Compare and contrast the way in which the concept of In the Wild is represented in the texts

Brave New World (Aldous Huxley and Blade !unner (!idley "cott#
The concept of In the Wild refers to the natural world, or a natural state of being. In the Wild can also
refer to the natural rhythms of life. Both texts, Brave ew World !BW" and Blade #unner !B#", display
worlds that have fallen away from the natural state. The two texts present to the responder the idea, that as
humans become more in touch with technology, they lose respect for the natural world which humans have
an inextricable lin$ with. The two texts do however, show contrast in the way in which the natural world has
been forgotten. BW%s world is sterile, and so distant form a natural state, and is almost as though nature
has been suppressed in this environment. The world created in B# however, is polluted and seems as though
the natural world has been infected and tainted by the clutter of technology that rules it today. The two texts
both still, however it is established within the novel, exhibit a missing lin$ between the natural world and
humanity. It appears in both texts that a natural state is not only diminished within the environment, but also
between characters. The representation of humanity and the interaction between humans is subverted and
somewhat of a disgusting nature. These issues are represented in both B# and BW, by the careful
construction of the texts in relation to the context that it was written in. Both composers, &ldous 'uxley,
writer of BW, and #idley (cott, director of B#, have audibly inserted their own views about the future
they imagine which is contrasted between the texts, but have both drawn the same conclusion) man has lost
touch with the natural world. In addition, both texts see$ to serve as a warning to the audience. The texts
warn man$ind not to become too involved and caught up in technology, in fear that it will claim superiority
over humans.
*ontext plays an imperative role in both texts. *ontext allows for an establishment of time and place, and
introduces important approaches and directions for the texts. Brave ew World was written in +,-., and
Blade #unner, fifty years later in +,/.. &lthough the version of Blade #unner that is studied in this unit was
introduced in +,,. because it is the directors cut, when considering context, the original film, released in
+,/. is ta$en into account because this is when the original idea was spawned. (imilarly, both authors are
centrally consumed with the inevitable penetration of technology within society. In +,-., at the close of
WW+ 'uxley had been observing the animalistic and despicable behavior of a world, engaged in a war of
technology. This distressed 'uxley, and his view of the future, which is presented in BW, is blea$ and
disturbing. (cott, director of B#, also worries about the intrusion of technology on society. The views of
society at the time B# was produced were of distress that technology would soon ta$e away peoples 0obs,
and the need for humans on earth would diminish. This is displayed in B#, with the introduction of robots,
or replicants as they are named.
There is also contrast between contexts for both texts. &ldous 'uxley%s BW, particularly targets '.1.
Wells, who wrote 2odern 3topia and condemns the outloo$ of society at the time, that technology can
create a seemingly perfect world. 'e demonstrates this distaste with his creation of a brave new
world, which is created, operated and executed by technology. This world shows a fa4ade of perfection, but
its interior aches for a connection with the natural world. #idley (cott, however shows concern for the over
abundance of technology. Whilst 'uxley is concerned that technology might ta$e over, (cott is concerned
that technology has ta$en over. The era before Blade #unner was that of rapid consumerism and (cott
feared that with the recent rise in technological advances, the world would soon become polluted with
technology. *onse5uently, this may be the reason why B# was set in the near future, year .6+,, whereas
BW, is ultra futuristic set in &7 89. !&7 stands for &fter 7ord and the Industrialist 'enry 7ord is the
person being referred to here. The year of +,6/ was the year that 'enry 7ord commenced mass production
of the 2odel:T 7ord, and is the year that the new era began in the Brave ew World. 'enry 7ord has
become the god of the new world because of his ability to create and control humans using his mass
production techni5ues. Therefore, BW is set in .;96 &<". &ccording to (cott, director of B#, the ta$e
over, from man to machine, had already begun and is possibly why the text has been set in the not so distant
future. 'uxley however, felt that the shift from man to machine was yet to come, and had not 5uite
commenced yet, and the text is therefore set it &< 89..
