecent in the World State of Brave New World. This aligns with the shift in society during the Scientific Revolution in regards to motherhood. Also, making viviparous birth an action deemed inappropriate by society, the World State maintains the power to oppress women within the society.

Thesis 3:
The mechanized society of the World State in the novel Brave New World by Aldous Huxley and the society's view of nature highlights the shift away from nature and towards mechanization seen during the Scientific Revolution, which led to the oppression of nature. 

Purpose

The purpose of this blog, which serves as the medium for my final project in my introductory literature theory course, is to showcase my newly acquired knowledge in the field of literature theory by applying the lessons of the course to an area of context. 

I have chosen to read Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, which is the tale of a futuristic, mechanized, science-driven dystopian society that appears to be Utopian on the surface. Published in 1932, the novel eerily echoes some ideas and actions that were merely thoughts when the story was written, but are a part of today's tangible reality. 

Through the text of Brave New World I discovered various instances that highlight issues with the interaction of the characters in the novel with their environment, as well as issues involving the oppression of female characters. With these examples in mind I have analyzed the novel through the lens of ecocriticism, feminism, and ecofeminism. I must note that although ecocriticism and feminism overlap in ecofeminism, I still analyze other parts of the novel as simply an ecocritic or a feminist specifically. 

I have attempted to show how the interaction of the characters with their natural environment indicates a fairly negative feeling towards an organic nature. I have also shown the way that the entity that is in charge in the novel Brave New World uses their power to oppress the female characters without their knowledge. I also highlight the parallel of the oppression of the women characters and the oppression of their natural environments.

About Me

My name is Kristina Nina, and I am an English major who is a (soon to be) graduate of Brookdale Community College, and a (soon to be) student at The College of New Jersey. As you could infer from my major, I enjoy to read and write, along with crocheting, looking at cute pictures of animals online, and expressing my love of cats. 

Here, have a selfie.

I cannot imagine studying anything other than English. Throughout my entire life, my love of words and books has captivated me and fueled me. It has shaped the person I am and it is an integral part of my essence as a person. At one point, I would have said that I prefer "classic literature" over other genres. After my first literature theory class and a couple of semesters in college, I can happily say that I'm open to most types of books although I have a preference for older well-known works known as classics, but I'm working my way into reading modern fiction. Although, let's be honest here: I'm a college student, I don't have time to read.

My final semester at Brookdale Community College is concluding, as well as my first literature theory course. Before I embarked on the pedagogical journey of getting my feet wet in theory so-to-speak, led by Professor Alvarez, I thought that my major would consist of reading lots of books and writings lots of papers. At this point, I understand that there is much more substance to an English degree. It became apparent to me that I really did not know much of what I was getting myself into. After this course, I can say that although I'm a bit nervous for the daunting task ahead of me, I am also so excited. I cannot imagine spending my time doing anything else.

With that being said, welcome to the blog that serves as the medium for my final project for my introduction to literary theory course, the Praxis project.