Fahrenheit 451Fahrenheit 451

Introductory NotesIntroductory Notes

Censorship Censorship

What is it?What is it?

Censorship, the suppression of Censorship, the suppression of words, images, or ideas that are words, images, or ideas that are "offensive," happens whenever some "offensive," happens whenever some people succeed in imposing their people succeed in imposing their personal political or moral values on personal political or moral values on others. others.

This can be carried out by the This can be carried out by the government or private groups.government or private groups.

What motivates book burning?What motivates book burning?

Today, book burning is usually Today, book burning is usually ceremonial. ceremonial.

Book burners aren’t trying to destroy Book burners aren’t trying to destroy every copy of a book, rather they are every copy of a book, rather they are expressing their objections to the expressing their objections to the material in a ritualized manner. material in a ritualized manner.

Books that are burned usually go Books that are burned usually go against a belief system.against a belief system.– Incorrect versions of books, holy texts of Incorrect versions of books, holy texts of

another religion, books that are immoral another religion, books that are immoral or inappropriate or inappropriate

– Books are burned by conquerors, Books are burned by conquerors, governments or heads of state, religious governments or heads of state, religious leaders/ the Church, revolutionary leaders/ the Church, revolutionary leaders, or anyone who adheres strongly leaders, or anyone who adheres strongly to a certain idea or belief system. to a certain idea or belief system.

They were burned because they They were burned because they challenged ‘appropriate’ beliefs, challenged ‘appropriate’ beliefs, threatened people in power, threatened people in power, promoted ‘undesirable’ ideas, etc.promoted ‘undesirable’ ideas, etc.

Censorship Hot TopicsCensorship Hot TopicsAs a group, come up with as many As a group, come up with as many

arguments as you can for and against the arguments as you can for and against the following statements:following statements: Books with swearing and sexuality should Books with swearing and sexuality should

not be taught in schools. not be taught in schools. It should be illegal for any person under It should be illegal for any person under

the age of sixteen to purchase or play the age of sixteen to purchase or play violent video games like “Grand Theft violent video games like “Grand Theft Auto”.Auto”.

Songs with profane lyrics should be Songs with profane lyrics should be censored on the radio.censored on the radio.

We should not read older books that We should not read older books that contain racist attitudes, even if they are contain racist attitudes, even if they are considered classics. considered classics.

Specific HistorySpecific History

On May 10, 1933 in Berlin, Nazis On May 10, 1933 in Berlin, Nazis burned almost 20,000 books.burned almost 20,000 books.

The goal of this event was to rid The goal of this event was to rid Germany of any book that contained Germany of any book that contained “unGerman ideas” and, therefore, was “unGerman ideas” and, therefore, was unfit to read.unfit to read.

They burned texts by Thomas Mann, They burned texts by Thomas Mann, Sigmund Freud, Albert Einstein, Karl Sigmund Freud, Albert Einstein, Karl Marx, and Jack London.Marx, and Jack London.

There were protests all over America There were protests all over America because of the mass burning of because of the mass burning of books. books.

Some news media called it a Some news media called it a ‘bibliocaust’- a holocaust of books. ‘bibliocaust’- a holocaust of books.

History Behind Fahrenheit History Behind Fahrenheit 451451

This book was published in 1953. This book was published in 1953. Several important things happened Several important things happened in history around this time.in history around this time.

1)1) The Invention of Television-The Invention of Television- Regular network broadcasting Regular network broadcasting began in the United States in 1946. began in the United States in 1946.

2)2) Television became common in Television became common in American homes by the mid 1950s.American homes by the mid 1950s.

1946: 7,000 TV sets existed in the U.S.1946: 7,000 TV sets existed in the U.S. 1948: 148,000 sets1948: 148,000 sets 1950: 4.4 million sets1950: 4.4 million sets TV sitcoms from the 1950s upheld the TV sitcoms from the 1950s upheld the

very values and morals that were being very values and morals that were being stretched and strained in real life. stretched and strained in real life.

Domestic comedies were popular and Domestic comedies were popular and emphasized the nuclear suburban emphasized the nuclear suburban family.family.