The setting in both BW and B# can be described as dystopian. (imilarly both texts reveal a blea$,
desolate and grim environment. & dystopia is defined as &n imaginary place or state in which the condition
of life is extremely bad, as from deprivation, oppression, or terror
+
. Both worlds have lost their connection
with the natural environment, but yet both worlds yearn for this connection to be re:established, because
intrinsically, humans are lin$ed to the natural world. In both texts, each setting has an absence of nature and
a presence of artificiality. In B#, one of the few forms of nature, that is the owl, is robotic. In BW, the
absence of nature extends even to the creation of human life. =eople in the >brave new world% created by
'uxley, are not created by the simple act of sex, but are artificially produced, which is called the
Bo$anovs$y process, in test tubes, and a conditioned form the moment they are created. The use of
scientific imagery to describe setting, describes that the novel, is in fact a description of man$ind%s effort to
dominate nature, or as mentioned earlier, suppress nature, through artificial methods. The opening scene in
B# also establishes that man has fought with nature, and technology has one. The abundance of
technological devices in this scene?setting, establish that the world created by #idley (cott, is that
dominated by technology.
In contrast however, the way in which the setting of each text is highlighted is opposite. The vulgar setting
in Blade #unner is represented, with the use of film noir. The smo$y scenes, dar$ lighting and dismal
setting, for example rainy street at night, are all $ey elements of film noir. These elements all enhance the
dystopia genre of the setting. 'owever, in BW, the setting is much more disinfected, sterile and clean.
When the text is read, the reader can only envisage the shades of white and grey The overalls of the
wor$ers were white page + of BW. The opposite of film noir is seen in BW. This creation of such a
plain and sterile environment exploits the artificiality of the brave new world. The synthetic, artificial
scenery in both texts however, see$ to establish a reali@ation amongst readers, that the loss of connection
between nature and man only can have negative and detrimental affects on the human race. The artificial
nature of both of the texts poses 5uestions for the audience to ponder. Where is the world heading if
technology continues to grow and integrate amongst humansA 'ow long will it really ta$e for the world to
become completely artificialA These are 5uestions the composers &ldous 'uxley, and #idley (cott see$ to
answer. The use of a dystopian setting can however cause mixed responses from audience. Is this actually
li$ely to happen, or is his a feverish imagination wor$ingA
*haracterisation within both texts shows similarities and differences. *lass and categori@ation are used to
represent characters in the two texts. In B# we assume that all higher:class citi@ens, or those who are highly
sophisticated, have left Bos &ngeles and fled to the off world colonies, a better place. It is suggested that
those who are left in Bos &ngeles, are flawed or impaired, and are left in the world that is polluted heavily
with technology. In BW, characters are represented in a hierarchy. The order of class is !from highest to
lowest" &lphas, Betas, 1ammas, <eltas and Clipsons, the first five letters of the 1ree$ alphabet. These
classes are all conditioned to conform to the rules that have been created for them. (imilarly in both texts,
humans are created artificially, as #eplicants in Blade #unner, and by the Bo$anovs$y process in Brave
ew World. The implications of classing a whole society and conditioning them to fall into conformity,
from the moment people were created, are somewhat catastrophic. The society in the Brave ew World, has
suppressed nature, and been taught to ignore natural instinct, or rather, paradoxically are given a
manufactured instinct that they believe is natural.
B# only has limited amounts of classes that characters can fit into, however characters are still classed.
