Key Terms in 'Brave New World': Society, Reproduction, and Conditioning

Predestined

in the World State, everyone's life path (job, caste, intelligence) is decided before birth.

Spasmodic

sudden, jerky movements or bursts, like how some emotions or actions appear in the book.

Viviparous

the "old" way of giving birth to live babies naturally (considered disgusting in the novel).

Hypnopaedia

"sleep-teaching," the State's method of conditioning children with repeated phrases.

Apertures

openings/holes, often used in describing machinery or biology.

Maudlin

overly emotional, usually used mockingly about feelings or religion.

Effusive

overly expressive with emotions, something discouraged in the World State.

Tactual

related to touch; the "feelies" movies are an example of tactual entertainment.

Monogamy

being with only one partner, which the society rejects as old-fashioned.

Promiscuous

encouraged by the State ("everyone belongs to everyone else").

Incessant

never-ending, like the constant slogans and conditioning.

Erotic

tied to the State's obsession with pleasure and sex, even in childhood "games."