Bernard's plan is to use John as a means of blackmailing the Director. It becomes apparrent that John experiences everything quite emotionally, diametrically opposed to what each society considers 'normal' behaviour.īernard cleverly invites John to return to England with him, having realized that John could be useful in ensuring that he is not sent to Iseland. John tells Bernard that he snuck off once to have the sacred animal dreams that the Indian boys must have, even though the tribe had not let him go with the other boys. John and Bernard share the fact that they are both isolated within their respective cultures. This incident highlighted his status as an outsider and led him to feel isolated and alone. Instead he was driven from the village by a barrage of stones. However, John was not allowed to enter the kiva, a ritual initiation to make the young boys into men. Later he was taught how to construct bows and arrows by the same man.

At one point he attempted to kill Pope and claims to have been inspired by a verse from Shakespeare.Īt fifteen John was taught how to make clay pots by one of the older Indians. He learned to read the entire volume and was inspired by the fiery passages. Around his twelfth birthday John received a volume of the Complete Works of Shakespeare. Reading became his way of feeling superior to the other boys who used to beat and taunt him.

John was taught to read by Linda as he was growing up.

Following the beating, Linda slapped John because she blamed him for her predicament. Pope became her steady lover because he brought her mescal (alcohol), At one point Linda was beaten by the women of the village because they were upset that she kept sleeping with their husbands. John tells them about how his mother Linda used to have sex with many men. Bernard asks John to tell him what it was like growing up in the Indian village.

Chapter 8 brave new world summary