By: Ray Bradbury

"You don't have to "You don't have to burn books to burn books to

destroy a culture. destroy a culture. Just get people Just get people to stop reading to stop reading

them.“them.“Ray BRADBURYRay BRADBURY

The temperature at The temperature at which book paper which book paper

catches fire and burns…catches fire and burns…

Ray BradburyRay Bradbury Born in Waukegan, Illinois, on Born in Waukegan, Illinois, on

August 22, 1920.August 22, 1920. His family moved frequently His family moved frequently

when he was young, but they when he was young, but they finally settled in Los Angeles finally settled in Los Angeles (1934). (1934).

As a young boy, Bradbury As a young boy, Bradbury was interested in magic and was interested in magic and had aspirations of becoming had aspirations of becoming a magician. This interest in a magician. This interest in magic later turned into a love magic later turned into a love for writing. for writing.

Began writing stories at age Began writing stories at age eleven. He received no eleven. He received no formal education beyond formal education beyond high school (1938).high school (1938).

His WorkHis Work Weird Tales, a famous pulp , a famous pulp

science fiction (1940). science fiction (1940).

The Martian Chronicles, , launched his writing career launched his writing career (1950). (1950).

Most famous to date is Most famous to date is Fahrenheit 451 (1953) (1953)

Pub. over 500 short Pub. over 500 short stories, novels, plays, and stories, novels, plays, and poems in his careerpoems in his career

His Work His Work (con’t)(con’t) wrote for wrote for Alfred Alfred

Hitchcock PresentsHitchcock Presents & & The Twilight The Twilight ZoneZone, & the , & the screenplay for John screenplay for John Huston’s Huston’s Moby Dick

helped design helped design Spaceship Earth ride ride for Disney World’s for Disney World’s EPCOT CenterEPCOT Center

F451-The BeginningF451-The Beginning It began as story It began as story

about a fireman, about a fireman, GUY MONTAG in GUY MONTAG in a short story a short story “The Fireman”“The Fireman”

1953 expanded 1953 expanded into the novelinto the novel

Classified as Classified as science fictionscience fiction

PersonalPersonal Criticism Criticism

Written to protest Written to protest what Bradbury what Bradbury believed to be the believed to be the invasiveness of invasiveness of editors editors

Editors had strict Editors had strict control of books control of books printed.printed.

Bradbury felt it Bradbury felt it impaired originality impaired originality and creativity of and creativity of writers.writers.

Social Social CriticismCriticism

Warns against the danger Warns against the danger of suppressing thought of suppressing thought through censorshipthrough censorship

Oppressive government, Oppressive government, left unchecked, can do left unchecked, can do irreparable damage to a irreparable damage to a society by limiting society by limiting creativity of its peoplecreativity of its people

““dystopia” – an imaginary dystopia” – an imaginary world in which the desire world in which the desire for order results in for order results in harmony at the expense harmony at the expense of individual rightsof individual rights

Fahrenheit 451Fahrenheit 451 ThemesThemes Knowledge versus Ignorance Knowledge versus Ignorance

• Destroy knowledge to promote ignoranceDestroy knowledge to promote ignorance• Search for knowledge destroys ignoranceSearch for knowledge destroys ignorance

Conformity versus IndividualityConformity versus Individuality• Conforming to the norms of our societyConforming to the norms of our society

• What are the norms of our society?What are the norms of our society?• Does it endanger society’s well-being?Does it endanger society’s well-being?• Does it help our society?Does it help our society?

Censorship…Censorship…

CensorCensor A person authorized to A person authorized to

examine books, films, or examine books, films, or other material & to remove or other material & to remove or suppress what is considered suppress what is considered morally, politically, or morally, politically, or otherwise objectionable. otherwise objectionable.

An official, as in the armed An official, as in the armed forces, who examines forces, who examines personal mail and official personal mail and official dispatches to remove dispatches to remove information considered secret information considered secret or a risk to security. or a risk to security.

One that condemns or One that condemns or censures.censures.

Time of the novelTime of the novelCensorshipCensorship

Fahrenheit 451 Fahrenheit 451 released in released in 19531953

Senator Joseph McCarthy Senator Joseph McCarthy Leading witch hunt to find Leading witch hunt to find

suspected Communist suspected Communist sympathizers in gov’t, writers, sympathizers in gov’t, writers, moviemakers, and performersmoviemakers, and performers

Most findings unfoundedMost findings unfounded Ruined careers of many Ruined careers of many

people because of link with people because of link with CommunismCommunism

““The Crucible” by Arthur MillerThe Crucible” by Arthur Miller

A Few of the AccusedA Few of the Accused Leonard Bernstein, ,

composer & conductor composer & conductor Charlie Chaplin, actor, actor Bartley Crum, attorney, attorney W.E.B. DuBois, civil rights , civil rights

activist & author activist & author Langston Hughes, author, author Arthur Miller, playwright , playwright

and essayist and essayist Clifford Odets, author , author J. Robert Oppenheimer, ,

physicist, "father of the physicist, "father of the atomic bomb“atomic bomb“

More AccusedMore Accused Paul Robeson, actor, Paul Robeson, actor,

athlete, singer, author, athlete, singer, author, political & civil rights political & civil rights activist activist

