Selected_Snobberies_ essay by Huxley.pptx

Notes

1. Aldous Huxley “Selected Snobberies” Dr. Arti Nirmal Department of English Banaras Hindu University [email protected] [email protected]

2. Aldous Leonard Huxley (1894-1963) About the author Aldous Huxley is a well known writer of the modern age in England His grandfather T. H.Huxley was a celebrated Victorian age scientist He was also the grand nephew of well known Victorian age poet and critic Matthew Arnold. Deeply concerned with the problems of life as he witnessed both the world wars He was initially a strong rationalist but the havocs and grimness of wars compelled him to the ‘perennial philosophy’ His pseudonym was Autolycus D.H. Lawrence, the well known novelist, was his very good friend His major works include: The Burning Wheel (1916), The Defeat of Youth (1918), Crome Yellow (1921), Those Barren Leaves (1925), Point Counter Point (1928), Brave New World (1931), On the Margin (1923), Jesting Pilate (1926), Proper Studies, Music at Night, Texts and Pretexts. Arti Nirmal 3

3. About the author ( contd …) Aldous Huxley is known mostly as a novelist and essayist but he has written some short stories, poetry, travelogues and even film scripts too. In his novels and essays, Aldous Huxley always plays the role of a critical observer of accepted traditions, customs, social norms and ideals. Importantly, he is concerned in his writings with the potentially harmful applications of so-called scientific progress to mankind. He satirically studies the world of science and aptly writes in Brave New World that ‘under the rule of science-no disease, no pain, but no emotion, and worse, no spiritual life’. Arti Nirmal 4

4. Huxley’s Prose Style ‘ He is, above all things, a satirist whose tone can vary from jovial irony to biting malice, and the striking incisiveness of his satire springs from an easy, polished style, a great gift for epigram, a ready wit, and an alert mind.’ ( E.Albert ) simple and lucid Serious and sarcastic Enormous range of subject matter Reflection of encyclopedic knowledge Paradoxical (his essay Time and the Machine begins with a paradoxical sentence) Witty yet full of energy, clarity and precision Arti Nirmal 5

5. Selected Snobberies Huxley watched mankind very minutely and with this humanitarian eye he studies the beliefs and notions of the people of his time. In this essay he performs as a social critic He attacks the prevailing snobberies in humankind He talks of different kinds of snobbery in people In the essay, Huxley mentions following types: 1) Disease snobbery 2) Booze snobbery 3) Modernity snobbery 4) Art snobbery 5) Culture snobbery Arti Nirmal 6

6. Summary of the essay P aragraph 1 Everyone is snob in one way or the other and in this world people can be snobbish about anything. The writer begins with the analysis of disease snobs. He says that people usually don ’ t be snobbish about deadly diseases but as far as the less dangerous diseases are concerned, particularly those resulting from wealth and sufficient leisure, some people do take pride in that. He then refers to the great E nglish poet John Keats and the famous Russian artist Marie Bashkirtseff who contracted the disease of consumption and died of it unfortunately in the prime of their life. The writer adds that the young ones find it very romantic and hence love to become disease snobs but they are unaware of the pain and misery suffered by these young artists. Such people in the modern time contract disease because of richness, lack of activity and seek cure by visiting “doctor to fashionable doctor”, “go travelling from spa to spa”. Arti Nirmal 7

7. Para 2 Here the writer talks about disease snobs but soon switches over to the booze snobbery. He tells that the trend of snobbery also changes from time to time. It is not constant. For example, earlier people used to be snobbish about their family but now in the modern age with the disintegration of the institution of family, family snobbery is also declining. Culture snobbery is still existing to some extent but it has to fight hard battle with the emerging new snobberies for its survival. He satirically informs us that the booze (liquor) snobbery has gained strength over the period. Despite all prohibitory actions and statutes , people of all age groups, including men, women and adolescents, love to drink and take pride in it. Arti Nirmal 8

8. Para 3 The tone of the essayist grows satirical here and humorously aggressive to criticize the modernity snobs. The writers says that this kind of snobbery has always been in trend, but in this age, it has assumed much importance. And it is because of the increasing control of the market on our life. He writes: “Thanks to modern machinery, production is outrunning consumption. Organized waste among consumers is the first condition of our industrial prosperity.” The manufacturers are producing more than that is required to be consumed. Therefore, to let those extra products be consumed by the people, marketing and advertising agencies work hard to encourage modernity snobs. He writes sarcastically, “the public is taught that up-to-datedness is one of the first duties of man”. Arti Nirmal 9

9. Para 4 The author comments here on the art snobs and mentions their two categories: the platonic and the unplatonic . Platonic art snobs, according to him, only ‘take an interest’ in art whereas the unplatonic art snobs go to the extent of buying the artefact. A fine humour is generated here when Huxley defines the unplatonic snobs as one of the forms of culture snobs because he inherits possession snobbery too. Such people love to buy expensive art pieces to decorate their houses because it gives them a modest opportunity to flaunt their wealth and social status. Arti Nirmal 10

10. Para 5 This is an extension of the ideas discussed in the previous paragraph where the essayist has talked about the traits of the art snobs. He adds that the unplatonic art lovers give more value to the living artists, however, there are many who still take more pride in possessing the art of the dead artists. There are few art snobs who are modernity snobs too at the same time. Arti Nirmal 11

11. Para 6 The writer in his own familiar style discusses a trivial matter in serious tone. He notices a humanistic angle in snobbery because it has the capacity to keep people active. He sarcastically tells that to be snobbish about something is not very easy because it demands continuous effort and sacrifice from those who love to be snobs. It is like ‘perpetual lion hunting’ because a modernity snob is bound to be up-to-date about new fashion trends. Arti Nirmal 12

12. Para 7 (concluding paragraph) Aldous Huxley sums up his essay ‘Selected Snobberies’ by satirically calling “all snobberies as good” because it motivates people for activity. But if we analyze snobberies from Buddhist perspective then everything in the world would mean illusion. He says that the majority prefers to follow the middle path which means- neither to too much snob nor too little. Hence, we regard some snobberies to be good, and some to be bad. We have our own ways to analyze and interpret things. Those who believe in culture snobbery and are intellectual professionals would appreciate those things which are rational, a manufacturer of motor cars would rank possession snobbery at higher position to the culture snobbery; likewise, “each hierarchy culminates in its own particular Pope ”. Arti Nirmal 13

13. Home Assignment Answer the following questions in about 200-250 words: 1) Discuss the contribution of Aldous Huxley to the English prose. 2) Comment on the prose style of Aldous Huxley. 3) Write a critical summary of the essay ‘Selected Snobberies’ Answer the following questions in about 100-150 words: 1) State in brief the different kinds of snobbery discussed by the essayist in the essay ‘Selected Snobberies’ 2) Define humour as a literary device. Comment on Huxley’s treatment of humour in the essay “Selected Snobberies”. 3) Explain with reference and context the given line : “Thanks to modern machinery, production is outrunning consumption. Organized waste among consumers is the first condition of our industrial prosperity”. Arti Nirmal 14

14. Any query/doubt/question? For your queries and further reading, you may contact me at [email protected] a [email protected] Arti Nirmal 15