While I was reading "Brave New World", I came across a few interesting characters. What I'm confused about is the names of these characters.
-"Polly Trotsky" (32)
-"Benito Hoover" (60)
-"Darwin Bonaparte" (252)
I don't know any historical figure named "Polly." Trotsky was a leader in Russia during The Russian Civil War during WWI. Benito Mussolini was the fascist leader in Italy during WWII. Hoover was the U.S. president starting in 1928. Charles Darwin wrote "The Origin of Species" in the later part of the nineteenth century. Napoleon Bonaparte was the emperor of France in around 1800.
These are all important people of Europe, and the world. They are all from the similar era, except for Bonaparte.
Why would Huxley use these people as characters in "Brave New World?" There must be a symbolic meaning or something. Any thoughts?
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I agree that they were all important figures in their times from dictators to presidents. I think Huxley used names like Bonaparte or Trotsky to better illustrate his point about the totalitarian state. It is based on control from the top to the bottom. As Trotsky and Bonaparte were dictators or controllers hence 10 Controllerships, this seemed a good way to better emphasize his point. As for choosing a name like Hoover, he was a president that promoted efficiency, something this society worships as shown by their reverence to Ford, the facilitator of mass production and efficiency. No doubt they were all famous individuals that are known for their work and so could be easily correlated with the themes that Huxley was trying to convey.
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