What happens when Linda thinks John is Pope?

• A. His misery turns to fury
• B. He forgives her
• C. He leaves
• D. He laughs

Answer: (D)

Linda’s reaction shows how religion and authority are treated with satire in Brave New World, filtered through her unstable, soma-dazed perspective. When she misreads John as the Pope, she responds with laughter rather than reverence or anger. That laughter reflects her inability to take the moment seriously and highlights the emptiness or absurdity of sacred roles in a world that has hollowed out genuine spirituality. It also mirrors her own emotional volatility and detachment from reality. So, the best answer is that she laughs, not because of conviction or confrontation, but because the situation strikes her as ludicrous in her altered state.