AP Lang Brave New World

What are some actual scientific principles presented in this chapter? According to Mr. Foster, what problem exists in the Hatcheries that is "all but solved"?

The Bokanovcsky groups are not able to mature at the same rate as the other groups

What is your opinion of Bernard and Helmholtz's behavior at the soma distribution riot? What do you expect will happen now that Bernard, Helmholtz, and John have all been taken away by the police?

-Bernard: He acted cowerdly because, in a way, he shares the same beliefs, but he didn't join because he didn't want to be arrested -Helmholtz: He did the right thing by helping

Compare John and Bernard.

-Bernard: comes from a civilized world, high ranking member of the society, has really had no hard periods in life -John: outsider, has not lived in a civilized environment

The style of Brave New World is "dialogic," which means several people with different points of view interact, but no one voice is able to predominate. Consider the interaction between Lenina and Bernard in Part One of this chapter. What point of view does each express or represent? Cite examples from the text to support your answer.

-Bernard: represents someone who questions society -Lenina: Normal person who follows the society's rules

John clashes with the people, the ideas, and the practices of the new world. Describe two specific incidents that illustrate these conflicts.

-He hates the feely because it goes against his Morales -he hates the film where the savage is whipping himself and the children are laughing at it

How does John disrupt the soma distribution process? What are his reasons for doing so? What is the reaction of the crowd and the police?

-He tells everyone that the drug is bad, that they shouldn't take it, and causes a big scene. -His reason for doing this is because he doesn't want them to suffer -Everyone is confused about what he is saying and the police are called

In the first few pages of the chapter, Lenina confides to Fanny her feelings for John, stating, "I shall always like him." However, at the end of the chapter, her response to John's remarks about marriage is genuine shock. What do you find ironic about this? What idea about love is suggested to you by this contradiction?

-Ironic: She says that she will always like him, but freaked out about the idea of marrying him -Marrying someone shows that you love and will continue to love someone for the rest of your life. Lenina thinks that the idea of love is to just have sex with a person and not have any emotional connection with them, just a physical one

This short chapter contains several instances of irony. Identify as many as you can

-Linda and John coming back into society -The Director had a child -The Director said that no one is important, yet he is trying so hard to get rid of Bernard

As he explains why Othello and other classic tragedies could not be written in the new world, Mond uses an analogy to make his point. He explains, "You can't make flivvers without steel—and you can't make tragedies without social instability." Explain the analogy. What does Mond mean? What other reasons does he give for the inability of people in the new world to understand tragedy?

-Mond means that to make the society unstable, there has to be something bad to happen -He says that people are unable to understand tragedy because nothing bad has ever happened in their society

What do you find the most interesting about the details of John's life as described in Chapter Eight? Explain your choices.

-That he is an outsider to his own mother, as she is not used to having a son. -He hates all of the partners that his mother has on the reservation

How do you feel about Linda? Why, in your opinion, has Linda had problems

-That she wants to get back to the new world and have her old life back. -Because she has been conditioned to live a certain way back in the new world and not the way that she has been living in the reservation

"Pierced by every word that was spoken, the tight balloon of Bernard's happy self-confidence was leaking from a thousand wounds." What figure of speech is employed in the quotation? How does Huxley extend this particular figure of speech over the next two pages?

-metaphor -he extends it by showing how Bernard is depressed and how he takes soma to become happy

Explain the context and meaning of the following quotation from Chapter Fifteen. What is Huxley satirizing in this particular passage? The Savage stood looking on. "O brave new world, O brave new world..." In his mind the singing words seemed to change their tone...Miranda was proclaiming the possibility of loveliness, the possibility of transforming even the nightmare into something fine and noble.

He is satirizing his own beliefs about how this world was actually a great new world. He realizes that this world isn't brave since everyone is under soma addiction, so he tries to make sure he does something noble. The thing that is noble is John trying to throw out the poison.

What makes Bernard stand out among the people of the new world?

He is shorter than everyone and has a different state of mind than everyone else

Explain John's behavior in the hospital with his dying mother. What does he do, and why does he behave this way? How does the nurse react to him, and why does she react in this fashion?

He is very upset about his mother dying. He remembers childhood memories that he had with his mother. The nurse is confused because no one really comes to visit anyone in the hospital because no one shares the emotions that John has.

