Chapters 13-18

Chapter 13

• Location: London
• Time: 632 AF (after Ford)
• Main characters: Henry Foster, Lenina, Fanny, John

Difficult love

Henry Foster would like to invite Lenina to the cinema of sensations. However, she refuses. Foster notices that Lenina looks different and asks about her health. He recommends that she see a doctor.

Lenina works on the embryos and thinks about John all the time. Since she is confused and distracted, she makes a mistake. When she later meets Fanny in the locker room, Fanny criticizes her for her behavior. She also advises Lenina not to act like this because of a man. She advises her to look for other men, or to go to John and finally tell him that she loves him. 

John is actually waiting for Helmholtz, when the doorbell rings and Lenina stands in front of him. She has taken soma to overcome her fears. She assumes John won't be too happy about her visit. John begins to recite Shakespeare, which Lenina does not understand at all. He throws himself on his knees and finally confesses his love to her. As he begins to speak of marriage, Lenina is horrified. She is attracted to him and wants to have sex with him, so she undresses. But when she tries to kiss him, John gets angry and backs away. Then he hits Lenina so hard that she falls, and calls her a ‘whore’. Lenina escapes to the bathroom and locks the door behind her.

Suddenly, John receives a call. He rushes out of the apartment. When Lenina notices that John has left, she quickly leaves the apartment.

Chapter 14

• Location: London
• Time: 632 AF (after Ford)
• Main characters: John, Linda, nurse, children

Linda's death

John flies to Park Lane Hospice to visit his dying mother. He asks a nurse where his mother is. The nurse blushes on hearing the word ‘mother’, but leads him to Linda anyway. However, she is affected by the soma in her blood and does not notice John. John sits down by her bed and thinks about the old times. 

A group of eight-year-old identical twins enter the room. They are being conditioned to get used to death. They make noise and play. When one of the boys makes fun of Linda for looking old, John slaps him. The nurse rushes over as the boy starts screaming. She criticizes John for disturbing the conditioning.

John would like ...