Both Bernard and John face the same antagonist: the World State. The World State is a civilization whose only goals are stability and productivity. In order to achieve these goals, the Controllers who rule the World State try to make sure their citizens are always happy. Bernard and John come into conflict with the World State because they believe that individuality (Bernard) and suffering (John) are more valuable than happiness and pleasure. Bernard tries to be more individual, but in the end he is seduced by the pleasure of promiscuity offered by the World State. When John tries to embrace suffering, he ends up taking part in an orgy. Both Bernard and John try to free Lenina from the brainwashing and social control of the World State, but neither man succeeds. At the end of the novel, Bernard and John confront the World State in the person of Mustapha Mond, one of the World Controllers. Mond shows them that their attempts to struggle against the power of the World State are utterly hopeless.

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