Better dystopian novel?

[ForeverDelayed]

My friend and I have been debating this forever. I go with BNW, she's all about 1984. What do you think?

[adam289]

1984. One of my favourite books.

[ForeverDelayed]

1984. One of my favourite books.
Well, what did you think of Brave New World? Good? Bad? tldr?

[adam289]

Well, what did you think of Brave New World? Good? Bad? tldr?

I haven't read it.

[tait]

1984

[TeachBirds2Fly]

I bet more have read 1984, The Island is another good one for Huxley, it's a utopian novel

[callingallcars]

I bet more have read 1984, The Island is another good one for Huxley, it's a utopian novel

yeah but all people will think of is the movie. i wish they didnt because the book is so freakin awesome.

[radxbandit]

you should read both before you vote...

voted for brave new world. enjoyed the characters quite a bit.

[radxbandit]

I bet more have read 1984, The Island is another good one for Huxley, it's a utopian novel

i've been meaning to pick this up. i will eventually.

[princesschad]

1984 by a hair.

[...generic...]

I bet more have read 1984, The Island is another good one for Huxley, it's a utopian novel

The movie was totally underrated. The book is better...but the book didn't have Scarlett Johannson to look at.

[radxbandit]

The movie was totally underrated. The book is better...but the book didn't have Scarlett Johannson to look at.

i didn't think they were the same thing. isn't huxley's just called island?

yeah i'm pretty sure they aren't connected in any way.

[TeachBirds2Fly]

The movie was totally underrated. The book is better...but the book didn't have Scarlett Johannson to look at.


You are very confused...

[ForeverDelayed]

I bet more have read 1984, The Island is another good one for Huxley, it's a utopian novel
Yeah, Island is a really good book too. I like everything I've read by Huxley. If you can manage to find it, check out Time Must Have A Stop. It's really weird, but it deals with a lot of interesting themes. Ape and Essence is really good too.

But yeah you're right, more people have read 1984. I don't understand why you'd vote in a poll like this if you haven't read them both, but I figure a lot of people are probably doing just that. I wish BNW had the exposure 1984 does. Most people I know had to read 1984 in school, but I've never heard of any school reading BNW. I didn't read it until after college, I didn't even know it existed until freshman year lit survey. I wonder why that is? You'd think it would be at least a little more popular.

[Curtis&BemisRok]

I loved Brave New World more than life. But 1984,I had trouble getting into.

[gonnagetuhigh]

other: Oryx and Crake (fuckin read it, it's owns both)
1984 was pretty good, the other i didn't bother reading...oryx and crake my teacher specifically wanted to teach in grade 12 and there wasn't one person who didn't like it.

[wtfmates]

Brave New World was an amazing book but there's just something about 1984 that makes it better. It's just drew me in and left an impression on my mind for a long, long, while. Probably due to the torture scene before the ending. And the ending itself.

[pilot_light_out]

other: the perks of being a wallflower

[cason eat world]

Atlas Shrugged

[Machu505]

Gee, I wonder who will win this poll.

[ForeverDelayed]

other: Oryx and Crake (fuckin read it, it's owns both)
1984 was pretty good, the other i didn't bother reading...oryx and crake my teacher specifically wanted to teach in grade 12 and there wasn't one person who didn't like it.
I've never heard of it. Who's it by?

[radxbandit]

Yeah, Island is a really good book too. I like everything I've read by Huxley. If you can manage to find it, check out Time Must Have A Stop. It's really weird, but it deals with a lot of interesting themes. Ape and Essence is really good too.

But yeah you're right, more people have read 1984. I don't understand why you'd vote in a poll like this if you haven't read them both, but I figure a lot of people are probably doing just that. I wish BNW had the exposure 1984 does. Most people I know had to read 1984 in school, but I've never heard of any school reading BNW. I didn't read it until after college, I didn't even know it existed until freshman year lit survey. I wonder why that is? You'd think it would be at least a little more popular.

i agree with you. 1984 is often high school required reading, but i'd never heard of BNW until right after i graduated and read it that summer. i think more people would enjoy it if it had more exposure. i found it a lot easier to relate to BNW, something about the characters felt more real to me.

[radxbandit]

other: the perks of being a wallflower

uhh, direct yourself to the coming of age novels thread.

[radxbandit]

Atlas Shrugged

+ Anthem.

