Living with Monsters: A Study of the Art of Characterization in Aldous Huxley’s Novels (Literary Criticism and Cultural Theory)

By: Indrani Deb

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Synopsis: Aldous Huxley is one of the most well-known modernist intellectuals of the first half of the twentieth century, excelling in novels, essays, philosophical tracts, and poems. His novels are special in that they use a unique form – the novel of ideas – with which to satirize human nature and the pride regarding human achievement. Few readers of English literature are not acquainted with books like Point Counter Point, Eyeless in Gaza and Brave New World (novels dealt with in detail). A proper study of Huxley’s characterization in his novels opens up a veritable treasure-house of history, philosophy, psychology, and incisive satire. "Characterology", as the art of projecting different kinds of characters is called, is an ancient art, which either aimed at representing the entire universe in a single individual, or the same in a variegated form through various individuals. Huxley uses the latter kind in his representation of character, and as such, a study of the characters of his novels opens up a general interpretation of the universe as a whole.