Talk:Mustapha Mond
User:68.190.244.130, don't you think this "Christ figure" thing is a bit far-fetched? Was that your own idea, or where did you get it from? -Gerdthiele 19:51, 20 November 2005 (UTC)
Christ-Figure
[edit]Actually the Christ-figure isn't too far fetched. At the end of chapter three (page 38 if you happen to have the same book as I), Huxley creates a deliberate scene where Mustapha Mond's "disciple" (The Director of Hatcheries and Conditioning) rebukes some children for bothering Mond, and the Controller's response, "Suffer little children" is a direct quote (in the King James Version) from the passages in the Bible that describe a parallel occurance in the life of Jesus (Matthew 19:14, Mark 10:14, and Luke 18:16). Reasonably Huxley intended to have this since "Suffer little children" doesn't make too much sense in other contexts, and the manner in which the author includes this quote makes me believe that in the twisted society of the book "His Fordship" (Mustapha) is indeed meant to be a Christ-figure.
Excerpt from Brave New World:
"'Go away, little girl,' shouted the D.H.C. angrily. 'Go away, little boy! Can't you see that his fordship's busy? Go and do your erotic play somewhere else.'
'Suffer little children,' said the Controller."
The Bible passages:
Matthew 19:14
But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.
Mark 10:14
But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.
Luke 18:16
But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.
````dcjohnson
Not a Christ Figure
[edit]The Christ figure is very far-fetched considering that beyond that single quote, Mond and Jesus share no other characteristics and I've been unable to find any verifiable published analysis drawing a parallel between Mond and Jesus. Your personal opinion may be different, but keep in mind that no original research is allowed. If you can find a verifiable reference and cite it in the article, more power to you. If not, I think it has to go. Beepbeep 04:50, 10 February 2006 (UTC)
Dystopic Spokesman
[edit]I found Mond to be of a fundamentally different character from F451's Beatty or 1984's O'Brian. He basically admitted that he was unhappy with the world he helps create and maintain, but was resigned to it being, essentially, the least bad solution to the various problems civilization had encountered. He willingly described the stabs at alternative solutions the world government had tried and seemed truly disappointed that they didn't work (e.g., the Alpha-only island population). I can't really see 1984's Inner Party conducting experiments into social models improving the peopel's lot in life that could replace IngSoc. Say what you will about the dystopic society, but a government that draws its ranks from the most intelligent rebels against it by rationally arguing the case of continuing the status quo is about as benign as you can get.