Summarize what happens in the incident with the children who are being death-conditioned. How does John react toward them, and why? What is the nurse's response

He wants the group of children to get away from Linda. The nurse calls security to take John away. He continues to push the kids after Linda passes away

Huxley has introduced two characters that stand in opposition to the new world. What do you see as the significance of these characters?

Helmholtz is significant because he can say more stuff than your average joe. Bernard is significant because he knows that the government brainwashes people so that they do what they are supposed to do

Compare Helmholtz to Bernard. Explain both their similarities and their differences.

Helmholtz is the complete opposite of Bernard. He is what the society wants him to be. Bernard is not confident and is smaller than everyone else

The chapter ends with a frightened Lenina tiptoeing out of John's door and then running toward the elevator, desperate to get away. How do you feel about her situation? What do you think will happen to her in the coming chapters?

I feel that Lenina didn't take John's past life into consideration and that he may not be ready to engage in sex with her. I think that she will either realize this, or she will end up ruining her chance with John.

The power of great art to influence and affect people is a theme in this chapter. For example, Helmholz views Romeo and Juliet as a "superb piece of emotional engineering." He later describes Shakespeare as a "marvellous propaganda technician" and tells John that a person has to hurt to write "penetrating, X-rayish phrases." Do you think that great art or writing can impact or control people's feelings? Do you agree with Helmholtz that great art is necessarily related to passion and pain? Illustrate your opinion with real-life examples.

I think that it can impact or "control" a persons feelings. Such as how music can emotionally touch and influence you. I think that great art is related to passion and pain because famous paintings in our world convey the artists' emotions and feelings. For example, Picasso's famous "Blue Period" conveyed his depression by using warm colors.

State why you think that Lenina can or cannot be any different than she is

I think that she can be different than what she is. Only if she separates herself from people such as Franny, and hangs out with Bernard.

. What is ironic about the fact that the new world still has a police force, which appears on the scene quickly?

It is supposed to be a perfect place and in a perfect place, no one is going to be doing the wrong thing which means there is no need to have a police force

By referring to the text, support the statement that John is not a hypocrite.

John isn't a hypocrite because he stuck to his beliefs that he should not have sex until he is married

What is your opinion of Lenina? Include some specific examples of things Lenina says or does that have influenced your point of view

Lenina is very manipulative. She knows that she is attractive and uses this to her advantage to get what she wants

Bernard and Lenina meet a woman on the Reservation. Who is this woman, and how is she connected to the new world?

Linda. She was the woman that the director took on vacation with him

Do you think that anything like this is happening now or might happen in the future? Consider the fact that Huxley wrote this book in 1931, and take into account the many scientific advances since then

No, most of this is not happening; however, I do believe that modern dictatorships share some similarities with the society in this book such as all of the propaganda

Chapter Four offers vivid scenes and images of a future world. Describe one clear mental image that you have of Huxley's imaginary world. Include some description of the dress and color system of the different castes.

That everyone is controlled in specific ways through their caste. Members of each caste are to wear certain colors in order for other people to know what people belong to one of the five castes

What do people say behind Bernard's back? How might these comments act as foreshadowing?

That he is not going to have a very good ending, and that he will be sent to Iceland if he continues his acts

When John is alone looking at Lenina sleeping, what are his thoughts?

That he should have sex with her and almost does but thinks back on his religious values and doesn't engage in any sexual activity

Find an example of something in this society that you find disturbing. Explain the reasons this idea disturbs you.

That humans are artificially created and raised in certain ways. It disturbs me because they are basically creating creatures not humans. Humans have the ability to think for them selves and the creatures that the government is creating dont have this ability

What theories about "the Other Place" does John have? What gave him these ideas? On the final page of this chapter, an example of irony occurs as John reveals his expectations about the new world. Identify and explain this instance of irony

That is a nice, perfect world where everyone is happy. When Bernard says that you better see the new world before you form opinions on it. It is ironic because Bernard knows that it is a terrible place, but John thinks it is absolutely perfect

At this point, what is your opinion of Huxley's new world? Is it a utopia or a dystopia? What, if anything, appeals to you about the new world? What aspects, if any, do you find unpleasant or disagreeable?

That it is completely messed up. Dystopia. Nothing appeals to me.

What is meant by the paragraph following the Controller's declaration, "History is bunk"?