TV even changed architecture: Large TV even changed architecture: Large sitting rooms became necessary for sitting rooms became necessary for TV viewing. TV viewing.

2) 2) The Cold WarThe Cold War– After World War II, the Cold War began as a After World War II, the Cold War began as a

result of disagreements over postwar Europe. result of disagreements over postwar Europe. – Each superpower (United States, Britain, Each superpower (United States, Britain,

France, and Russia) had their own idea of how France, and Russia) had their own idea of how postwar Europe should be rebuilt. postwar Europe should be rebuilt.

– Rivalry between superpowers lead to…Rivalry between superpowers lead to… Military coalitions (temporary alliances of distinct Military coalitions (temporary alliances of distinct

parties)parties) Espionage (systematic use of spies to obtain secret Espionage (systematic use of spies to obtain secret

information)information) Military, industrial and technological developmentsMilitary, industrial and technological developments Immense spending on defenseImmense spending on defense

During this time, America lived under During this time, America lived under the threat of communist world the threat of communist world domination and total nuclear domination and total nuclear destruction.destruction.

Home fallout shelters were built. Home fallout shelters were built. Gas masks were sold door-to-door.Gas masks were sold door-to-door. Nuclear anxiety deeply penetrated Nuclear anxiety deeply penetrated

American culture.American culture.

3) 3) Senator Joseph McCarthySenator Joseph McCarthy Republican U.S. Senator from 1947-Republican U.S. Senator from 1947-

19571957 He became notorious for He became notorious for

unsubstantiated claims that there unsubstantiated claims that there were communist and Soviet spies were communist and Soviet spies throughout America and even in the throughout America and even in the U.S. government.U.S. government.

Communist beliefs were never illegal, Communist beliefs were never illegal, but it was the popular belief that but it was the popular belief that support of communism equated to support of communism equated to treason.treason.

The message became crystal clear to The message became crystal clear to the average American: Don’t criticize the average American: Don’t criticize the United States. Don’t be different. the United States. Don’t be different. Just conform. Just conform.

Ray BradburyRay Bradbury Bradbury was born in Bradbury was born in

Waukegan, Illinois on Waukegan, Illinois on August 22, 1920. August 22, 1920.

Growing up he often Growing up he often visited his grandparents’ visited his grandparents’ vast library to read vast library to read stories like stories like Alice in Alice in Wonderland, The Grimm Wonderland, The Grimm Fairy Tales, Fairy Tales, and and The The Wizard of Oz.Wizard of Oz.

His mother often took His mother often took him to the movies, him to the movies, where he was engrossed where he was engrossed in such movies as in such movies as The The Hunchback of Notre Hunchback of Notre Dame, The Phantom of Dame, The Phantom of the Opera, the Opera, and and The Lost The Lost World.World.

When Bradbury was 12, a carnival came to When Bradbury was 12, a carnival came to town and a magician, Mr. Electrico, was town and a magician, Mr. Electrico, was the talk of the town.the talk of the town.

At this point in his life, Bradbury wanted to At this point in his life, Bradbury wanted to a magician and he insisted on going to the a magician and he insisted on going to the carnival.carnival.

Bradbury visited Mr. Electrico and he told Bradbury visited Mr. Electrico and he told Ray that he was the soul of a long lost Ray that he was the soul of a long lost friend and he told Bradbury to “live friend and he told Bradbury to “live forever”.forever”.

That gave Bradbury something to live for.That gave Bradbury something to live for. A few days later, he began to write A few days later, he began to write

seriously, and has written everyday of his seriously, and has written everyday of his life since then.life since then.

He later said about the incident:He later said about the incident:““I could teach everyone to.. Get out of bed I could teach everyone to.. Get out of bed someday and look, as I looked when I was someday and look, as I looked when I was 12, on the fuzz on the back of my hand, and 12, on the fuzz on the back of my hand, and I said, I’m alive! Why didn’t someone tell I said, I’m alive! Why didn’t someone tell me? So I would tell every person to really me? So I would tell every person to really know you’re alive, as a gift.. That would know you’re alive, as a gift.. That would really be the most important thing.. In my really be the most important thing.. In my life or anyone else’s.”life or anyone else’s.”