Edward G. Robinson, actorEdward G. Robinson, actor Waldo Salt, author Waldo Salt, author Pete Seeger, folk singer Pete Seeger, folk singer Artie Shaw, jazz musicianArtie Shaw, jazz musician Howard Da Silva, actor Howard Da Silva, actor Paul Sweezy, economist & Paul Sweezy, economist &

founder-editor of Monthly founder-editor of Monthly ReviewReview

Tsien Hsue-shen, physicistTsien Hsue-shen, physicist Orson Welles, actor, author Orson Welles, actor, author

& director& director

Let us Travel back Let us Travel back in history…in history…

to censorshipto censorship

Nazi Book Burning Nazi Book Burning May 10, 1933May 10, 1933

One way the Nazis cleansed the country of "un-One way the Nazis cleansed the country of "un-German" thoughts was through censorship. A German" thoughts was through censorship. A

"brown shirt" (member of the SA) throws some "brown shirt" (member of the SA) throws some more fuel--"un-German" books-- into a roaring more fuel--"un-German" books-- into a roaring fire on the Opernplatz in Berlin - May 10, 1933.fire on the Opernplatz in Berlin - May 10, 1933.

In BerlinIn Berlin 20,000 books were 20,000 books were

burned during a student burned during a student rally. rally.

The suppression of free The suppression of free speech and ideas was a speech and ideas was a tactic of Joseph Goebbels' tactic of Joseph Goebbels' Ministry of Propaganda. Ministry of Propaganda.

Target this time was anti-Target this time was anti-Nazi, Jewish-authored, Nazi, Jewish-authored, and so-called and so-called "degenerate" books, but "degenerate" books, but it would escalate.it would escalate.

Where they have burned Where they have burned books,books,

they will end in burning they will end in burning human beings."human beings."

Heinrich HeineHeinrich Heine

Where do we Where do we see censorship see censorship

in our own lives?in our own lives?

SymbolsSymbols

Objects, characters, figures, or colors Objects, characters, figures, or colors used to represent abstract ideas or used to represent abstract ideas or conceptconcept

Fahrenheit 451Fahrenheit 451 Symbols Symbols BloodBlood

Symbol of human beings repressed soul Symbol of human beings repressed soul or primal, instinctive selfor primal, instinctive self

The snake machineThe snake machine ““The Hearth and the Salamander”The Hearth and the Salamander”

Hearth (fireplace, heats the home) – Hearth (fireplace, heats the home) – symbolizes homesymbolizes home

Salamander (official symbol of firemen)Salamander (official symbol of firemen) Ancients believed that the salamander livesAncients believed that the salamander lives in fire and is unaffected by flames. in fire and is unaffected by flames. firefire

Symbols continuedSymbols continued

Mirrors Mirrors Self-understandingSelf-understanding Seeing oneself Seeing oneself

clearlyclearly

The CharactersThe Characters

Guy MontagGuy Montag

protagonistprotagonist, 30 yrs , 30 yrs old fireman who old fireman who makes his living makes his living by burning books by burning books and the houses and the houses

where the books where the books are kept illegally. are kept illegally. He experiences a He experiences a drastic change in drastic change in

the novel.the novel.

Mildred MontagMildred Montag“Millie”“Millie”

married to married to Montag for 10 Montag for 10 yrs, epitomizes yrs, epitomizes

shallowness shallowness and and

complacentnescomplacentness of societys of society

Clarrise McClellanClarrise McClellan

16 yr. old girl; 16 yr. old girl; Montag is drawn Montag is drawn to her, opposite to her, opposite

of Millie; of Millie; embodies what is embodies what is

positive about positive about the human spiritthe human spirit

Captain BeattyCaptain Beatty

antagonist; antagonist; head of head of the Fire Dept. the Fire Dept.

whose sole purpose whose sole purpose is to destroy books; is to destroy books;

“big brother” “big brother” charactercharacter

aging aging intellectual in intellectual in a world with a world with no place for no place for

him, him, disapproves disapproves

of society but of society but lacks lacks

courage; courage; inspires inspires Montag Montag

Professor FaberProfessor Faber

GrangerGranger

intellectual & intellectual & former author; former author;

leader of leader of group of group of

hobos; takes hobos; takes Montag under Montag under

his wing.his wing.

Mechanical HoundMechanical Hound

terrible terrible “triumph” of “triumph” of

modern modern technology; technology; programmed programmed to track down to track down and destroy and destroy

any victim that any victim that his sensors are his sensors are

set toset to

Mrs.Phelps & Mrs.BowlesMrs.Phelps & Mrs.Bowles

Millie’s friends; Millie’s friends; just as just as

ignorant and ignorant and silly as she issilly as she is

The “family”