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Day 4 - Intro Powerpoint

The document provides historical context for Ray Bradbury's novel Fahrenheit 451, including the aftermath of World War II where books were burned by Hitler and other regimes, the era of McCarthyism and fear of Communism in the 1950s, and the threat of nuclear war. It summarizes the key plot points of the novel, which is set in the 24th century where books are banned and burned by the protagonist's job of tracking down and burning any that are found. Themes that will be explored include the importance of free expression, the dangers of misused technology, and how it affects humanity to not communicate on a personal level.

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115 views

Day 4 - Intro Powerpoint

The document provides historical context for Ray Bradbury's novel Fahrenheit 451, including the aftermath of World War II where books were burned by Hitler and other regimes, the era of McCarthyism and fear of Communism in the 1950s, and the threat of nuclear war. It summarizes the key plot points of the novel, which is set in the 24th century where books are banned and burned by the protagonist's job of tracking down and burning any that are found. Themes that will be explored include the importance of free expression, the dangers of misused technology, and how it affects humanity to not communicate on a personal level.

Uploaded by

api-284559848
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Fahrenheit 451

An Introduction

Historical Context
l World

War II had ended only a few


years before
l Era of McCarthyism
l Threat of nuclear warfare loomed
l Many Sci-Fi books and movies
reflected this fear

Lasting effects of WWII


Hitler has just been
defeated
l During his power
reign he burned
many books
l Soviet Union also
banned and burned
books
l Communist China
also burned books
l

McCarthyism
l

Movement where fear


of Communism was
wide-spread!
Practice of making
accusations of
disloyalty, subversion,
or treason without
proper regard for
evidence
Questions about the
integrity of the
government

Threat of nuclear war and fear

Drills in schools, special bells, etc. that inspired fear in all


generations

l 1945-

fewer than
10,000 television
sets in the entire
United States
l 1950- More than
6 million in the
United States
l 1960- More than
60 million in the
United States

Predict or Prevent?
l

Bradbury claimed he
was trying to prevent
the future.
He did foresee many
future developments:

Walkmans, earbuds, bigscreen and interactive


t.v., rise in violence,
growing illiteracy,
condensation of info
into sound bites

The Novel Fahrenheit 451


l

It is the 24th century.


Books are
considered
dangerous and
illegal. Nobody is
allowed to own them.
Most people are
happy being plugged
into their technology,
where they do not
have to think too
hard. All books that
are found are
burned.

Settings
l

Historical Setting

Physical Setting

Social Setting

Themes To Watch For


l

Individual selfexpression is
important.
In the wrong hands,
modern technology can
be dangerous.
People lose their
humanity when not
able to communicate
and interact with each
other on a personal
level.

Symbols To Investigate
Fire
Burning
l Water
l The salamander
l The Mechanical
Hound
l Seashells
l Parlor Walls
l Titles of each
section
l
l

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