The story behind the story ~

Who wrote the story?

The interactive story you are about to explore is based on a famous book called Brave New World. It was written in 1932 by an English author named Aldous Huxley. Huxley was interested in science, politics, and how the world was changing.

What was the world like in the 1930s?

When Huxley wrote the book, the world was changing very fast.

New technology: Henry Ford’s car factories were changing how things were made. They proved that machines could create thousands of the exact same product very quickly. People were excited about this new technology, but also a little afraid of it.
Big problems: At the same time, many people were poor and suffering because of a global economic crisis (the Great Depression). Because of this chaos, new, powerful governments took control in Europe. They promised to keep people safe and make society stable, but they took away personal freedom to do it.

Huxley watched these two things happen—the rise of new technology and the rise of controlling governments. He asked: What if we used science and factories not just to build cars, but to build people and control society?

He wrote Brave New World as a warning. It explores a future where people gladly give up their freedom, their history, and their deep feelings in exchange for artificial happiness and constant entertainment. The questions he asked in 1932 are still important for us to think about today.

Review the vocabulary ( > English learners or > native speakers) to get ready for the module.

The story behind the story

The history that inspired Brave New World

Who wrote the story?

What was the world like in the 1930s?