Aldous Huxley Books Explored in This Project Are All Based in the Contrast of the Utopia and the Dystopia
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HUXLEY CLASSICS The three Aldous Huxley books explored in this project are all based in the contrast of the utopia and the dystopia. These dystopias are often expressed in forced comformity. 4 The book covers were all designed with defying conformity in mind. SUMMARY BACKGROUND Aldous Huxley was born into a prominent intel- Brave New World is considered Aldous Huxley’s best lectual family in Godalming, England, in 1894. work. It follows the stories of two men navigating their After a serious illness left him partially blind lives within a utalitarian dystopia. Within this world there as a youth, Huxley abandoned his dreams of is one last “reservation” of savages that have not been becoming a scientist to pursue a literary ca- corrupted by the dystopias use of drugs and sex to con- reer. In 1916 he graduated with honors from trol the populace. One of the men was accidentally aban- Balliol College at Oxford University and pub- doned here and when he is introduced to the dystopian lished a collection of poems. Five years later world (disguised as a utopia) he experiences quite the he published his debut novel Crome Yellow, culture shock. which brought him his first taste of success. Island was Aldous Huxley’s last published work. It ex- I chose his books for this project because of plores the destruction of a utopian Pacific Island. A jour- the similair themes in each novel. I wanted to nalist puposefully shipwrecks himself on the island to present those themes visually and cohesive- gain access to the isolated people in order to exploit them ly between each novel. Brave New World is into agreeing to let his benefactor, an oil baron, take over definitely considered a classic of science fic- the island for capatalist gain. The consequences of this tion and Island is also well known. Ape and are the destruction of the island, which he realises in the Essence is less well known but the ideas ex- end, he doesn’t want. plored in the book seem to be his answer to the questions posed in the other two books. Ape and Essence is a complicated story. It is a story with- in a story. Within the second layer story the world has GOALS & OBJECTIVES fallen to nuclear warfare and the ruling survivors force the rest of the survivors to conform to their traditions. The goals and objectives of this project are to The typewriter keys push the idea of the story with in the do the job that most bookcovers should do and story while the chaoticness of the keys represents the attract readers to pick them up and buy them. I characters decent into madness. also wanted to present these books with pops of bright color to set them apart from previ- ous cover designs and to hopefully make them more noticeable on a shelf. *This project was redone after the class ended to make necessary improvements. MIND MAP TYPE STUDIES VISUAL RESEARCH MOODBOARD INITIAL COLOR SOLUTION C: 39 M: 39 C: 39 M: 39 C: 48 M: 28 C: 48 M: 28 C: 94 M: 60 Y: 26 K: 0 Y: 26 K: 48 Y: 62 K: 4 Y: 62 K: 37 Y: 50 K: 35 TYPE STUDIES BRAVE NEW WORLD ISLAND BRAVE NEW WORLD ISLAND BRAVE NEW WORLD ISLAND BRAVE NEW WORLD ISLAND BRAVE NEW WORLD ISLAND BRAVE NEW WORLD ISLAND BRAVE NEW WORLD ISLAND BRAVE NEW WORLD APE AND ESSENCE Aldous Huxley APE AND ESSENCE Aldous Huxley APE AND ESSENCE Aldous Huxley APE AND ESSENCE Aldous Huxley APE AND ESSENCE Aldous Huxley APE AND ESSENCE Aldous Huxley INITIAL TYPE SOLUTION My Typography ISLAND Zimbra Found Type Aldous Huxley was born into a prominent intel- lectual family in Godalming, England, in 1894. After a serious illness left him partially blind as a youth, Huxley abandoned his dreams of becom- ing a scientist to pursue a literary career. In 1916 he graduated with honors from Balliol College at Oxford University and published a collection of poems. Five years later he published his de- but novel Crome Yellow, which brought him his first taste of success. Avenir Book THUMBNAILS ROUGHS CREATED TYPE ROUGHS BRAVE NEW WORLD BRAVE The reception of Brave New World at its publication was primarily negative. “As sparkling, as provocative, as brilliant…as impressive as Many were offended by the nature of the day it was published…A work of art.” - Martin Green Huxley’s future, and very few under- stood the novel’s philosophical implica- “Chilling…That he gave us the dark side of genetic engi- tions. Many schools and libraries all over neering in 1932 is amazing.” - Providence Journal Bulletin the world banned the novel, and even today it remains on lists of censored “A sometimes appallingly accurate view of today’s world.” - books. Parents and teachers argue that St. Louis