Ape and Essence

Summary

«Ape and Essence» is a dystopian novel by Aldous Huxley set in a post-apocalyptic world following a devastating global war. The book begins with screenwriter Bob Briggs and his friend discovering a film script that was never produced. This script describes an expedition of scientists from New Zealand to war-ravaged California. In this world, humanity has regressed to a primitive state, and society is governed by brutal religious cults worshipping the devil Beelzebub. The protagonist, Dr. Alfred Poole, confronts the horrors of this new world where people live in fear and subjugation. Through satire and allegory, Huxley explores themes of societal degradation, religious fanaticism, and the loss of human essence. The novel raises questions about the nature of civilization and human morality in the face of catastrophe.