* entry of your choice: What would you rate this book between 1-10? why?
I would rate the novel, Fahrenheit 451 an 8 out of 10. I didn't really enjoy reading this book but I can appreciate Ray Bradbury's ideas and thoughts. The books relations to our lives are strong. What is interesting is that he wrote this novel a long time ago yet the material in it is still relevant to us today and for those in the future. I don't think this was the best book for me even though I can relate with many of the characters. In parts of the book I was confused and had to re-read many parts of the book to fully understand what Ray Bradbury was trying to say. I didn't really like it, but at the same time I didn't hate it. The novel was very good at explaining itself but in parts it was very confusing and seemed to be irrelevant. In the end though everything ties together and comes into focus. Some seems did not make any sense, for example on Page 48-" The Hound, he thought. It's out there tonight. It's out there now. If I opened the window... He did not open the window."
I honestly don't like this part of the book. What is the point in saying this? I got really confused with this part. But many other scenes in this book are intriguing and interesting. Ray Bradbury is a very good author and his ideas have impacted the world in my opinion.
Saturday, February 17, 2007
Question 7: Fahrenheit 451
* are there are any current situations in the world that relate to the novel? what are they, and how do they relate? does the novel shed any light on how current situations could be resolved or "fixed"?
Currently in the world people or groups of people are being persecuted and thrown in jail by the government. Right now missionaries in many places around the world are being tortured for meeting with groups of Christians in basements for church services. In North Korea people aren't even allowed to be Christians, or to worship anyone or anything but Kim Jung Il. These problems that are happening in the world right now relate to the novel Fahrenheit 451 because both Montag, and people without freedom today, are being prevented from teaching others and having free will of speech and actions. The government in Fahrenheit 451 catches people, and tortures or kills them, if those people disagree with government control. For Montag this is what would have happened to him if he was caught by the mechanical hound. The novel can relate to us today and help us to fix our problems through the trials and experiences Montag faced and went through. The novel, Fahrenheit 451, sheds light on the fact that governments can use their control and power for wrong, but when people keep standing up for what they believe in, they can make a difference in the world. Like Beatty, I think the governments who are doing this to these people groups will "want to die" after they come upon the truth of what they are doing.
Currently in the world people or groups of people are being persecuted and thrown in jail by the government. Right now missionaries in many places around the world are being tortured for meeting with groups of Christians in basements for church services. In North Korea people aren't even allowed to be Christians, or to worship anyone or anything but Kim Jung Il. These problems that are happening in the world right now relate to the novel Fahrenheit 451 because both Montag, and people without freedom today, are being prevented from teaching others and having free will of speech and actions. The government in Fahrenheit 451 catches people, and tortures or kills them, if those people disagree with government control. For Montag this is what would have happened to him if he was caught by the mechanical hound. The novel can relate to us today and help us to fix our problems through the trials and experiences Montag faced and went through. The novel, Fahrenheit 451, sheds light on the fact that governments can use their control and power for wrong, but when people keep standing up for what they believe in, they can make a difference in the world. Like Beatty, I think the governments who are doing this to these people groups will "want to die" after they come upon the truth of what they are doing.
Question 6: Fahrenheit 451
* are there any settings in this novel which you have found to be beautiful? or disturbing? or memorable? describe these settings and comment on why they were meaningful to you.
I found many scenes throughout the novel Fahrenheit 451 to be memorable. The most vivid one is the scene in which Montag urges the old lady to come with him but she refuses and he leaves, leaving her to burn to her death.
Pg 35- "It was a flaking three-story house in the ancient part of the city, a century old if it was a day, but like all houses it had been given a thin fireproof plastic sheath many years ago, and this preservative shell seemed to be the only thing holding it in the sky."
These words paint a clear picture of the house and what the people inside the house are like. I found this to be very heart-wrenching because I feel remorse and saddness and compassion towards the old lady. When I was reading the part where the old lady decides to stay behind and burn to death, I was shocked and wanted to keep on reading to discover what happens next. I am not quite sure why this scene has stuck with me. This scene is important and a key turning point for Montag in the book. Like Montag this scene was a key turning point for myself, this scene was key for me to help understand this book.
I found many scenes throughout the novel Fahrenheit 451 to be memorable. The most vivid one is the scene in which Montag urges the old lady to come with him but she refuses and he leaves, leaving her to burn to her death.
