Brave New World Chapter 5, Part 2

The next day is an alternate Thursday, which is Bernard Marx's Solidarity Service Day, and he is late. He takes a taxi to the Fordson Community Singery, a glowing white building. The clock sounds out in a bass voice "Ford, Ford, Ford...". Bernard starts to criticize the people around him, and his stupidity in his choice of seating. Without looking, he has sat down next to Morgana Rothschild, whose unibrow he finds revolting, and Clara Deterdling, whose attractiveness he finds intimidating. He wishes he'd sat next to Fifi Bradlagh and Joanna Diesel, who are perfect specimens, but instead the lout Tom Kawaguchi takes that coveted seat. They pass around and drink from the Loving Cup, which is filled with strawberry ice-cream soma, and they hear the First and Second Solidarity Hymns, the following an excerpt from them:

"Ford, we are twelve; oh make us one,
Like drops within the Social River;
Oh, make us now together run
As swiftly as thy shining Flivver.
Come, Greater Being, Social Friend,
Annihilating Twelve-in-One!
We long to die, for when we end,
Our larger life has but begun." Chapter 5, Part 2, pg. 81

The soma begins to take effect, and even Bernard is affected. They sing the third hymn, and the excitement becomes intense. A voice sounds Ford, Ford, Ford, again and again, and they feel like they are melting, and that the Greater Being is coming. The men and women are ecstatic. Feeling only peer pressure, Bernard joins them in their cries, though he feels nothing. They dance around in a circle and chant "orgy-porgy" in a feverish drumbeat. It is dark and warm in the room, and soon the circle breaks, and they fall onto the surrounding couches. The voice continues to croon and coo.

After the orgy-porgy, Fifi is in calm rapture. Bernard lies and tells her that he found the ceremony wonderful too. He feels miserable and isolated and utterly alone and all he can think of is Morgana's ugly eyebrow.

Topic Tracking: Government 9
Topic Tracking: Sexuality 9
Topic Tracking: Inferiority 8