ABSTRACT

This study examined the use of counterpoint as a narrative technique in Aldous Huxley’s first four novels, namely Crome Yellow, Antic Hay, Those Barren Leaves, and Point Counter Point. By using narrative analysis and cluster analysis, the research identified and analyzed the literary elements of plot, character, and theme that demonstrated counterpoint, revealing the complex interplay between these elements and their contribution to the ironic features of the novels. The findings indicated that Huxley’s application of counterpoint evolved from a limited scale in his initial works to a more extensive and sophisticated use in Point Counter Point, where it became a structural extension of the author’s ironic vision. The study highlighted the use of contrapuntal plots, characters, and themes to create ironic effects, with Huxley employing various forms of irony, including situational, verbal, and dramatic. The research also explored the ironic features utilized in the novels, noting that while the first three novels primarily use situational irony, Point Counter Point presents a more nuanced use of all three types of irony. This technical and structural mastery in Huxley’s fourth novel served to critique and satirize the social norms and intellectual pretensions of the post-World War I British society. Huxley’s innovative use of counterpoint not only enhanced the artistic depth of his novels but also provided a multifaceted platform for ironic commentary. The integration of these narrative techniques offered a critical examination of the human condition and the societal constructions of the era, solidifying Huxley’s novels as significant contributions to modernist literature and social critique. Based on the findings of the study, sample teaching materials for college students were proposed. Curriculum planners or teachers in the field of literature and creative writing may apply the output to their course plan or teaching.

Keywords: Counterpoint, cluster criticism, ironic feature, literary elements, narrative criticism