They discuss Bernard Marx, an Alpha with a height defect making him abnormally short. The story itself begins in the hatchery with Lenina Crowne and Fanny Crowne, two Beta workers discussing men. They are equally conditioned to be happy in their class and to only enjoy the company of others within that class. The conditioning process involves a long and painful series of electric shock and sleep conditioning therapies that are designed to train babies not to want to read or enjoy beauty, but to seek out entertainment and sex. The higher-level classes are bred for intelligence and management while the lower classes are intended to perform the tedious tasks. There are five genetically-defined classes that live in this future: Alphas, Betas, Gammas, Deltas, and Epsilons. Ford is worshipped as a god of technological innovation and development in Huxley’s novel and is a symbol of everything for which their society stands.

The year in the novel is A.F 632, the precursor standing for After Ford Henry Ford in this case. Opening in the year 2495, Brave New World begins by introducing the Central London Hatchery and Conditioning Centre, a factory for producing and conditioning babies.

Brave new world summary chapter