A Dreamy World

Brave New World, a dystopian novel written by British novelist Aldous Huxley, is very popular in China and abroad. It ranked fifth in the 100 best English novels in the 20th century in the U.S. and it has been listed in the 100 classics that must be read in China. Undoubtedly the novel has become one of the classic novels in western literary history and is widely studied in different aspects, yet its thorough study with Foucault's theory of power and discourse can bring in a new interpretation.The thesis, from a new perspective—applying Foucault's theory of power and discourse, intends to interpret and analyze the operating mechanism of power, and discipline and punishment on humans. Self-consciousness and subjectivity means to be exiled; meanwhile, it contemplates on"Otherness"that lies in two cultures and on the destiny of the female under sexual discourse. It proves that the utopia depicted in the novel is an inhuman society full of power mechanism, lack of humanity, nature and reason, and devoid of spirit and traditional culture, and is filled with material lusts and sins under the reign of the totalitarianism.This thesis is composed of six parts. The first part is the introduction which gives a general introduction to Aldous Huxley and his work Brave New World, as well as the literature review at home and abroad and the theoretical foundation. Chapter 1 explores power mechanism in the World State, revealing that the society is full of totalitarianism. Under which, people received technological standardization and ideological bondage, so they lost their humanity and nature, without any discourse. Chapter 2 shows the self-consciousness and subjectivity of Bernard and Helmholtz. Consequently, they have got punished by exile under the great disciplined discourse. Chapter 3 elucidates how John is struggling between two cultures as the"Otherness"and finally he is forced to death. Chapter 4 is devoted to the women's fate under discourse of sexuality. In the conclusion, power and discourse of the new world is reviewed. It is of great significance and farsightedness to establish a harmonious society with truth, goodness and estheticism.