That it is easy to get rid of it and change it

Although scientific advances of the past have given humans the ability to control human reproduction and disease in the new world, what seems to be the attitude of the government toward science? How is this attitude demonstrated as Mustapha Mond reads the paper called "A New Theory of Biology"?

That it shouldn't even exist. The people just know that science is a word, but not its definition. it is demonstrated through the chemical equation that was used to create a weapon of mass destruction. If people had this knowledge, it would bring an end to their "perfect" society

In the middle of Chapter Twelve, Huxley describes the Controller rejecting a paper called "A New Theory of Biology." The Controller will not allow the paper to be published because it challenges the idea of "happiness as the Sovereign Good," and he thinks this might unsettle people in the higher castes. However, the Controller agrees with the paper's idea that the goal of life is outside the human sphere, and "the purpose of life [is] not the maintenance of well-being, but some intensification and refining of consciousness, some enlargement of knowledge." What do you think is Huxley's point in this section?

That people of a higher status, such as the controller, know a lot more information than everyone else. That being said, if writings such as this were to be published, it would be detrimental to the society and possibly even cause an uprising

Consider Lenina's reaction to Bernard. She refuses to look at the sea; she insists on taking soma; she attempts "to stop the ears of her mind." The narrator tells us she is "determined to preserve her incomprehension intact." What conclusions can you draw about Lenina's attitude and position? Find examples to demonstrate your conclusion.

That she wants to live a "normal" life and not have any inconveniences. She begged Bernard to turn on the radio to listen to it when she felt uncomfortable about what Bernard was saying.

What are you able to understand about the drug "soma," and what is your opinion of this drug

That soma is used to make you feel happy and better about your self. That it is their version of our illegal modern day

In the exposition, what information about earlier events is the reader given in Chapter Six? What can you infer from the Director's story? What two literary terms can you identify in relation to the Director's story?

That the Director took a woman to New Mexico for a vacation. They had a fun time but she got lost and she couldn't be found so he just left, but he said that he thought about her longer than he should have. That he was once just like Bernard. it is ironic and it is an anecdote

What do you think will happen to John and Linda in London? Support your prediction with details from the chapter

That they are not going to have a normal life and are going to be seen as outsiders. They are mother and son, they have lived on a savage reservation for a long time, Linda is fat and ugly, John reads Shakespeare which i think cant be read in the new world

What do you predict will take place between John and Lenina and between John and Bernard?

That they will talk about each of their lives and relate and not relate on their life experiences

What satire do you find in this chapter

That women go through all of this trouble to not be pregnant, but there are no mothers in this world

Find a quotation in this chapter in which Huxley satirizes the loss of any knowledge of God.

"'Oh God, God, God, God...' [..] 'Whatever is he saying'" (Huxley 207). This is what happens when John is reacting and is very sad about Linda's death and the Bokanovsky group is wondering what is wrong with her. This means that the conditioning doesn't even mention God.

Compare Linda and Lenina as they stand together.

-Lenina is a younger version of Linda -Linda is fat and missing teeth

Briefly explain what happens in the Conditioning Centre. Through what process do the infants become conditioned?

-They use shock therapy on the infants to force them to do their predetermined job -Shock therapy (electrocuted)

Briefly summarize the Solidarity Service that Bernard attends. What happens at the service? What is the goal of it? Include details from the scene in your description.

6 men and 6 women sit in a circle and take soma, they sing and pass along a cup that they drink out of, it makes everyone happy except Bernard

In Chapter One, the date was given as "this year of stability, A.F. 632." In this chapter, Huxley hints at the meaning of this odd dating system. What does A.F. stand for, and what does A.D. stand for?

AF- After Ford AD- After Domini

Find examples from Chapter Six to support the assertion that Bernard's protest is more talk than action. What is Helmholtz's reaction to his friend's description of the encounter with the Director?

After he is told that he might be sent to Iceland, he goes back and gloats about it. He is very tired of Bernard

he process that each egg undergoes is not only related to the work that particular individual eventually will do, but it is also directly related to the type of person he or she will become. List the five types of people in this world

Alphas-grey Betas- maroon Gammas-green Deltas- khaki Epsilons- Black

Why can hypnopaedia be used to inculcate moral beliefs and emotional attitudes but cannot be used to learn science?

