PowerPoint by Nicholas Shewprasad

Early  Life  

•  Born  on  August  22,  1922  •  Had  a  very  happy  childhood  •  Had  an  obsession  over  

adventure  books  and  the  magicians/magic  

•  Avidly  read  Frank  Baum,  Edgar  Rice  Burroughs,  and  Jules  Verne  

•  Made  a  decision  to  be  a  writer  by  the  age  of  12  or  13,  but  changed  his  mind  numerous  Hmes  

Growing  Up  

•  Many  scholars  give  credit  to  Bradbury’s  loving  family  who  is  responsible  for  nurturing  Bradbury’s  interests.  

•  Bradbury  loved  to  write  stories  about  his  family  as  expressed  within  his  early  stories.  

Home  =  “Greentown”  

•  Bradbury  wrote  a  short  story,  “Greentown”  in  which  emulated  Waukegan,  IL  where  he  grew  up.  

•  Within  the  story,  Bradbury’s  uncle  can  fly,  a  traveling  circus  becomes  a  school  for  the  supernatural,  and  his  grandparents  provide  shelter  for  Charles  Dickens.  – Most  of  his  early  stories  did  not  fall  under  the  horror  genre.  

•  Because  his  family  would  move  between  Illinois  and  Arizona  frequently,  Bradbury  wanted  to  create  a  perfect  town,  free  of  problems.  

Teenage  Years  

•  In  1931,  Bradbury  moved  to  Los  Angeles.  

•  He  would  go  through  Hollywood  trying  to  spot  celebriHes.  

•  Made  friends  with  Ray  Harryhausen  (special  effects  master)  and  radio  star  (George  Burns).  

•  Tried  to  write  like  Poe  when  he  was  eighteen,  but  decided  a  unique  style  was  needed  

Teenage  Years  

•  George  Burns  recognized  Bradbury’s  talent  as  a  writer  for  the  Burns  and  Allen  Show.  – Bradbury  would  write  jokes,  clearly  not  part  of  the  horror  genre!  

High  School  

•  Bradbury  aaended  Los  Angeles  High  School  where  he  parHcipated  in  the  drama  club  

•  His  future  goal  at  this  Hme  was  to  be  an  actor,  but  it  changed  again  to  writer  when  two  of  his  teachers  encouraged  his  wriHng  abiliHes.  

•  Bradbury’s  works  were  all  influenced  by  these  two  women,  Snow  Longley  Housh  and  Jeannet  Johnson.  

Post  High  School  

•  Bradbury  graduated  in  1938,  but  did  not  aaend  college.  

•  Instead,  he  educated  himself  by  reading  newspapers  and  going  to  the  library  to  read.  

•  He  would  write  short  stories  about  the  current  issues  in  the  news,  embellished  with  his  twist  of  events.  

A  Rising  Career  

•  Bradbury’s  first  published  story  was  “Hollerbochen's  Dilemma”  which  was  printed  in  a  fan  magazine  called  Imagina4on!  – Story  about  Hollerbochen  who  knows  he  will  die  the  next  day.  

ConHnuing  Career  

•  In  1941,  Bradbury  was  paid  to  print  the  short  story  “Pendulum”  within  Super  Science  Stories,  a  magazine.  

•  To  strengthen  his  skills,  Bradbury  received  mentoring  from  Henry  Kuaner,  Leigh  Brackea,  Robert  Heinlein,  and  Henry  Hasse.  

Marriage  

•  Bradbury  wed  Marguerite  McClure  in  1947  –  She  was  a  clerk  at  a  book  shop  where  Bradbury  visited  ohen.  

•  At  the  wedding,  Ray  Harryhausen  (famous  visual  effects  creator)  served  as  best  man.  

•  Bradbury  had  four  daughters  –  Susan,  Ramona,  Beina,  Alexandra  

RockeHng  into  Science  FicHon  

•  Bradbury  entered  science  ficHon  where  he  became  a  leading  pioneer  of  the  genre  .  

•  ReputaHon  skyrocketed  with  a  science  ficHon  novel  called  The  Mar4an  Chronicles.  – The  story  envelopes  man  struggle  to  survive  on  a  distance  planet  

– This  novel  alludes  to  the  1950s  conflicts  such  as  censorship,  nuclear  war,  racism,  and  foreign  poliHcs.  

Fahrenheit  451  

•  Bradbury’s  most  famous  work,  released  1953  •  Takes  place  in  a  Totalitarian  regime  

•  Chronicles  the  story  of  Montag,  who  relishes  burning  books,  a  law  implemented  by  the  government.  

•  Montag  begins  to  quesHon  his  acts,  steals  books,  and  then  is  educated  by  a  professor  

•  When  discovered  Montag  runs  away.  

Awards  

•  O.  Henry  Memorial  Award  •  Benjamin  Franklin  Award  (1954)  •  AviaHon-­‐Space  Writer's  AssociaHon  Award  for  Best  Space  ArHcle  in  an  American  Magazine  (1967)  

•  World  Fantasy  Award  for  LifeHme  Achievement  

•  Grand  Master  Award  from  the  Science  FicHon  Writers  of  America  

Film  AdaptaHons  

•  Alfred  Hitchcock  asked  Bradbury  to  help  create  some  episodes  for  the  TV  series  Alfred  Hitchcock  Presents  – “Shopping  for  Death”    – “Design  for  Loving”  – “Special  Delivery”  – “The  Life  Work  of  Juan  Diaz”  – “The  Jar”  –  1  hour  episode  

Later  Life  

•  Bradbury  wrote  numerous  stories  incorporaHng  horror  and  science  ficHon.  

•  Bradbury  has  received  most  of  his  recogniHon  for  Fahrenheit  451  (science  ficHon)  

•  In  1980,  a  film  adaptaHon  of  The  Mar4an  Chronicles  was  created,  greatly  disappoinHng  Bradbury.  

•  He  was  given  a  star  on  the  Hollywood  Walk  of  Fame.  

•  Ray  Bradbury  passed  away  at  the  age  of  91  on  June  6,  2012  

LasHng  Impressions  

•  Bradbury  has  an  asteroid  named  aher  him  9766  Bradbury  

•  Was  a  key  player  in  the  1964  World’s  Fair  in  New  York,  creaHng  the  script  for  the  US  Pavilion.  

•  Contributed  his  knowledge  of  science  to  Disney’s  Spaceship  Earth  at  EPCOT  (WDW)  and  Orbitron  at  Disneyland  parks  in  Paris  and  Anaheim.  

•  Bradbury  discusses  his  accomplishments:  VIDEO  

Fahrenheit  451  

-­‐ There  are  three  main  secHons;  they  all  end  in  fire  -­‐ Protagonist:  Guy  Montag,  a  fireman  (he  burns  books)  who  loves  his  job  -­‐ He  eventually  changes  his  mind  about  burning  books  due  to  some  events  described  in  the  novel  -­‐ Montag’s  boss,  Captain  Beaay,  is  suspicious  of  Montag’s  behavior  and  conHnuously  interrogates  him  -­‐  Montag  eventually  controls  his  own  fate  in  hopes  of  a  beaer  future  

Main  Characters  

Guy  Montag  (Protagonist)  Mildred  Montag-­‐  Guy’s  wife  Captain  Beaay-­‐  Guy’s  boss  Clarisse-­‐  neighbor  of  Guy  and  Mildred  Mechanical  Hound-­‐  works  with  the  firemen    

Themes  

We  will  discuss  themes  dealing  with  -­‐ Censorship  -­‐ Technology  -­‐   Rebirth