How are the bodies of the dead disposed of in the New World?

• A. Buried in cemeteries
• B. Exposed to air until natural decomposition
• C. Ground into powder and scattered
• D. Burned

Answer: (D)

In Brave New World the disposal of the dead is handled through cremation. The World State prioritizes efficiency, control, and the elimination of personal or religious attachments, so keeping graves or letting bodies decompose would invite memory, mourning, or loyalties that compete with societal stability. Cremation allows the state to dispose of the deceased quickly and uniformly, preventing any lingering rituals or sentiments from forming around death. Other methods—burial, exposure, or scattering—would undermine the society’s emphasis on sameness and control, so burning is the chosen approach.