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In Huxley's Brave New World, why does John's declaration to his father relieve the tension in the room after Linda dominates the scene by...

In chapter ten, Bernard walks into the Hatchery with Linda and John, the Director's long-lost "family." In Huxley's world, motherhood is not only frowned upon, but it is the most obscene word and phase of existence. No woman would ever discuss being a mother. Having lived for decades on a reservation, Linda doesn't care about who knows what happened to her. She enters the Hatchery and publically calls the Director out as follows:



Of course I knew you; Tomakin, I should have know you anywhere, among a thousand. But perhaps you've forgotten me. Don't you remember? Don't you remember, Tomakin? Your Linda (150).



Everyone in the room is in shock at the sight of Linda, just as Lenina was when she first saw her. Linda is fat and has wrinkles. She is disgusting to look at for people who have chemical treatments and makeup to look better and younger. The room is awkwardly silent as Linda's confidence dies down and the Director's voice demands to know the meaning of what is happening. Linda throws herself on the man and hugs him. The crowd laughs until Linda declares she had a baby and he is the father. This is another disgusting revelation that quiets the crowd and creates a lot of tension.


After Linda describes her fate, she mentions John, whereupon he says, "My father!" He also falls to his knees in front of the Director, which seems uproariously funny to the witnesses. Huxley explains that the word "father" is just as bad as "mother." These words are considered "obscene," "pornographic," and "smutty" (151). When John's words accompany his melodramatic display of respect, that is too much to hold in seriously at that point. The employees viewed the Director with so much respect before this moment. It is situationally ironic to learn the Director, who held others responsible for their behavior, would end up a father. It is also verbally ironic that a man who is supposed to abhor such things as fatherhood would be called father. 


Overall, the scene must have been quite a rollercoaster from the witnesses' perspectives. First, Linda arrives looking old and shabby, which disgusts them. Then she admits she is a mother! This is almost too horrifying for the average bystander to watch. When John says "My father!" it is just enough to break the tension of the shocking news to solidify the unbelievable irony in the situation, and the onlookers laugh.

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