Pg 35- "It was a flaking three-story house in the ancient part of the city, a century old if it was a day, but like all houses it had been given a thin fireproof plastic sheath many years ago, and this preservative shell seemed to be the only thing holding it in the sky."
These words paint a clear picture of the house and what the people inside the house are like. I found this to be very heart-wrenching because I feel remorse and saddness and compassion towards the old lady. When I was reading the part where the old lady decides to stay behind and burn to death, I was shocked and wanted to keep on reading to discover what happens next. I am not quite sure why this scene has stuck with me. This scene is important and a key turning point for Montag in the book. Like Montag this scene was a key turning point for myself, this scene was key for me to help understand this book.
Question 5: Fahrenheit 451
* please choose one passage from the novel that is significant to you. why is this passage meaningful? Please type it into one of your entries and comment on what you think about the passage.
Pg 162- "Look at the world out there, my God, look at it out there, outside me, out there beyond my face and where it's finally me, where it's in the blood, where it pumps around a thousand times ten thousand a day. I get hold of it so it'll never run off. I'll hold onto the world tight someday. I've got one finger on it now; that's a beginning."
During this scene, while Montag is saying this quote, he is looking at the city he has just escaped from. Montag has so many thoughts running through his head and he just stops to look at the world and what he may have done to shape it, or what he is going to do. In this scene he is seated with Granger and the other men around the campfire and they are about to leave to continue with their travels.
This passage is meaningful to me because it describes the purpose for which we live and breath in this world. I think we all have an obligation to do something meaningful with our lives, especially if we are Christians. If you read the Bible, it tells you you are supposed to go out and spread the word about Jesus, and to love others and serve them. If everyone did that, we would change the world. This passage touched me and made me sit and think about it for a couple of minutes. To stop and take a moment to ponder the world, and what you have done to shape it, is an odd and unsettling thought. I have, many times, thought of what kind of impression I might make in the world. How will I effect those that I love and those that I have never met? Therefore, this passage really touched me and related to me.
Pg 162- "Look at the world out there, my God, look at it out there, outside me, out there beyond my face and where it's finally me, where it's in the blood, where it pumps around a thousand times ten thousand a day. I get hold of it so it'll never run off. I'll hold onto the world tight someday. I've got one finger on it now; that's a beginning."
During this scene, while Montag is saying this quote, he is looking at the city he has just escaped from. Montag has so many thoughts running through his head and he just stops to look at the world and what he may have done to shape it, or what he is going to do. In this scene he is seated with Granger and the other men around the campfire and they are about to leave to continue with their travels.
This passage is meaningful to me because it describes the purpose for which we live and breath in this world. I think we all have an obligation to do something meaningful with our lives, especially if we are Christians. If you read the Bible, it tells you you are supposed to go out and spread the word about Jesus, and to love others and serve them. If everyone did that, we would change the world. This passage touched me and made me sit and think about it for a couple of minutes. To stop and take a moment to ponder the world, and what you have done to shape it, is an odd and unsettling thought. I have, many times, thought of what kind of impression I might make in the world. How will I effect those that I love and those that I have never met? Therefore, this passage really touched me and related to me.
Question 4: Fahrenheit 451
* who are the main characters in the novel? do you like them? why or why not? what is special about them? what do they reveal about the universal human experience?
The main characters in this novel are Guy Montag, Beatty, Mildred, Faber and Clarisse McClellan. I really liked the characters Montag, Faber and Clarisse because they were willing to oppose the government and fight for their rights and the knowledge that the books hold. (Except for Faber.) I liked Faber because he was the sort of person that reminded me of my Grampa. He is sort of shy but inside he has a longing and desire for the truth. Like Faber, he does not actually go through with what is running through his mind but keeps it to himself until the right moment. I liked Montag because he is battling internally with himself in so many areas of his life. He has stumbled upon a realization that his world is not what he thought it was, and he is confused at first about what to do about it. I can relate with Montag in many of these types of situations. Many of these characters reflect the personalities and character traits in today's society. I liked getting to know the characters because they reminded me of people in my family.
I didn't like the characters Mildred and Beatty. They were both living in a world of false realities. Mildred was so caught up with what the government was selling to her. I can relate with Beatty being stuck between two worlds and knowing what he was doing was wrong. I think everyone can relate with Beatty at least once in their lives.