Because they aren't able to think for themselves so they can't make any sense of it

Why are the Delta children conditioned to dislike books and nature?

Because they should be illiterate and they are supposed to work in factories not inside

Throughout the novel, Huxley uses names symbolically and satirically, often referencing notable thinkers, politicians, and historical figures within his characters' names. For example, as previously noted, Lenina's first name resembles the last name oCommunist leader Vladimir Lenin. What other significant names can you identify up to this point in the novel?

Bokanovsky, Henry Ford, Polly Trotsky who is a Russian leader, Bernard Marx, Marx is the father of socialism

How does Bernard feel about the Solidarity Service?

He doesn't like it and he thinks that its stupid

What evidence indicates that Bernard believes people are spying on him? Assuming he is being spied upon, what might be the reason(s) for it?

He feels as if someone or something is watching him. Because of his way of thinking and his beliefs on the new world

When Bernard learns that the Director is actually going to send him to Iceland, what is his reaction?

He freaks out. He thought that the director was bluffing about sending him to Iceland.

Do you think Bernard has less character than most people would in his circumstances? Remember that he is undersized for his caste and has suffered persecution as a result. Consider his behavior and personality so far. Would you be friends with Bernard? Explain why or why not.

He has more character than everyone else because he has more ideas and opinions about the world he lives in. I wouldn't be friends with Bernard because it would jeopardize my social status

What other conclusions can you draw regarding Bernard?

He is a lot different than everyone else in the society.

. Who are Henry Foster and Lenina Crowne? What is your opinion of each?

Henry Foster- An alpha member, very smart Lenina Crow- a nurse in the hatchery, she is happy and enjoys what she is doing

In Section Two of Chapter Four, the narrator gives an explanation of Bernard's problems. List the things that trouble Bernard. Do you think Bernard is in any way responsible for his own problems?

His height and the way that he is lonely. yes because he separates himself from everyone else

What is your opinion of the Director's statement: "...no offence is so heinous as unorthodoxy of behavior. Murder kills only the individual—and, after all, what is an individual?...We can make a new one with the greatest of ease...Unorthodoxy threatens more than the life of a mere individual; it strikes at Society itself..."?

I think that is is not true because even though murder kills only one person, their ideas and beliefs can continue on for centuries, like Jesus Christ.

Summarize what happens between John and Lenina when she comes to his house. What is each of them thinking and feeling? How do they communicate and interact with one another?

Lenina attempts to sleep with John which makes him become confused. He then tries to prove his self worth to her so that he can rightfully have sex with Lenina which confuses her. John then says that he loves her making her try to force John into having sex with her. John then refuses and says that he doesn't want to have sex with her, but that he wants to marry her

According to gossip, Bernard's small size is the result of an accident in which alcohol had been poured into his bottle by mistake. What detail is the reader given at the start of Chapter Thirteen that might suggest that the gossip is true?

Lenina forgot to give an embryo a sleeping sickness immunity which caused him to die an early death.

Throughout Mond's lecture, Huxley switches back and forth to other scenes and conversations that are happening elsewhere at the same time. How are these other scenes and dialogues related to Mond's lecture?

Mond is talking about how society use to have mothers and the other conversations are talking about how sex is nothing but a way to pass time

. What is your opinion of the Director's treatment of Bernard?

That it will be suitable for Bernard because it is a place where people are sent to if they start to question society, such as Bernard is doing. He will be surrounded by people who are just like him

Explain the irony in Linda's speech about life on the Reservation

That people get upset when you sleep with their partner.

What is the effect of Huxley's focus on Lenina's reaction to the woman nursing a child? What is your reaction to Lenina's response?

That people people of the new world, such as Lenina, are disgusted that people have mothers. I thought it was natural because she is living in a society where mothers are non existent and are looked down upon

In what ways is Huxley's description of Lenina's reaction to the Indian Reservation satirical? What makes Lenina seem foolish? How might this apply to our attitudes today?

That the Indians are disgusting and live a horrific way of life when she actually is too. It is satirical because it uses a lot of stereotypes that are used today in order to describe the Indians. That they were uncivilized human beings who dance and pray to many gods

. What contradictions do you see between what Mond says and what the others are expressing?

That the new world is a perfect world but the others are terrified of it

What can be considered amusing about the scene with the Warden of the Reservation?

