Prose Close Reading Chart 1 (227-229)

	Examples from Text	Analysis
Linguistic	Prose Passage 1: (227-229)   “It has given us the stablest equilibrium in history” (Huxley 227) “Universal happiness keeps the wheels steadily turning; truth and beauty can’t.” (Huxley 228) “Happiness has got to be paid for…I believe one would write better if the climate were bad” (Huxley 229)	Irony-stable equilibrium is what keeps the wheels turning. The tires may be spinning but the vehicle itself isn’t going anywhere. The idea that happiness is a consumer good; to write something meaningful, must be faced with some conflict.
Semantic	“Happiness is a hard master—particularly other people’s happiness. A much harder master…I’m interested in truth, I like science. But truth’s a menace, science a public danger.” (Huxley 227) “Knowledge was the highest good, truth the supreme value…truth and beauty…What’s the point of truth or beauty or knowledge…paid for. You’re paying for it, Mr. Watson—paying” (Huxley 228)	Repetition of one key word or phrase within varying contexts adjusts meaning of the word from our understanding to New World society’s definition. Continues with general theme of stability—same words used to reinforce the idea of everything staying the same
Structural	“Happiness has got to be paid for. You’re paying for it, Mr. Watson—paying because you happened to be too much interested in beauty. I was too much interested in truth; I paid too.” (Huxley 228) “That’s why we so carefully limit the scope of its researches—that’s why I almost got sent to an island.” (Huxley 227) “But we can’t allow science to undo its own good work…we don’t allow it to deal with any…” (Huxley 228)	Polyptoton—paid and paying, a constant sacrifice that must be continuously given for society to progress as it is Anaphora—slightly different, same idea with the anadiplosis; the variance is enough to create a noticeable difference but still retains repetitiveness
Cultural	“True, ideas were beginning to change even then. Our Ford himself did a great deal to shift the emphasis from truth and beauty to comfort and happiness.” (Huxley 228) “China’s was hopelessly insecure by comparison; even the primitive matriarchies weren’t steadier than we are.” (Huxley 227) “People were ready to have even their appetites controlled then. Anything for a quiet life.” (Huxley 228)	Ford resembles religious figure in the text, first introduced mass production into the world, the new staple of society. What one worships correlates to what one puts value in, and it’s clear that Huxley is emphasizing our own society’s movement towards worshipping comfort and convenience above all else.