...RAY DOUGLAS BRADBURY He was an American novelist, short-story writer, essayist, playwright, screenwriter, and poet. Although the genre of many of Ray Bradbury’s stories is fiction, he rejected being categorized as a science fiction author, claiming that the only story he has ever written that is a science fiction story is Fahrenheit 451. BIOGRAPHY Ray Douglas Bradbury was born on August 22, 1920, in Waukegan, Illinois. He enjoyed a relatively idyllic childhood in Waukegan, which he later incorporated into several semi-autobiographical novels and short stories. Bradbury's life revolved around magic, magicians, circuses, and other such fantasies. He decided to become a writer at about age 12 or 13. He later said that he made this decision to "live forever" through his fiction. His first official pay as a writer came for contributing a joke to George Burns's Burns & Allen Show. In 1937, he became a member of the Los Angeles Science Fiction League, whose help enabled him to publish four issues of his own science-fiction fan magazine, or "fanzine," Futuria Fantasia. He graduated from a Los Angeles high school in 1938. His formal education ended there because they had no money to send him to college due to the Depression. However, he became a "student of life," selling newspapers on L.A. street corners from 1938 to 1942. He published his first short story in a fan magazine in 1938. Bradbury says that he learned to write by recalling his own experiences. Many...
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...In Fahrenheit 451 people were faced with the issue of having to be suppressed in thought and in mind. For many, they did not question these ideals, but rather went along passively. Although there were some that questioned the lack of their own natural human thought. Some had a need to think and feel. These people were known In Fahrenheit 451 as the book rebels, the people that thrived to think. They committed their very lives to the ideals of thought and creativity. They did this by memorizing works of literature, and by forming groups of thought. If I was to be a book rebel I would dedicate my life to the memorization of George Orwell’s “1984”. I would definitely preserve this book because its meaning extends to all people of all cultures. In my opinion no other work has better expressed the effects of a totalitarian government on people and society. It is of utmost importance to understand the ideals of this book to protect our own individual freedom. This book does not merely serve as an outlet for creativity and entertainment, but as a simulated warning of the hardships man must face, if he does not speak out and think for himself. I believe this book would be most valuable committed to memory especially to the people in the society of Fahrenheit 451. The book of “1984” would not only be the work I commit to memory if I were to be a book rebel. I would also recomend “1984” to moderm society in order to protect their own livelihood and that of there children’s...
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...Freshman Summer Reading Required Reading: Shane by Jack Schaefer (This book will be read first in Literary Traditions I.) The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Gods, Heroes, and Men of Ancient Greece by W.H.D. Rouse General instructions for answers to all journal questions: After reading the books named above, each student is to prepare a journal to be handed to his English teacher on the first day of his English class. The journal must be neatly handwritten in blue or black ink—not typed—on lined loose-leaf paper and on only one side of the paper. All of the questions for each required book are to be answered in this journal. Be sure to answer thoroughly every question not only by providing the answer but also by citing and discussing several quotes and/or examples (a minimum of three) from the book to support each of your answers. Average length of each paragraph should be a minimum of 100 words (approximately one-half page or more). All responses must be written in complete sentences with close attention to all words spelled and capitalized correctly. In addition, students should avoid writing fragments and run-on sentences. When the journal is complete, each student should fasten the entire report into a binder or folder. No typed journals will ever be accepted. Journal Questions for Required Reading Shane 1. In the New Testament, Jesus teaches us to “love our enemies” and to “turn the other...
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...Poetic Prose Project for Fahrenheit 451 Due ___________________ Ray Bradbury used figurative language throughout his novel to create mental pictures or images in his readers’ minds. As a result, his prose often sounds much like poetry. Part One: On notebook paper, create your own chart of poetic prose from the novel. Use blue or black ink. Do not write on the back. Skip a line between each example. To avoid using my quotes, don’t use quotes from the first fourteen pages of the novel. On line A, write the page number and the quotation. On line B, write a paraphrase of the quote. FIND FOUR OF EACH TYPE OF FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE. Place the four similes on page one, the four metaphors on page two, and the four examples of personification on page three. Part Two: Choose one of your quotes and make a visual no larger than 9 X 12 expressing its meaning. Neatly write your quote on your visual. Do not put your visual on notebook paper. A SIMILE is a figure of speech in which like or as or similar words are used to make a comparison between two basically unlike ideas. “Alex is as bright as Jason” is a comparison, not a simile. “Alex is as bright as a light bulb” is a simile. A METAPHOR is a figure of speech in which one thing is spoken of as though it were something else. Unlike a simile, a metaphor implies a comparison between two basically unlike ideas. Example: Alexander is the sunshine of my day. PERSONIFICATION is a type of figurative language...
