Brave New World by Aldous Huxley: Section 4

Soon after Bernard is escorted out of the room in Aldous Huxley's Brave New World, the Helmholtz and John learn that even the Controller was almost banished. Rather than being banished, the Controller was given a position on the Controllers' Council. The reader then learns that in order to be banished or placed on the Controllers' Council, an individual must be one who challenges society. Helmholtz is then asked where he would like to be banished and he responds, "'I should like a thoroughly bad climate... I believe one would right better if the climate were bad" (Huxley 229). Rather than throwing a fit about being banished, Helmholtz embraces the opportunity. This scene shows that Helmholtz and Bernard are foil characters. Helmholtz has developed since the beginning of the book because he challenged society and pursued. Bernard, rather, had similar thoughts, but digressed once he brought John to the civilized world and was treated like a celebrity. Helmholtz is accepting of his differences and wishes to be able to express his individual thoughts, whereas Bernard wants to be accepted by the rest of society. These two both took what society taught, and allowed it to consume their life, but in radical manners.