Present (our time)
• As teenager one experiences sexuality with other boys or girls
• Later on you will marry and will usually live in monogamy or as single
• Divorces can happen, as well, but are not the order of the day
• Most of the people will found a family, no matter if they are married or not
• The usual way is that someone belongs to someone else
• Homosexual marriages are also possible
• We give viviparous births
• Our sexual life is influenced by tons of emotions (Andi)
Future (BNW)
• Sex is a physical need that has to be satisfied (“But everyone belongs to everyone else.” (p. 37, l. 8))
• Sex is not connected with emotions, it’s early encouraged, to show that sex is nothing special (“A rudimentary sexual game” (p. 29, l. 1; “it was just a pair of kids fooling about; that was all. Just kids.” (p. 29, ll. 7-8))
• It is expected that the citizens have more than one partner (“He has other girls, doesn’t he?” – Trust Henry Foster to be the perfect gentleman – always correct.” (p. 38, ll. 22-25); “I am surprised that you haven’t had her.” (p. 40, l. 25); “They were dear boys (…) (p. 50, ll. 5-10))
• Love has no meaning for the BNW (Argument between John & Lenina: “I wanted you so much. And if you wanted me too, why didn’t you?” (p. 165, ll.19-20)
In the following dialogue it gets obvious that “love” for John means doing things for the beloved that one usually does not do. “You had to bring her the skin of a mountain lion” (p.163, l. 15), to show, how much one loves the beloved.
Lenina just does not understand. For her love means having sex with others. It is impossible for her to understand why John freaks out after she took her clothes of (“ ‘What is it?’ she almost screamed.” (p.167, l. 6)
• Family means pornography, as well as parents (p. 23, ll. 3-7). They laugh about John addressing the Director with “my father” (p. 131, l. 5)
(Fabian)
Comparison
• Linda does not get along with the other women in the reservation. Since she does not now that it is unethical to have an affair with someone who is spoken for someone else. In consequence the betrayed women flog Linda. (p.108 ll.7-25)
• Since Linda got told, that mother is a filthy word, she reacts harshly to John, whenever he calls her mother and not as usual Linda. (p.109 ll.9-11)
• Another conflict beetween the two different sexual educations comes up, whenever Lenina and John confess their love to each other.
John tries to convey his feelings to her, but she just doesn´t get the point. In reaction she starts to undress and John becomes mad, because he feels misunderstood. (p.165 ll.19-25; p. 166 ll. 13-18)
1.to be spoken for = vergeben sein
2.to flog somebody = jemanden auspeitschen
(Nick)