Question

Summarize the religious ceremony that Lenina and Bernard witness.

What do you think the purpose of the ceremony is?
Which religions does it seem to be based on?
Why does Lenina like the drums even though she doesn’t like anything else?

Answer 1

Following is a summary of the ceremony witnessed by Lenina and Bernard:

There were pounding drums in the ceremony that produced loud yet rhythmic noises that created a hypnotic effect. There were many live venomous snakes that were doing the hissing sounds. A man was being hit repeatedly with a long whip.

The people who were engaged in this ceremony believed that this procession of theirs would cause rains to fall and save their crops that year. The ceremony seems to be based on orthodox Christianity. Lenina liked the drums because of the sound they produced.