How we cite our quotes: Citations follow this format: (Chapter.Part.Paragraph)
Quote #22
The Deltas muttered, jostled one another a little, and then were still. The threat had been effective. Deprivation of soma—appalling thought! (15.12)
The lower classes seem to have more dependence on soma than the upper classes; use is more of a scheduled regimen than a social activity.
Quote #23
"Free, free!" the Savage shouted, and with one hand continued to throw the soma into the area while, with the other, he punched the indistinguishable faces of his assailants. "Free!" And suddenly there was Helmholtz at his side—"Good old Helmholtz!"—also punching—"Men at last!"—and in the interval also throwing the poison out by handfuls through the open window. "Yes, men! men!" and there was no more poison left. He picked up the cash-box and showed them its black emptiness. "You're free!"
Howling, the Deltas charged with a redoubled fury. (15.41-2)
John is the only character to relate the notion of imprisonment to that of soma. Of course, as Mustapha will later point out, trying to explain this to any conditioned individual is impossible.
Quote #24
"And if ever, by some unlucky chance, anything unpleasant should somehow happen, why, there's always soma to give you a holiday from the facts. And there's always soma to calm your anger, to reconcile you to your enemies, to make you patient and long-suffering. In the past you could only accomplish these things by making a great effort and after years of hard moral training. Now, you swallow two or three half-gramme tablets, and there you are. Anybody can be virtuous now. You can carry at least half your morality about in a bottle. Christianity without tears—that's what soma is." (17.47)
The need for soma in the new world is a testament to the Controllers' failure. People aren't really happy—they're medicated to be that way.