Brave New World: Chapters 5 & 6 – Questions and Answers

Posted on Mar 16, 2025 in English

He shouts at the lower-caste workers.

7. Helmholtz Watson is an Alpha-Plus. He is a lecturer on writing at the College of Emotional Engineering. He also writes various propaganda slogans and rhymes.

8. Watson asks Bernard if he ever feels that there is some sort of power inside him wanting to come out—something important to say.

9. Watson says that words are like x-rays and can pierce anything. However, he doesn’t feel he’s writing the words that can be x-rays.

10. Watson feels sorry for Bernard. He privately wishes that Bernard had more self-esteem and more pride.

Chapter 5 Questions

  1. In what type of housing are the lower castes? How are Alphas and Betas housed?
  2. What is done with the dead in the New World?
  3. How does Lenina demonstrate that her childhood conditioning has been effective?
  4. What does Lenina ask Henry about as she is getting ready to sleep with him?
  5. When must Bernard attend his Solidarity meetings?
  6. How many people are in each Solidarity Group? How are they seated?
  7. Why is Bernard unhappy about sitting next to Morgana Rothschild?
  8. What ritual is performed during the First Solidarity Hymn?
  9. How does the Solidarity Group meeting end?
  10. How does Bernard feel after the meeting?

Answers

  1. The lower castes are housed in barracks, while the Alphas and Betas are on the other side of a wall in separate houses.
  2. The dead are taken to the Crematorium where the bodies are burned and any valuable chemicals are recovered.
  3. As Lenina flies over the lower-caste barracks, she repeats the conditioned phrases about other caste colors being ugly and how glad she is to be a Beta.
  4. Lenina tells Henry how much Fanny admired her Malthusian belt and wonders where Henry bought it.
  5. Bernard and everyone else must attend Solidarity Group meetings every other week. His day is Thursday.
  6. There are 12 people in each Solidarity Group and they must sit man, woman, man, woman, around a circular table.
  7. Morgana’s heavy black eyebrows meet over her nose and this is very distasteful to Bernard.
  8. During the First Solidarity Hymn, soma tablets and ice cream are passed from person to person.
  9. Solidarity Group always ends with dancing, chanting, and the six men and six women pairing off for sex.
  10. Bernard feels none of the contentment and release that Solidarity Group is supposed to provide.

Chapter 6 Questions

  1. To what does Henry Foster compare Bernard?
  2. What does Bernard want Lenina to do on their first afternoon together?
  3. When Bernard and Lenina meet her friends in Amsterdam, how does he behave?
  4. How does Bernard frighten Lenina during their return over the Channel?
  5. What is the Director’s attitude toward Bernard’s trip to the Reservation?
  6. What does the Director sometimes dream about regarding his experience at the Reservation?
  7. How does the Director threaten Bernard for his reported behavior?
  8. What are Bernard’s only thoughts during the Warden’s lecture?
  9. How does Bernard react when he hears the Director has made good on his threat of exile?
  10. How does the Gamma pilot refer to the Savages and the Reservation? What word does he keep using?

Answers

  1. Foster calls Bernard a rhinoceros who has not been affected by conditioning.
  2. Bernard wants to take Lenina to the Lake District to walk and talk alone.
  3. Bernard sits at the ice cream bar and sulks, refusing to take soma or enjoy himself in any way.
  4. Bernard frightens Lenina by dropping very close to the dark waves of the Channel and turning off the engine to hover quietly above them.
  5. The Director does not want to give his permission for Ber-nard’s trip, but he cannot go against Mustapha Mond’s signature.