In 1934, the Bradbury family moved to In 1934, the Bradbury family moved to Los Angeles, CA. Los Angeles, CA.

He was active in the drama club in high He was active in the drama club in high school.school.

His teachers saw his writing ability and His teachers saw his writing ability and encouraged him to become a writer.encouraged him to become a writer.

He began to write for magazines, joined He began to write for magazines, joined the local Science Fiction league, and his the local Science Fiction league, and his high school’s poetry club.high school’s poetry club.

After high school, Bradbury sold After high school, Bradbury sold newspapers and continued to write.newspapers and continued to write.

By 1943, he began writing full-time.By 1943, he began writing full-time. In 1947, Bradbury married In 1947, Bradbury married

Marguerite “Maggie” McClure.Marguerite “Maggie” McClure. Fahrenheit 451Fahrenheit 451 was published in was published in

1953 in 1953 in Galaxy Fiction Magazine Galaxy Fiction Magazine as as the short story “The Fireman.”the short story “The Fireman.”

According to Bradbury, the According to Bradbury, the inspiration for the book came from inspiration for the book came from an incident in Los Angeles in 1949 an incident in Los Angeles in 1949 when he and a friend were stopped when he and a friend were stopped and questioned by police for no and questioned by police for no reason. reason.

In all, Bradbury has written over 500 In all, Bradbury has written over 500 short stories, plays, screenplays, short stories, plays, screenplays, novels, and essays.novels, and essays.

Bradbury worked as an idea consultant for Bradbury worked as an idea consultant for the World’s Fair in 1964, helped to design the World’s Fair in 1964, helped to design Spaceship Earth for Disney World, and later Spaceship Earth for Disney World, and later contributed to the conception of the Obirtron contributed to the conception of the Obirtron space ride at Euro-Disney in France.space ride at Euro-Disney in France.

In November 1999, Bradbury suffered a In November 1999, Bradbury suffered a stroke which hospitalized him. Even though stroke which hospitalized him. Even though after this Bradbury was confined to a after this Bradbury was confined to a wheelchair, he still continued to write wheelchair, he still continued to write everyday.everyday.

Bradbury died on June 5, 2012 after a Bradbury died on June 5, 2012 after a lengthy illness. lengthy illness.

Dystopia Dystopia As illustrated in Bradbury’s As illustrated in Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451Fahrenheit 451

Dystopia- an imaginary wretched Dystopia- an imaginary wretched place, the opposite of utopiaplace, the opposite of utopia

Utopia- a place or state of ideal Utopia- a place or state of ideal perfection, the opposite of dystopiaperfection, the opposite of dystopia

A Dystopian society’s essential A Dystopian society’s essential features:features:– Undesirable or even horrifyingUndesirable or even horrifying– Usually futuristic and fictionalUsually futuristic and fictional– Can be regarded as warningsCan be regarded as warnings

– Is about both today and tomorrowIs about both today and tomorrow– Comments on our own societyComments on our own society

Dystopia depictions are always Dystopia depictions are always imaginary.imaginary.

Dystopias are often set in war-ridden Dystopias are often set in war-ridden cities which convey a sense of cities which convey a sense of hopelessness through dark hopelessness through dark architecture and rain-slicked streets. architecture and rain-slicked streets.

Themes in DystopiasThemes in Dystopias

The theme of dystopias have always The theme of dystopias have always been oppression and rebellion.been oppression and rebellion.

The oppressors are almost always The oppressors are almost always much more powerful than the rebels. much more powerful than the rebels.

Oftentimes the rebels most battle to:Oftentimes the rebels most battle to:– Stay aliveStay alive– Remain humanRemain human– Remain an individual with one’s own Remain an individual with one’s own

thoughtsthoughts

Citizens in dystopian societies live in Citizens in dystopian societies live in fear and they become paranoid. fear and they become paranoid.