WHICH dystopian novel exemplifies the innate human nature correctly: Brave New World, 1984, or Lord of the Flies? The accuracy of each anthology can be examined through fundamental quality that we, as a people, crave: pleasure and contentment.

   Under the status quo, our society is filled with numerous ways to fulfill our hedonistic principle through the means of mindless pop culture and bodily pleasure. In Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World, the World’s totalitarian leaders encapsulate and gives exactly what their citizens want. Huxley highlights the genetically engineered test tube infants, enhanced birth control, and soma. Through engineered test tube babies and enhanced birth control, the citizens of the World are programmed, from birth, to relish and to execrate certain facets of the society. They enjoy the status quo. As the neonates are created in a certain way, society as a whole is grateful for what they have, where they work, and where they belong. They simply seek happiness and delight within their life. Correspondingly, soma accentuates the pleasure-seeking essence of the characters within the book. Soma, a hormone-activating drug that seems to work the way Viagra does, appears to alter their sentiment. It provides alternative ecstasy for the citizens. Brave New World elucidates the instinctive temperament that people desire: gratification. Through the illustration of a society controlled by jubilation, Huxley sketches the most realistic view of human nature, especially with its culture filled with sex and entertainment -- which, to some degree, is like that of our own society.

   Orwell, on the other hand, creates a society of anti-capitalist political party that controls people through intertwined fear and plaudits. The extreme nationalistic approach that Oceania promotes is unity against the common enemy. The society creates utter hate -- hate of those who are different, hate of evil, and hate of all others. It is where love is described as absurd, and totally unnecessary. Is Orwell’s approach realistic? Not quite. Even in the presence of the god-like figure, people will naturally evoke happiness, amusement, and love. We, as a people, seek to love; we, as a people, seek attention. The foundation of 1984’s innate psyche fails to edify itself as human nature, which does not promote hate. Moreover, the seeming balance of fear and praise are not realistic. As people seek good and pleasure, intertwining governance of totalitarian and anti-capitalist approach sounds unrealistic.   

   This totalitarian control is also illuminated on an island inhabited by stranded boys in Lord of the Flies. Similar to 1984’s means of control, Jack utilizes fear to control the mass; although William Golding attempts to draw the pessimistic view -- as of Thomas Hobbes -- of humanity, it fails to acknowledge our individuality. As individuals, we seek individual happiness. As individuals, we are able to determine the dissonance between evil and good. As individuals, we have the power to stand up. Yet, in Lord of the Flies, Golding appears to completely ignore the pleasure and exuberance seeking disposition of human beings, whilst providing the extremely defeatist view of the inherent qualities of human beings. Moreover, the rapid, radical changes in their “government” are ostensibly unlikely due to the fact that we prefer stability over constant change. Lord of the Flies does not depict the internal nature of humans as it fails to show to illustrate the entertainment seeking facet of beings; the chaotic, cynical society of the Lord of the Flies completely disregards the innate human essence: a desire for happiness.

   Ergo, Brave New World most accurately draws the connection to human nature as it portrays a society controlled by the means of jollity. Though the world of constant sex and soma might seem absurd at first glance, it is soon realized that such symbols are molds that modern society has also been formed from. As the reader negotiates the symbolism, it reveals the pleasure-seeking principle that becomes our moral compass. Brave New World appears that it has achieved its goal to divulge human nature as the society is resembling control through happiness.