The Importance of “Soma” in Brave New World.

Answer

 What is the importance of “Soma” in Brave New World?

Or, Discuss the role of Soma in Brave New World.

First of all, you have to believe that everyone can become a victim of drugs, whether they are legal or illegal. Even the author Aldous Huxley (1894-1963), author of  “Brave New World” (1932), wasn’t able to resist drugs. In “Brave New World”, only the two legal drugs, soma and alcohol, exist, though alcohol can only be found in the reservation. Soma is a kind of drug that is distributed without any price to all the citizens of the World State. Soma symbolizes pleasure, the goal for everyone in the World State society. 

..there is always soma, delicious soma, half a gramme for a half-holiday

Origination of Soma:  Aldous Huxley took the name “soma” from Vedic traditions, where it is a divine drink used in all sorts of important rituals. In the novel “Brave New World”, it is a drug that leaves people feeling blessed and happy. The lower classes of the world state, e.g. the epsilons, deltas and gammas, take regular doses of soma every day. The upper classes can mainly choose on their own how much and how often they need to take soma to flee to the world they would like to be in. 

Symbol of Escapism and Inability: Soma is now a symbol of escapism and an inability to confront or accept the real world, especially human mortality. When the people of the World State experience strong negative emotions, citizens take a soma “holiday” to overwhelm them with unpleasant feelings. Soma makes people feel good. In large doses, it creates pleasant hallucinations and a sense of timelessness. So, in the world state, Soma is a symbol of escapism and inability.

Tool of Social Control: John blames his mother’s death on soma. He tries to convince other people not to take Soma. He tries to keep people aloof from Soma by interfering with daily soma rations for workers at the Hospital. For both John and the reader, soma now symbolizes a lack of free will, central social control, and enslavement.

In the end, John, the novel’s protagonist, uses soma and takes part in anonymous sex. John protests against World State for as long as possible in spite of the seductive attitude of Lenina. To Lenina

A gramme is always better than a damn,

 John sees soma as a tool of social control.

Thus, Soma maintains social order and keeps people from feeling any negative human emotions, such as jealousy, depression, sadness, or anxiety.