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...Ray Bradbury is a master of characterization techniques. He uses his expertise, such as indirect characterization, in the creation of Fahrenheit 451. In addition to learning about the explicit qualities of Bradbury’s characters, readers receive deeper insight as we carefully read his stories. In Fahrenheit 451, we learn more indirect information about the protagonist, Guy Montag, through the words used to introduce this character. We have a clear view of Montag’s thoughts and feelings that lead him into his own transformation. When the novel begins, we learn that Montag’s values are similar to that of the society he lives in. The culture in which Montag is accustomed to is one without cogitation or analysis. Their society believes that books cause pain and should not exist. Everyone in this society believes they live in a carefree, painless world beyond having burdens. In the first sentence of the novel, Montag shows how much he loves his work as a fireman: “It was a special pleasure to see things eaten, to see things blackened and changed” (Bradbury 1). The job of a fireman in this society is to set fires, not to eradicate them. Houses that are revealed to contain books, by those who set off the alarms, are destroyed by firemen. Montag enjoys watching books wither and disintegrate in front of his eyes, but never thinks why he does it. His ideas begin to change when he walks home one evening and runs into a young woman named Clarisse McClellan, who lives on the same street as...
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...“1984” A Book Worth Preseving In Fahrenheit 451 people were faced with the issue of having to be suppressed in thought and in mind. For many, they did not question these ideals, but rather went along passively. Although there were some that questioned the lack of their own natural human thought. Some had a need to think and feel. These people were known In Fahrenheit 451 as the book rebels, the people that thrived to think. They committed their very lives to the ideals of thought and creativity. They did this by memorizing works of literature, and by forming groups of thought. If I was to be a book rebel I would dedicate my life to the memorization of George Orwell’s “1984”. I would definitely preserve this book because its meaning extends to all people of all cultures. In my opinion no other work has better expressed the effects of a totalitarian government on people and society. It is of utmost importance to understand the ideals of this book to protect our own individual freedom. This book does not merely serve as an outlet for creativity and entertainment, but as a simulated warning of the hardships man must face, if he does not speak out and think for himself. I believe this book would be most valuable committed to memory especially to the people in the society of Fahrenheit 451. The book of “1984” would not only be the work I commit to memory if I were to be a book rebel. I would also recomend “1984” to moderm society in order to protect their own livelihood...
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...Physicians, and Medicine During the Elizabethan Time The Elizabethan time period was from 1558 through 1603 known as the Renaissance. During the Renaissance there was not any running water, so people would have to throw their waste in the streets. With people’s waste in the street came many illnesses including The Plague. Even a minor scrap could kill you in the next minute. When people got sick they needed medicine, physicians, and health care. In the late 1500 there was not a great deal medican, there was mostly just spiritual analysis. One of the key figures of the medical world was Andreas Vesalius who became Professor of surgery and anatomy at the University of Padua, when he was only twenty three. In most detail Vesalius showed that Galen’s work was accurate, but he was not afraid to identify where Galen had been wrong. Vesalius’ book The Fabric of the Human Body, published in 1543, provided a comprehensive description of human anatomy. He numbered or gave letters to the illustrations so that the reader could link them with the text. At Padua, Vesalius carried out many detailed dissections, usually of executed criminals, and this work was the basis for his great book. This book revolutionized the way anatomical dissections were carried out and thought and it also showed that careful dissection could lead to new understandings of the structure of the human body. Until the fourteenth century, human dissection had not played any part in medical education. Since the dawn of...
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...In the book, The Lord of the Flies by William Golding, the fire represents civilization. By doing this, the fire represents hope. The fire also gives responsibility to the characters. In the book, the fireis a way of treason. The fire represents civilization in many ways, and shows the difference in character when there is civilization, and when primitiveness takes over. The fire represents hope. “The flame, nearly invisible at first in that bright sunlight, enveloped a small twig, grew, was enriched with color and reached up to a branch that exploded with a sharp crack.” (Golding 41) This is when the boys first make the fire with Piggy’s glasses. Golding describes this fire as something that was small that becomes something big. When the boys first get on the island, they did not have a source of food or resources. The fire was something that they learned to do, and it helped them to cook their food, give them light, and to signal a fire to get help. Ralph hoped that the signal fire would get help so that he could go home. When the fire goes out, their rejection of civilization appears greatly. The fire gives responsibility to the characters. “So long as your hunters remember the fire-” (Golding 53) The boys first were split into two groups, and one of the groups was the hunters. The hunters were responsible for watching the fire and getting food. The hunters failed at doing that, and were more focused on getting food, and killing things. The fire shows the responsibilities...
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...“Don't run”, “walk slowly”, and “stay on the path”; seemingly easy instructions that when disobeyed, changed life as they knew it. All he desired to do was shoot the target and leave quickly, but that was the complete opposite of what happened. Little did they know that such a small thing would have such a large impact. In Ray Bradbury’s short story, “A Sound of Thunder,” the main character is murdered and the future is changed because of Eckle’s own stupidity, the anger of the safari guide, and the lax screening process of Safari, inc. Though Eckles thought it to be insignificant, a dead butterfly's life changed everything, and it was his fault. What was supposed to be the hunt of a lifetime turned into Eckles’s worst nightmare, for fear took over every aspect of his dream. Eckles was as pale as a ghost, jaws clenched, and a death grip on his gun, because of his lack of faith in the gun that he did not expect it to take the life of a two-hundred thousand pound impenetrable death machine, putting everyone in danger. The one sole, vital rule was to not step off of the path, but as fear took over, he became numb and absent-mindedly veered off of the path. Though it seemed unimportant at the time, Eckles later found that...