[speakhandsforme]

You can't go wrong with either one.

With that said, I think I'd slightly take 1984. But, since it's immensly more well-recognized by schools and scholars, 1984 will have a distinct advantage in this thread.

[Russellmcdoogle]

BNW was required reading for my senior year. 1984 was recommended sophomore. I voted for 1984, but I probably just like it more because it was my first dystopian. BNW is a great book.

[mem3590]

Brave New World by a long shot.
I mean, when Bernard can't get over the chick's unibrow after the orgy... Classic.

[mem3590]

The movie was totally underrated. The book is better...but the book didn't have Scarlett Johannson to look at.

I just threw up in my mouth.

[SmokieB.High]

I say 1984 but i haven't read brave new world so its biased... anyone check out "the road" its a freakin sweet

[jbaseball44]

While both are great, i am partial to BNW. Nice Poll by the way.

[radxbandit]

I just threw up in my mouth.

hahahaha, i was a bit surprised by this as well. i think he may have been kidding though.

[radxbandit]

I say 1984 but i haven't read brave new world so its biased... anyone check out "the road" its a freakin sweet

yeah it was pretty good. i'm looking forward to seeing how the movie adapts, and how vigo portrays the father. gonna be some gruesome scenes though...

[untilitkills83]

My friend and I have been debating this forever. I go with BNW, she's all about 1984. What do you think?
both!!!!

[SanePsychotic]

I like both a lot, but as of now it's Brave New World for me. No idea why, but it just striked me more.

[SanePsychotic]

other: the perks of being a wallflower

While I love that book I have no idea why you would be including that book in a poll about dystopian novels.

[Limpranger101]

BNW because i love orgy-porgies

[screamoutmyname]

logan's run

[Manbotisdead]

At the time I first read both it was 1984 by a long shot, but I reread Brave New World and learned to love it.

That being said, 1984 is still my jam, but you both are very different novels. Neither one should be discounted.

[JustAnotherPoet]

I've read both, but 1984 drew me in so much more. Although, Anthem by Ayn Rand is right up there as well

[TheZeroKid]

I LOVE both of those books, but I went with Brave New World simply because it's a scarier concept. Allow me to explain:

In 1984, they were constantly bombarded with propaganda but the majority of the population (The Proles) could go about as they pleased because, apprently, the rules didn't really apply to them (that's what I got out of it. Winston mentions that "if there's any hope for revolution, it lies with The Proles". But since they're not governed as harshly, they don't think it's their problem. That's what I got out of it).

In Brave New World, however, they are CONDITIONED since birth into the propaganda. They literally don't know any better, and they keep the savages holed up in their own reservations for people to gawk at like a zoo. It creeps me out.

Island is the perfect companion to Brave New World, even though they both end on a rather negative note.

[ForeverDelayed]

I LOVE both of those books, but I went with Brave New World simply because it's a scarier concept. Allow me to explain:

In 1984, they were constantly bombarded with propaganda but the majority of the population (The Proles) could go about as they pleased because, apprently, the rules didn't really apply to them (that's what I got out of it. Winston mentions that "if there's any hope for revolution, it lies with The Proles". But since they're not governed as harshly, they don't think it's their problem. That's what I got out of it).

In Brave New World, however, they are CONDITIONED since birth into the propaganda. They literally don't know any better, and they keep the savages holed up in their own reservations for people to gawk at like a zoo. It creeps me out.

Island is the perfect companion to Brave New World, even though they both end on a rather negative note.
I pretty much agree with what you're saying here. I'll also add that BNW is scarier because the enemy is us, not them. 1984 is great, don't get me wrong, and the concept and writing and all is superb. But it's kinda an easy target. Your average everyday person at the time (and maybe still today) hated the Commies. BNW attacks Capitalism, which your average everyday person has bought into hook line and sinker. 1984 is a vision of what would happen if Russia had won the idealogical battle, but BNW is a scarier vision, because at the moment it seems we're winning, and everything in the book could realistically come to pass in our lifetimes. We're already so huge on profits and productivity and dazzling technology and numbing the senses and sensual gratification and whatnot, BNW seems to me like the next logical step. If that doesn't scare you shitless I don't know what will.

As a side note, I just started re-reading 1984 and I'm catching some things my high school brain didn't. I think I appreciate it more now than I did back then, but I still like BNW better of the two.