The main characters in this novel reveal that when you go against the authoritiese you are shunned, rejected and victimized. "Going against the flow" is not accepted by anyone who does not want to change. Even though you may be "normal" or acting in a normal way, if it is not the way people usually do things it is considered abnormal and wierd.
The main characters in this novel are Guy Montag, Beatty, Mildred, Faber and Clarisse McClellan. I really liked the characters Montag, Faber and Clarisse because they were willing to oppose the government and fight for their rights and the knowledge that the books hold. (Except for Faber.) I liked Faber because he was the sort of person that reminded me of my Grampa. He is sort of shy but inside he has a longing and desire for the truth. Like Faber, he does not actually go through with what is running through his mind but keeps it to himself until the right moment. I liked Montag because he is battling internally with himself in so many areas of his life. He has stumbled upon a realization that his world is not what he thought it was, and he is confused at first about what to do about it. I can relate with Montag in many of these types of situations. Many of these characters reflect the personalities and character traits in today's society. I liked getting to know the characters because they reminded me of people in my family.
I didn't like the characters Mildred and Beatty. They were both living in a world of false realities. Mildred was so caught up with what the government was selling to her. I can relate with Beatty being stuck between two worlds and knowing what he was doing was wrong. I think everyone can relate with Beatty at least once in their lives.
The main characters in this novel reveal that when you go against the authoritiese you are shunned, rejected and victimized. "Going against the flow" is not accepted by anyone who does not want to change. Even though you may be "normal" or acting in a normal way, if it is not the way people usually do things it is considered abnormal and wierd.
Question 3: Fahrenheit 451
* what is the mood of this novel? do you find this novel saddens you in any way? why?
The mood of the novel Fahrenheit 451 is one of desperation, despair, longing and darkness. It is desperate because of Montag's longing for greater knowledge, like in the scene where Montag takes the book from the Old Lady. Montag is not quite sure why he takes the book but he knows that there is something inside of the book that is strong enough people would die for it. In this scene he desires, and is desperate to know, why people die for these books and what is between the covers of these books.
The novel is very dark and is the opposite of a cheerful and happy love story. It is full of suspense and awful events take place. An example of this would be when Montag has to leave the Old Lady behind and let her burn in the house. This scene was very disturbing and memorable.
This novel was intriguing in parts but very disturbing and dark. This novel did sadden me in some ways. I was sad for Mildred because she was so sucked into the media and buying everything other people told her. She really had no life and was just kind of wasting away. When I got thinking about her and who else may be like her right now, I was saddened. To think that someone/anyone would want to just waste their life is a horrible thought.
The mood of the novel Fahrenheit 451 is one of desperation, despair, longing and darkness. It is desperate because of Montag's longing for greater knowledge, like in the scene where Montag takes the book from the Old Lady. Montag is not quite sure why he takes the book but he knows that there is something inside of the book that is strong enough people would die for it. In this scene he desires, and is desperate to know, why people die for these books and what is between the covers of these books.
The novel is very dark and is the opposite of a cheerful and happy love story. It is full of suspense and awful events take place. An example of this would be when Montag has to leave the Old Lady behind and let her burn in the house. This scene was very disturbing and memorable.
This novel was intriguing in parts but very disturbing and dark. This novel did sadden me in some ways. I was sad for Mildred because she was so sucked into the media and buying everything other people told her. She really had no life and was just kind of wasting away. When I got thinking about her and who else may be like her right now, I was saddened. To think that someone/anyone would want to just waste their life is a horrible thought.
Question 2: Fahrenheit 451
* what is the climax of this novel? what happens? how do the events of this novel make you feel?
The climax of the novel Fahrenheit 451 is the scene in which the Firemen go to burn Montag's house. Montag helps to burn his house down and, in the end, kills his Chief, Beatty. Montag comes upon a truth by killing Beatty. Beatty wanted to die because he was trapped in a false world. He wasn't able to fight against that false world, like Montag, because he was in a position of power and control. So he wanted to die because he knew what he was doing was wrong. The climax of a novel is the point in which the main character cannot return to their previous life. In this case, this happens when Montag kills Beatty. He cannot return to his normal life because, after killing Beatty, the government would not allow him to stay alive and he would not want to return to his normal life after realizing the truth about his own life and culture. So, he is forced to run for his life and begin a new journey.
