Chapter IX - Overall Analysis

This chapter is quite short but it has many explosive and descriptive literary devices that bring the reader a better sense into the mind of the Savage, John.

Bernard begins this chapter by discussing with the World Controller, Mustapha Mond, that he would like to bring back the Savage and Linda (since John wanted Linda to come along too) to London for 'sufficient scientific interest'. This is interesting because I think it foreshadows that John and Linda will not be happy in the society, as they would be used for 'sufficient scientific interest'.

John, fearing that Bernard and Lenina left, is devastated as he had wanted to go and see the society after hearing so many stories about it. However, after he enters the hotel, he feels the complete opposite of fear and pain - euphoria.

John creates many emotional pictures when he goes through Lenina's things and sees her on the bed sleeping.
He is obviously infatuated with Lenina. As he goes through her things, he sees and feels everything as if it were 'her real presence'. John is one of the more intriguing characters because he sees and talks about things in such a vivid descriptive way, that it makes reading his thoughts and actions riveting. The other characters in the book talk about things in such a drab and almost dreary way that it is hardly stimulating. An example of this is when he first sees Lenina sleeping in her pale pink zippyjamas, "...so beautiful in the midst of her curls, so touchingly childish with her pink toes and grave sleeping face, so trustful in the helplessness of her limp hands and melted limbs..." (IX, 125), this vivid and stark contrast of beauty and pain is a delight to the senses. He sees Lenina in such a beautiful light and yet there is an oxymoron feeling to it as well with her 'helplessness' and 'childish' ways. However, Lenina does act like a child and can be quite immature in the fact that she is selfish and feels the need to have everyone pay attention to her. Therefore, John's description of her is almost perfect to a tee.
The only thing is that she is sleeping. I believe that when we are sleeping, and are completely submissive in our deep slumber, we exude a sense of child-like innocence, so therefore John's descriptive may very well be based on that.

Also, I do enjoy that John recalls Shakespeare in order to describe certain moments in his life - mostly moments that are emotionally stirring such as hatred, pain, and love. As he stares at Lenina he recalls a quote from Shakespeare that talks about great beauty and how those compared to such a beauty would surely be seen as hideous. The more important Shakespearean quote in this chapter,
"On the white wonder of dear Juliet's hand, may seize
And steal immortal blessing from her lips,
Who, even in pure and vestal modesty,
Still blush, as thinking their own kisses sin.",
which describes John's feeling that he wishes to kiss Lenina and touch her but one must be modest with one's morality.

Another interesting point in this chapter is how John reacts when he thinks about unzipping Lenina's zippyjamas to reveal her body. After having such a thought he shook his head and closed his eyes in an attempt to relieve himself of such a 'detestable thought'. He actually feels ashamed that he would even think of such a thing. This is probably due to his religious outlook on life and how he was brought up in the village. There is repetition of the 'pure and vestal modesty' from the Shakespearean quote, which just creates a greater sense of solidity in the fact that John is highly moral and would not shamelessly 'kiss the girls'.
I believe that this may be foreshadowing that since the society is based on sexual nature and having explicit moments and never being alone, that John will feel terrible in the society. He will have an ongoing internal battle between his morality and his urges. Thus strengthened by the fact he wishes to fit in somewhere, for once.