The Warden is talking about the reservation, but the only thing that Bernard is worried about is how he is losing money because his cologne is running out in his room

Explain the differences among the five types of people. How is a person's classification determined? What is the reason for categorizing people this way?

The difference is their social status and what kind of jobs that they will have---during the birthing process--in order to maintain a social society

What are some indications within the first several pages that suggest Brave New World is a futuristic novel?

The hatchery and that they breed human beings

What might be annoying about the Director's and Mr. Foster's explanations?

They are talking down to others and are using very scientific explanations that may be hard to understand

Describe the type of religion practiced in Huxley's futuristic world. Whom do these people consider as their god? Why?

They worship Henry Ford because he is the father of modern industrialism

In this World State, what is the primary function of The Hatchery and Conditioning Centre?

To breed and create the humans To raise them according to the class that they belong to

Near the end of Chapter Two, what does Huxley state is the aim of the new world's conditioning?

To ensure that every child is able to do what they are supposed to do based on what caste they are apart of

. What are Bernard's motives for bringing John back to London with him?

To get back at the director because he birthed a son which will be very bad on the directors part

Why does so much effort go into conditioning people to be consumers? What aspect of his own society might Huxley be satirizing?

To make sure that everyone does what they are supposed to do and not able to revolt against the government

In Brave New World, Huxley provides the necessary exposition by having the expert explain the situation to the novice who knows little about it. Specifically, the Director is explaining the activities of the Central London Hatchery and Conditioning Centre to a group of students. At the start of the novel, why do you think the reader is not told directly what is being hatched?

To make the reader think

In your opinion, why do people in this new world need soma

so they are able to escape the harsh reality in which they live in

As the chapter progresses, what do you notice about the shifting of scenes and speakers?

that they are getting a lot shorter and it is hard to keep track of what is going on

At the end of the chapter, the Director says that the conditioned mind is made up of suggestions from the State. He begins to add, "It therefore follows...." However, he is interrupted before he can finish the sentence. What do you think he would have said to complete that thought?

the teaching follows what the society wants everyone to think

What do you predict will happen to Bernard, John, and Helmholtz?

I think they will all be shipped off to Iceland

Describe and explain the response of the students to the Director.

Very attentive and write down everything he says

. What is the meaning of the frequently repeated word, "pneumatic"?

women with a big chest

At this point in the novel, how do you feel about Bernard? What are your feelings toward Lenina? Consider how people in the new world, including Bernard's friend Helmholtz, feel about Bernard

-Bernard is getting worse and worse -Lenina is still the same -Helmholtz is sad because he used to be able to relate and talk to Bernard, but Bernard is now enjoying life more than ever.

At this point in the novel, Bernard, John, and Helmholtz have all exhibited unorthodox behavior. Give examples to support this statement.

-Bernard: He openly questions society -John: Exhibiting odd behavior that comes from his "savage" roots -Helmholtz: has gotten in trouble for his rhymes about being in solidarity

What do you see as the main difference between John and Linda and the other characters, those of the new world?

-John: The new world didn't live up to the expectations that he had for it. -Linda: pretty much the same thanks to the immense amounts of soma that she is taking

As Huxley summarizes his ideas, the dialogic quality of the novel is heightened. This is demonstrated in the dialogue between John and Mustapha Mond. The argumentative nature of their discussion appears in four ways: A.) Their goal is to arrive at truth by exposing the contradictions in each other's argument. B.) Parts of the discussion are in a question and answer format. C.) There is a logical structure, which holds their continuous argument together. D.) Each man voices a set of principles. The two sets of principles are in opposition, creating an interplay of contradictory principles. Find an example of each of the points listed above. You can quote some of the dialogue in your answer.

A) When they are talking about God B) John asks Mond if he thinks that there is a god and he responds by saying that he thinks god manifests himself in different ways to different people. C) When John and Mond are talking about how it is natural to believe in God D)When Mond reads the book from Maine de Biran

Why does Shakespeare have such meaning for John?

Because John is able to relate and express his own emotions through Shakespeare

Why is Bernard ignored during Mond's discussion with John and Helmholtz?

Because he wasn't behaving the way that Mond wanted him to.

In a short summary, explain what happens in the Hatchery. Include details about the process as well as definitions for any of the terminology.

Director show the incubators, explains about the hatching process, people mature in about 2 years

Explain the motto, "Community, Identity, Stability."

