Brave New World and 1984 Compare and Contrast

Two Different Societies: Two Twisted Foundations Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World and George Orewell’s 1984 were both composed surrounding times of war in the twentieth century. The authors were alarmed by what they saw in society and began to write novels depicting the severe outcomes and possiblities of civilizaton if it continued down its path. Although the two books are very different, they both address many of the same issues and principles. In Brave New World Huxley creates a society which is carefully balanced, and the two factors that maintain the balance are reproduction and production. The reproduction aspect comes from the government's control over the creation of people, and breeding them to fulfil particular purposes and jobs that keep production flowing. To keep this society in balance there has to be a need for production, and so the people are taught to replace an item that still is functional, but has a minor imperfection with a new one. The society presented in 1984 is less comfortably balanced. The population is closely monitored and kept in check by the Thought Police, and anyone seen as a threat to the teachings of the Party and Big Brother are "taken care of." This country also creates stability through perpetual war as a means of maintaining the status quo. This means that the constant fighting keeps the society balanced, and if the wars were to end, the support and obedience of the society would cease, and thus causing the fall of Oceania. In 1984 Orewell does not emphasize technological advances since the only technology uses are by the Party and are used to maintain control of Oceania. Other than telescreens and the ever-present surveillance equipment, all real science has been abolished because the Party does not want anyone to be given a reason to oppose them. It believes that science in the hands of the public presents a threat. Huxley imagines a more scientifically dependent society. People in this society are no longer