The theme mostly apparent in B# is the struggle for power. Those associated with the Tyrell *orporation,
are searching for power, in the vain hope it will ma$e them content. This can be seen by the use of upward
camera angles, which point up the Tyrrell Building, showing it has a higher power over the people. While
the characters in B# have made a class for themselves, and are placed in that class, with the exception of
+
&ccording to http)??dictionary.reference.com?searchA5Ddystopia
#eplicants of course, based on their own actions and thoughts, in BW however, characters are placed in a
class, by their creator. Cverybody is conditioned to fall into conformity from the moment they are created,
and characters are pushed into a class without choice. Cach class in the novel is forced into conformity, and
this conformity is a subversion to the beliefs of today. 7or example, the practice of monogamy is considered
in correct in the text. 2ans natural instinct and his connection with nature has been stripped in the Brave
ew World. With each character in the text there is a complete loss of the natural instinct humans are
e5uipped with today. 'owever characters Bernard 2arx, and Eohn the (avage, have a connection, however
stifled it may be, with nature and mans interaction with the wild. Eohn the savage, lives in the wild, in the
#eservation, and Bernard 2arx, finds this way of life fascinating, even though many others in the Brave
ew World do not. &n example of Eohn the (avages display of natural instinct is after he has been exposed
to the Brave ew World, which in actuality is anything but brave, and longs to be bac$ in nature, that is the
reservation.
In contrast, characters in Blade #unner, have suppressed the natural world, that is those who are still on
earth. 'umans who have fled to 0oin the off shore colonies, are assumed to be living in a world that is free
from the pollution of technology, and lush with nature and its lin$ with man$ind. The unfortunate, that are
left to live on earth, li$e <ec$ard, are poisoned and bitter. =aradoxically, the #eplicants, which have been
created by man, emote much more sincerely than their creators. In actual fact, the slogan created by their
manufacture is more human than human. The #eplicants, li$e #oy Batty, #achael and Beon have an
indescribable yearning for a connection with nature and the natural instincts of man. They crave emotion
and other natural instinctive behavior that comes normally to man, while it seems man, for example
<ec$ard, suppresses emotion and prefers to be bitter and hateful. The suppression of nature and of emotion
and natural instinct is represented through film noir and the dar$ness of the film. This dar$ness, or film noir
creates an atmosphere of pollution, or corruption. It indicates through <ec$ard dar$ emotions, that the
surrounding environment him, is tainted also.
&nother point of contrast between characteri@ations is the satirical use of historical figures in BW.
&ldous 'uxley has used names such as Benina, which refers to Fladimir Benin, who was a political figure
in the time of &ldous 'uxley%s life. Benin developed Beninism, which is an adaptation of 2arxism. &lso
Bernard 2arx is a reference to Garl 2arx who developed 2arxism. These two socialist theories clearly
influenced 'uxley and his idea on mans disintegrating relationship with the natural environment.
The writers of both these texts have sought to caution society of the dangers of meddling with technology
because they both fear that it can have detrimental effects on mans relationship with the natural state or
world, in the wild. Both writers have discernibly integrated their concern into the texts. This concern is
aimed to be shared by all who view?read the texts. 'owever this is not always the case. &lthough both texts
show many differences in how they are presented and some ideas that are presented, the texts show many
similarities in central ideas and themes. The plummet of mans relationship with nature is evident in both
texts. 'owever, these ideas are presented differently in each of the texts. In Brave ew World, natural
instinct and the natural world is suppressed and pushed away. Technology is welcomed warm:heartedly and
mans inextricable lin$ with nature and the wild, is censored, so that a conditioned natural instinct is instead
present amongst characters in the text. In Blade #unner, the natural world and natural rhythms of life have
been destroyed and infected by the introduction and superseding of technology over humans. In both texts
however, the natural state has not only diminished within the environment, but has also been destructed
between humans. Interaction between characters in the texts are evidently tainted, and natural
communication between humans is lost and instead, replaced by either technology, in B# with the use of
#eplicants instead of humans, and in BW, the conditioning of humans to replace natural instinct.
Both texts display the concept of In the Wild clearly and undoubtedly. The two texts show much
contrast and comparison between context, techni5ues, characteri@ation and setting and both see$ to warn the
responder of the dangers of technology interfering with mans relationship with the natural world, natural
instinct, and the natural rhythms of life.