Summary:

Chapter 8

John tells Bernard of the stories that Linda told him as he grew up. Also how he had always felt rejected, partially because his mother slept with so many men, and because the people of the village never accepted him. Linda had a lover named PopeÕ, who brought her an alcoholic drink, and she began to heavily drink. Although the Indians did not let John participate in their rituals, he absorbed culture. Linda taught him to read, using all available resources, which were scarce. He began to ask questions about the World State, and Linda could not answer most of them. PopeÕ brought the complete works of Shakespeare. John read it until he could quote full passages form memory. This seemed to voice the emotions that he had long felt were heavily repressed. Bernard offers to take John to London with him. Although his offer seems genuine, he has an ulterior motive; he wants to embarrass the Director with the fact that he has a child. John says that he will go, but insists that Linda go with him. Bernard goes to request permission that John and Linda be released into his care. John then recites the Tempest ÒO brave new world that has such people in it.Ó He then asks if Lenina is married to Bernard. Bernard assures him that they are not, and warns him that the World State may not be all that he thinks it is.