Chapter 16 Summary

The three are taken to the World Controller's office. Mustapha Mond enters and shakes hands with all three of them, but it's John he addresses. He says he understands John doesn't like civilization. John, taken off-guard by the good-humored intelligence of the Controller's face, replies truthfully. He doesn't.

John admits there are some nice things about civilization, and is surprised when Mustapha Mond quotes Shakespeare. The Controller admits he's one of the few who knows about the books; since he makes the rules, he can break them with impunity.

John asks why the books are prohibited, and Mond says they haven't any use for old things here, especially when they're beautiful. Beauty is attractive, and they want people to be attracted by new things. Besides, they couldn't understand stories like Othello and Romeo Juliet. John asks why they couldn't write new stories like...