Brave New World

"It was a large room bright with sunshine and yellow paint, and containing twenty beds, all occupied. Linda was dying in company – in company and with all the modern conveniences. The air was continuously alive with gay synthetic melodies. At the foot of every bed, confronting its moribund occupant, was a television box. Television was left on, a running tap, from morning till night. Every quarter of an hour the prevailing perfume of the room was automatically changed. "We try," explained the nurse, who had taken charge of the Savage at the door, "we try to create a thoroughly pleasant atmosphere here – something between a first-class hotel and a feely-palace, if you take my meaning" (180).
...
"You mean, of her not dying?" (He nodded.) "No, of course there isn't. When somebody's sent here, there's no …" Startled by the expression of distress on his pale face, she suddenly broke off. "Why, whatever is the matter?" she asked. She was not accustomed to this kind of thing in visitors. (Not that there were many visitors anyhow: or any reason why there should be many visitors.) "You're not feeling ill, are you?" (181)

The first paragraph stands out because it resembles how a person dies the same way they are decanted. This room is much like the conditioning room with the rows of beds. However, I do not understand why there are so many accomodations for the dying. If everyone has beed conditioned to accept death without emotion or question, why put so much work into making it happier for the dying? I would have thought they would simply give them a few grammes of soma and let them drift to death. If they are attempting to make them comfortable with televisions and perfume, then they must understand that death is in fact not pleasant.  Also, I found it ironic that ultimately, Linda suffered in her death, clenching her throat with terror in her eyes. On the reservation, the sacrificed boy accepted his death and while being beat, did not utter a sound. He appeared to have died an honorable death since John was jealous of him. On the contrary, Linda, back at home died a spectacle for 8 year old twins. I also thought it ironic how while on a soma holiday, she dreamt of the reservation. She had been begging to be back home for years and after returning, longed for Pope and the Savage world.

The motto that "everybody belongs to everybody" suggests that instead of one person loving you, everyone does. This is why it surprised me that there were absolutely no visitors. I understand that there are no emotions toward one another as to avoid heartbreak and grief but since there are friendships, I would assume there would be visitors. I guess this passage is why I wonder if Henry was dying would Lenina visit?  If Lenina was dying would Fanny Crowne visit? If Bernard was dying, would Helmhotz visit?