Chapter XII - Overall Analysis

When John the Savage refuses to show himself at one of Bernard's nightly parties, so the people of society can meet and greet the Savage, true feelings emerge.

The people of society show their true colours and how they never truly liked Bernard, that they only tolerated him. The women he had been felt they had been tricked by Bernard and the men felt they had their reputations dirtied by Bernard's unsavory reputation for tolerating him and being polite. Thus, Bernard never truly belonged in the society after being a 'hero'. He was just seen as a pawn in order to get closer to the Savage - a very annoying and unorthodox pawn (who must have had alcohol definitely put into his blood surrogate as a foetus, claims Fanny, just as she did at the beginning of the novel).

Lenina is completely devastated. She had convinced herself that she would confess her feelings for John, but when he doesn't show up, feels that it is because she is there (hello, conceited much?). She is convinced that he doesn't like her at all, which is ironic because John feels that Lenina does not like him and that he is unworthy for her.

The most interesting part of this however is that Lenina likes him so much that as soon as she heard that John was not showing up to the party, "a sense of dreadful emptiness, a breathless apprehension, a nausea. Her heart seemed to stop beating" (XII, 152). How emotionally stirring this quote is! It is obvious that Lenina is obsessed with John and wishes that she could be with him. However, would she be willing to spend forever with him, as he wants, or would she rather just spend the night with him? It's a little too early to tell what her true intentions are. I was just over-joyed that she had such a strong emotional reaction!

Quite randomly but decently important, we turn back to the World Controller Mustapha Mond who is reading a stimulating book about a new theory about biology. He feels it is an amazing book that is ingenious, but would be incredibly dangerous and subversive to the social order and stability in society. Mustapha claims it would easily recondition the unsettled minds of the higher society ranks which would make them lose their faith in the society and the happiness it so proclaims to bring them, mostly because it would teach them that the purpose of life is not to maintain well-being, but to refine consciousness and obtain immense knowledge. He writes 'Not to be published' in dark underlined letters and states, "What fun it would be if one didn't have to think about happiness!" (XII, 155), or basically think of the possibilities that could occur if the happiness of the society wasn't a huge factor. But, ignorance is bliss.

We learn more about how truly egotistical Bernard is in this chapter as well. Bernard refers to John and Helmholtz as his 'victim-friends'. Bernard liked John but at the same time felt a secret grievance against him and would ponder about a series of small revenges to thrust upon John, mostly just because Bernard feels superiority over John and likes it. With Helmholtz, Bernard likes that he is able to return to Helmholtz even after their huge fight, but he also feels humiliated that he is not half the man that Helmholtz is. Bernard states that, "One of the principal functions of a friend is to suffer (in a milder and symbolic form) the punishments that we should like, but are unable, to inflict upon our enemies" (XII, 156), which I think is terrible. I am sure that there are those who do this, but I cannot imagine doing such a thing to my friends. I believe Bernard does this because he is insecure about himself and thus feels the need to make himself feel superior in some way, even if it means he has to hurt the ones he calls 'friends'.

One of the more important quotes from this chapter is when Helmholtz laughs at John's reading of "Romeo and Juliet" and states, "We need some other kind of madness and violence" (XII, 162). Helmholtz wishes that there would be chaos in the society and that the entire system would be turned upside down and become unstable. Those that are unstable are more interesting than stable.

Chapter XII - Summary

Bernard is trying to get John to come out of the room he has locked himself, as he has made engagements with important people, such as the Arch-Community-Songster of Canterbury, to come and see 'the Savage' again. John has decided not to go anymore and is tired of Bernard not asking him first whether he had wanted to meet them or not.
Bernard, defeated, told the impatient crowd that the Savage was not going to be appearing.

The men in the crowd were furious that they had to behave polite to Bernard who has a horrid reputation. The Arch-Songster was outraged that Bernard had played such a joke on him. The women felt they had been had on false pretences by a man who had alcohol accidentally put into his blood-surrogate. Everyone was furious, except Lenina who was starting to collect tears in her eyes.
Lenina entered the party with an odd feeling of excitement with the fact of seeing him. She was going to tell him that she liked him, more than she has ever liked anyone. She was embarrassed as she thought about what he might say back.

As soon as Bernard had made his announcement, Lenina felt like an empty soul. She felt as though her heart had stopped beating. She was certain that he did not show up because he does not like her.

Henry Foster, Fanny Crowne, and even the Head Mistress from the Upper School were all talking badly about Bernard after the announcement. Bernard felt deflated from all stabs at his ego, and began stammering apologies to everyone there but they ignored him or talked badly to his face or behind his back.

The Arch-Songster declared that he must leave and when Bernard tried to intercept him the Songster told him, "Mend your ways, my young friend, mend your ways" and asked Lenina (a good friend of his) to follow him. She followed with no elation behind him and the other guests followed his cue to leave. Bernard was left alone. He dropped into a chair and began to sob. Deciding it was not worth it, he took four tablets of soma.

Lenina, following slowly after the Arch-Songster, lingered as she looked at the moon but ran hurriedly to catch up to him when he called impatiently to her.

John was reading Romeo and Juliet in his room.

Mustapha Mond just finished 'A New Theory of Biology' and decided since it is dangerous to the present social order, it is not to published even though he believes it is a master piece of work. Mond is pondering that since it contains ideas that could easily uncondition the minds of the higher ranks. The kind of ideas that could make them lose faith in happiness as they are conditioned to believe and allow them to believe that the purpose of life was not maintenance of well-being but for some enlargement of knowledge. He then reflects, "What fun it would be, if one didn't have to think about happiness!"

John was in complete bliss as he recalled a quote from Romeo and Juliet:
"O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright!
It seem she hangs upon the cheek of the night
Like a rich jewel in an Ethiop's ear;
Beauty too rich for us, for earth too dear..."

The Arch-Songster is pulling on the golden T, that he gave her once upon a day, laying on Lenina's bosom when Lenina suddenly states she needs a couple of grammes of soma.

Bernard awakes from his soma holiday for the night and he felt that he was himself again. Depressed and dejected. John shows himself to Bernard and says that this is the Bernard he remembers meeting for the first time. Bernard tells him it is because he is unhappy again, and John says, "I'd rather be unhappy than have the sort of false, lying happiness you were having here".
Bernard starts telling John off for not showing up to his party, and that everything is all his fault. In reality, Bernard knows this is not true but feels better to blame someone other than himself. He harbours a secret grievance against John as John is the only one he can truly make a victim for his grievances. Bernard feels that one of the principle functions of a friend is to mildly and symbolically suffer the punishments that we want to inflict, but are unable to, on our enemies.
Helmholtz is another one of his victim-friends. He felt that since Watson has always been there for him he is grateful to have him as a friend again after their fight, but also resentful and would like to take revenge on Helmholtz for his generosity.

Bernard confessed to Helmholtz, after meeting for the first time after their fight, that he had conflict with authority, but Helmholtz has been through the same. Watson wrote some rhymes made out of pure madness and just wanted to see what people's reactions would be. The Principal immediately threatened to fire him on the spot. Helmholtz confides to Bernard that he felt that he was beginning to have something to write about and that he was using some of that extra power he has always possessed but never known what to use it for.

Helmholtz and John took an immediate liking to one another and would recite rhymes to each other. Once when John recited a part of Juliet's from Romeo and Juliet however, Helmholtz began to burst out laughing from the ridiculous obscenity that a mother and father were forcing their daughter to have someone she did not want. John winced at his laughing about 'who would get excited over a boy having a girl or not'. Helmholtz concluded that they need another kind of madness and violence than one that includes obscenities of mothers and fathers in society, but he just does not know what.