Post-Dispatch the novel’s themes of promiscuity, self- harm, and overall negativity are not “It’s time for everyone to rear or reread Brave New World.” - suitable for children. Others, however, Raleigh News & Observer are still influenced by the novel’s take on dystopia, which forces the reader to ponder: In a perfect world with no pov- Aldous Huxley was born erty, sickness, or sadness, what is soci- into a prominent intellectual family in ety missing? This question and the an- Godalming, England, in 1894. After a swers provided by Huxley in Brave New serious illness left him partially blind as World are, perhaps, the reason the nov- a youth, Huxley abandoned his dreams el continues to resonate. of becoming a scientist to pursue a lit- erary career. In 1916 he graduated with honors from Balliol College at Oxford University and published a collection of poems. Five years later he published his debut novel Crome Yellow, which brought him his first taste of success. He followed with several more equally successful satirical novels before pub- lishing the work for which he is best known, Brave New World. A dark vision of the future, it is widely regarded as one of the greatest novels of the 20th century. Huxley moved to the United States in 1937 and for the rest of his life Aldous Huxley maintained a prolific output of novels, nonfiction, screenplays and essays. He died of cancer in Los Angeles, Califor- nia, in 1963. Aldous Huxley BRAVE NE BRAVE As sparkling, as provocative, as brilliant…as impres- The reception of Brave New World at its publication was primarily “ sive as the day it was published…A work of art. negative. Many were offended by the – Martin” Green nature of Huxley’s future, and very few Chilling…That he gave us the dark side of genetic understood the novel’s philosophical implications. Many schools and librar- “ . Aldous Huxley engineering in 1932 is amazing ies all over the world banned the nov- – Providence Journal ” el, and even today it remains on lists of censored books. A sometimes appallingly accurate view of today’s “and yesterday’s world. Parents and teachers argue that the ” – St. Louis Post-Dispatch novel’s themes of promiscuity, self- harm, and overall negativity are not suitable for children. Others, however, are still influenced by the novel’s take Aldous Huxley was born W WORLD on dystopia, which forces the reader to into a prominent intellectual family in ponder: In a perfect world with no pov- Godalming, England, in 1894. After a erty, sickness, or sadness, what is soci- serious illness left him partially blind as ety missing? This question and the an- a youth, Huxley abandoned his dreams swers provided by Huxley in Brave New of becoming a scientist to pursue a lit- World are, perhaps, the reason the nov- erary career. In 1916 he graduated with el continues to resonate. honors from Balliol College at Oxford University and published a collection The novel opens in the World State city of poems. Five years later he published of London in AF (After Ford) 632 (AD his debut novel Crome Yellow, which 2540 in the Gregorian calendar), where brought him his first taste of success. citizens are engineered through artificial wombs and childhood indoctrination He followed with several more equally programmes into predetermined class- successful satirical novels before pub- es (or castes) based on intelligence and lishing the work for which he is best It’s time for everyone to read or reread Brave New labour. Lenina Crowne, a hatchery work- known, Brave New World. A dark vision Aldous Huxley “ World. Twice if you must. er, is popular and sexually desirable, but of the future, it is widely regarded as – Raleigh News & Observer ” Bernard Marx, a psychologist, is not. He one of the greatest novels of the 20th is shorter in stature than the average century. Huxley moved to the United member of his high caste, which gives States in 1937 and for the rest of his life him an inferiority complex. maintained a prolific output of novels, nonfiction, screenplays and essays. He died of cancer in Los Angeles, Califor- nia, in 1963. Englishman William Asquith “Will” Farnaby deliberately wrecks his boat on the Polynesian shores of the Kingdom of Pala, thus forcing his entry to this otherwise “forbidden island”. Farnaby, a journalist, political huckster, and lackey for the oil baron Lord Joseph “Joe” Aldehyde, is tasked with per- suading the island’s current queen—the Rani—to sell Aldehyde rights to Pala’s untapped oil assets. Farnaby awakens on the island with a leg injury, hearing a myna bird scream- island ing “Attention”, when a local boy and Aldous Huxley was born girl notice him and take him for medical into a prominent intellectual family in treatment to their grandfather, Dr.