Everyone lives in the same community, follow their predetermined destiny, allowing them to live stable lives

How does John feel about his new home?

He likes and dislikes it at times

How does John react to Lenina? What causes him to respond this way? How is the crowd partially responsible for John's reaction?

He starts calling her names and that he doesn't want her because he views her as a temptation

Explain the events leading up to John's suicide. Why do you think he kills himself?

He wakes up and feels guilty about the night before. I think he killed himself due to all of the guilt that he had

When John is resting one afternoon, he suddenly finds himself having lustful thoughts of Lenina. How does he deal with these thoughts? Why does he react in this manner?

He whips himself, he feels like Jesus Christ

How does Huxley describe John's suicide? What is symbolically significant about the description?

Huxley describes his suicide as reporters coming in to the house and seeing his feet twirling around in many direction directions. It is symbolic because it is the direction where he was from and to where he went.

According to the Director, in what way is the Bokanovsky process a major instrument of social stability?

It creates identical people to perform identical jobs

Describe John's new home

It is in a lighthouse that is surrounded by a bunch of flowers out in the wilderness that isn't too far away from civilization

. As this debate progresses, with whom do you find yourself agreeing?

John

One day after arriving at the lighthouse, John finds himself pleasantly lost in a particular activity. What type of work gives him such pleasure? After realizing how content he had been feeling during his work, what are his thoughts? Why does he feel this way?

John had started to create his bow and arrows. He feels guilty that he is having such a good time when he should be mourning Linda and atoning for his sins. He feels this way because self infliction is how people dealt with things in the Reservation.

At the feely, John and Lenina view/experience what would today be considered a pornographic movie. What happens afterward?

John is very upset, and he didn't like the feely at all. Lenina thought they would sleep together, but John ended up just going home.

Near the beginning of the chapter, Henry states, "Everybody's happy now," to which Lenina agrees. What is wrong with this assessment?

People are happy only because they don't know how to be unhappy and some people are hiding it such as Bernard and Helmholtz

As the mob continues chanting, another helicopter descends and Lenina steps out. Describe her behavior and body language as she looks at John. Based on this description, do you think that Lenina has changed? Explain your answer.

She is sad and starts to cry when she sees john. Yes because she has emotions towards John and she has never felt emotions for any other guy that she has been with

. How do the Controllers of the new world define happiness? State why you agree or disagree with the Controllers' definitions

That happiness is being completely free from everything, having nothing to worry about. Also, not knowing enough to be unhappy

At the beginning of the chapter, Bernard and Helmholtz visit John to say goodbye. What is your impression of this final meeting between the three of them?

That they all seemed to like each other and that there wasn't any bad blood between them anymore

As John is busy in his garden, a swarm of helicopters arrives, and hundreds of people from the new world descend upon him. What causes the people to come to the lighthouse? What do they begin chanting?

The feely of him whipping himself went viral, they start chanting whip all over again

Shortly after the three Delta-Minus workers witness John whipping himself, a reporter from the new world arrives to intrude upon John's solitude. What does the reporter want? How does John react to the reporter's questioning?

The reporter wants to know why he came and left London, his thoughts on civilization, and why he was whipping himself. John responded by kicked the reporter ***********.

. People in the new world do not experience passion, so they have to be given treatments. For instance, Henry Foster tells Lenina to get "an extra strong V.P.S. treatment." In addition, women get a "pregnancy substitute," and the characters take soma on a regular basis so they can escape feeling passions. What conclusion can you draw from these facts?

They are given these drugs and substitutes to give a person a false sense of passion in order to think that they are being helped.

Do you think that Lenina would have ended up any different than Linda if Lenina had been left behind on the Reservation? Cite specifics to support your generalizations.

Yes, anyone would have.

What is ironic about Lenina's comment, "And you feel so small when you're on the ground at the bottom of a hill"?

because you are actually small compared to the size of the hill

What happened with the experiment of an all-Alpha society?

nothing good came out of it. Land wasn't maintained, there were strikes in factories, people broke laws

. In this chapter, what surprising information does the reader learn about Mustapha Mond?

that he used to be a very good physicists before he became the Controller because he was threatened to be sent to an island

. Describe the mental picture you have of the Hospital for the Dying.

that it is a form of teaching for young kids, and that it is not a sad place, but a happy place