Through the events in this novel I felt confused but at the same time I began to understand the events taking place. I also felt anger towards Mildred. Mildred was so corrupted and full of stupidity, even to the point at which she chose her "family" over her husband and, above all, the truth and knowledge that books contain. The events in this novel can be confusing but if you break them down and understand them they contribute so much to the book.
The climax of the novel Fahrenheit 451 is the scene in which the Firemen go to burn Montag's house. Montag helps to burn his house down and, in the end, kills his Chief, Beatty. Montag comes upon a truth by killing Beatty. Beatty wanted to die because he was trapped in a false world. He wasn't able to fight against that false world, like Montag, because he was in a position of power and control. So he wanted to die because he knew what he was doing was wrong. The climax of a novel is the point in which the main character cannot return to their previous life. In this case, this happens when Montag kills Beatty. He cannot return to his normal life because, after killing Beatty, the government would not allow him to stay alive and he would not want to return to his normal life after realizing the truth about his own life and culture. So, he is forced to run for his life and begin a new journey.
Through the events in this novel I felt confused but at the same time I began to understand the events taking place. I also felt anger towards Mildred. Mildred was so corrupted and full of stupidity, even to the point at which she chose her "family" over her husband and, above all, the truth and knowledge that books contain. The events in this novel can be confusing but if you break them down and understand them they contribute so much to the book.
Question 1: Fahrenheit 451
* what is the major theme of this novel? why is this theme important to a teenager living in 2007?
The major theme of this novel that Ray Bradbury is trying to convey is that no one should prevent learning about, or understanding, truth in the world. Also, censorship is a main idea in the novel Fahrenheit 451. In the world that Ray Bradbury portrays, books are burned because they contain ideas that contradict the government, and they can trigger discontent. Beatty explains to Montag that they burn books because the ideas in the books offend "minorities." The word "minorities" refers to any group of people with a common interest or background. Another smaller idea in this novel is happiness. Faber listed three things a person needs for true hapiness. They are 1)quality information with depth 2)leisure time to comput information and think 3)the right to carry out actions based on what we learn from the interaction of the first two.
The idea of happiness in the novel also ties in with entertainment. People in Fahrenheit 451 love to entertain themselves by interacting with characters from TV shows in their living room "saloons". This can make us think questions like: are we really happy with what we are watching on TV? Do these things really make us happy/fullfilled? Are we really happy when we are kept occupied or when we are "sucked into" the media?
Censorship continues to be part of our lives, but in 2007 it is not as extensive as in the novel. Schools are regularly censored for what is read and taught. In this time and age techonology has come a long way and has even come to control people. (Example: video games.) Many people in today's world do not look for happiness according to the three ways that Faber listed in the novel. Many people now are fulfullied by what the world around them offers, things that aren't meaningful such as money, fashion and entertainment. Instead we should be trying to be fulfullied by what Faber lists here.
The major theme of this novel that Ray Bradbury is trying to convey is that no one should prevent learning about, or understanding, truth in the world. Also, censorship is a main idea in the novel Fahrenheit 451. In the world that Ray Bradbury portrays, books are burned because they contain ideas that contradict the government, and they can trigger discontent. Beatty explains to Montag that they burn books because the ideas in the books offend "minorities." The word "minorities" refers to any group of people with a common interest or background. Another smaller idea in this novel is happiness. Faber listed three things a person needs for true hapiness. They are 1)quality information with depth 2)leisure time to comput information and think 3)the right to carry out actions based on what we learn from the interaction of the first two.
The idea of happiness in the novel also ties in with entertainment. People in Fahrenheit 451 love to entertain themselves by interacting with characters from TV shows in their living room "saloons". This can make us think questions like: are we really happy with what we are watching on TV? Do these things really make us happy/fullfilled? Are we really happy when we are kept occupied or when we are "sucked into" the media?
Censorship continues to be part of our lives, but in 2007 it is not as extensive as in the novel. Schools are regularly censored for what is read and taught. In this time and age techonology has come a long way and has even come to control people. (Example: video games.) Many people in today's world do not look for happiness according to the three ways that Faber listed in the novel. Many people now are fulfullied by what the world around them offers, things that aren't meaningful such as money, fashion and entertainment. Instead we should be trying to be fulfullied by what Faber lists here.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)