1. What is John thinking about when the crowds arrive?

2. Why have they come to see him?

3. How does John respond to them?

4. How does John respond to Lenina's presence?

5. What do his actions incite the crowd to begin doing?

6. Why do you think John participates?

1. John was thinking about his vows. He had sworn to remember her. He had vowed unceasingly to make amends. And there was he, sitting happily over his bow-stave, singing, actually singing to remember Linda and make amends to her soul. Out of anger at his forgetfulness, John starts to beat himself with a knotted cord.

2. They (three Delta Minus landworkers) came to John beating himself. Few days later, three reporters also arrive trying to interview John.

3. Johns reaction was hostile. He planted a hard kick in between the reporters legs. Undeterred, other reporters try to approach John but they get same treatment.

4. Lenina's presence was a temptation to John. It was a distraction from his vow. He had vowed to remember Linda. But Lenina's perfumed birthday suit, trying to seduce him was almost too much to resist. He shakes it off, throws himself against a bush of Juniper thorns and like it was not enough, he retracts the whip which was hanging on a nail by the door and forces pain into his body, begging Linda to forgive him.

5. The crowd upon his action begin to chat and taunt him asking him to whip himself.

6. John participates because again he is tempted by a woman other than Linda.

Cheers!