While reading Brave New World, we found that there are five different castes in the society of the World State. The five castes are Alphas, Betas, Gammas, Deltas, and Epsilons. After reading the novel and looking back on these castes I found that the castes, or the idea of these castes, are similar to the caste system of Hinduism.
In the Hindu caste system, individuals are born in their caste and can not move up the caste system. They will be the same caste until the day they die. Similarly, individuals in the World State are born into their caste and can not leave it. In the Hindu caste system, your caste will tell what the individuals' life will be. For example, the vaisyas are skilled traders and if someone is born into that caste they will either be a merchant or minor official, but they are limited to that only. Similarly, the individuals in each caste of the world state are taught what to like in life and how their life will be run. For example, the Delta babies are conditioned to hate books and flowers because they are on the "lower" caste but the Alphas are taught to enjoy because they are on the "higher" caste.
What do you think? This argument and comparison may be a long shot but I think I have made legitimate comparisons. Are the castes of the World State somewhat similar to the caste system of Hinduism?
Good observation. The only difference being is your choices in any given life give you a second chance to change your caste through reincarnation. In the World State, you *have* to make good choices, and it's hard not to. There's still more free will. At least you get to keep your soul, anyway. I'd think of The World State as buddhism when you're speaking means of reincarnation, you either go souless or are provided with new in each rebirth. You're yourself with not a single aspect of being yourself. Sort of like being a Delta Baby.
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