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... Imagine a society where everything was perfect, where everything would always go exactly according to plan. Such a society exists in Lois Lowry’s The Giver. In the society, multiple systems are set up so that order can be maintained. While starting with good intentions, the societal systems eventually become a machine that rips humans of basic emotions, and hunger for these emotions eventually leads to the destruction of the society. In The Giver, Lois Lowry uses the systems of Sameness, the Ceremonies, and Releasing to maintain order; however, these same systems ironically also lead to the downfall of the society. The system that the society prides itself most on is the system of Sameness. Sameness was originally intended to bring about order by eliminating differences between citizens of the society. In the beginning of The Giver, Jonas notes that after Asher shows up tardy to a class, he “...remained standing to make his public apology, as was required” (Lowry 3). When Jonas is thinking about the Ceremony of Twelve, he corrects himself to maintain “...precision of language, which was strictly enforced.” (Lowry 1). Each dwelling contains a large rule book which dictates every single rule laid out by the system of Sameness. While Sameness does its job to keep the citizens of the society in order, it also unintentionally destroys the humanity and individuality of each member. Cheryl Blake, author of The Giver: Encyclopedia of Themes in Literature, writes that “As a result of...
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...Captain Beatty responded to censorship by stating, “"Bigger the population, the more minorities. Don't step on the toes of the dog lovers, the cat lovers, doctors, lawyers,....Authors, full of evil thoughts, lock up your typewriters. They did”(Bradbury 55). He means that people do not like getting their feelings hurt, and the solution is to destroy anything that could make political opinions differ. The struggle between morals and First Amendment rights is making the censorship issue more complicated. Sacrifice is not necessary to keep personal morals and freedom of speech and the press. In the court case Counts v. Cedarville School District, 295 F.Supp.2d 996 (W.D. Ark. 2003), a school restricted access to Harry Potter because it dealt with witchcraft and disrespect for authority. At first glance, censoring a children’s book may seem harmless, but the government is disconnecting people from information. Fahrenheit 451 shows that people can lead to extreme ignorance like the character, Mildred, has....
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...vFahrenheit 451: Novel Test A society without books is a society without knowledge. In Ray Bradbury’s book, Fahrenheit 451, nobody is allowed to read any books, due to it being a crime against humanity. If somebody gets caught reading a book, that person’s house will get burned to ashes. Books are replaced with magazines, movies, and television, causing people to lose grasp of language arts and reading. Due to the technology drowning everything out, people in this dystopian society lack necessary social skills, causing them to act and think irrationally. The schools in the society don’t even teach any typical school subjects. The students learn about fighting and the “correct” way to watch the television. Books educate in many real subjects...
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...Fahrenheit 451 Passage exemplifying Act, Scene, Agent, or Agency that covers purpose of the novel Pg. # Commentary utilizing DIDLS to discuss the manner in which the element of Act, Scene, Agent, or Agency works to achieve the purpose. “They walked still further and the girl said, ‘Is it true that long ago firemen put fires out instead of going to start them?’ ‘No.Houses have always been fireproof, take my word for it.’ ‘ Strange. I heard once that a long time ago houses used to burn by accident and they needed firemen to stop the flames.’ Pg. 6 Bradbury liked to use italics as a way to play with the readers. To make fun of the way firemen are used in his novel and what they're suppose to do in real life. He uses this as a way to introduce...
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...Books can be burned, ripped, destroyed, they can even go extinct, but knowledge cannot. One can censor books, sites, any type of media, but what one can never censor is knowledge. One of the most important themes of Fahrenheit 451 consists of censorship. Although, Fahrenheit 451 consists of multiple themes, censorship plays an enormous role and is noted to be the most important theme. Censorship is to perfectly describe the book of Fahrenheit 451 because of all the things that are restricted in it. Much is censored/restricted in this book, including thoughts, freedom, knowledge and even rights. The society of Fahrenheit 451 is a society filled with arrogance, temerity and laziness. All these negatives are caused by the lack of freedom and the entirety of censorship mentioned throughout the book. In the world of Fahrenheit 451, firemen start fires rather than extinguishing them. People of this society do not think independently nor do they have meaningful conversations. They don’t even have an interest in reading books. In the beginning of the book we see that Guy Montag is a fireman who burns books and houses instead of saving them and enjoys it. By the end we see that he is reformed into a whole new character, who supports the idea of knowledge, books, and literature. To complete his transformation into being this whole new person, he has to face quite the obstacles as well as having to face his fellow firemen and his wife Mildred. His curiosity about himself, his life and...
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...like Peter Sicero, Thomas F. Bertonneau, and Calum Kerr use their literary analyses to examine similar conflicts in Fahrenheit 451. These journals demonstrate the way the government uses television to force viewers to believe what is being fed to them through television programming. Ray Bradbury uses allusions, characterization, foreshadowing and symbolism to demonstrate how the government pressures citizens into like-minded ways of thinking to continually gain power. Bradbury uses allusions,...
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