k yea.. my first entry was a bit too long...
So I'll do a short(er) one today.
Topic : Theme
There are tons of themes in the novel Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. Sometimes reading it I'd even think there isn't a theme to this book! But, I ask myself, why did Ray Bradbury write this? So, with much thought, here is what I think the theme of F.451 is:
Knowledge is not a bad thing, and if we don't have it, we'll become dumb and unhappy
I think Ray Bradbury, since he is an author, was trying to show how important reading is.
Anyways, this theme is important to a teenager living in 2008 because teenagers prefer so many other activities than reading. They prefer watching TV than reading, chatting on MSN, going to the mall, shopping, going to the theaters, playing sports, listening to music, and the list goes on. A lot of these were activities that people in the book did, and they were not happy. So, if the theme is applied to teenagers these days, it would be pretty perfect; read more, gain more knowledge, rather than getting dumber by watching TV or playing video games. Later, you'll realize that what you did helped you become a better, happier person.
So, I think this is the theme because in the book all the people are unhappy, except for the queer next-door neighbor girl. She's the only content one because she's the only chracter in the story that uses her head. She thinks, imagines, and has knowledge. Unlike Montag and his coworkers, who are like machines; go to work, go to house, set fire on house, go back home. They don't think of why they do their job, or live, or anything else. They just do it, and they're not happy. They think they are, but really, they're not. And Montag's wife always watches TV 24/7! She's, of course, not happy either. Nobody in this world thinks, and in the real world(the world we live in now), we think that if we don't have to think then that's SO great because thinking is bothersome, especially if you're a student. However, because they don't think and imagine, they don't have the great joys of life. They never laugh to the fullest, rest to the fullest, and even playing and hanging out isn't as fun. We all have a brain for a purpose, and it's not to watch TV or become a robot, but it's so we can think, have knowledge. and live life to the fullest. :)
5 comments:
u must really have nothing to do... your first post is way too long, You didn't really state the overall theme of the story nor the actual "plan" of the government of burning books. Its kinda like the killing of all the smart people in cambodia, and since books educate people, the government burned them to kep the people from becoming smarter therefore easier to control.
It doesn't really states exactly why government burns book, but I think one of the reason can be to make everyone happy(aka make the world utopia) by destroying the primary source that makes people criticize the world. It's true that Mildred and people in this book seems stupid in our eyes, but actually, since everyone is stupid in that society, no one is stupid. Well, except Faber I suppose. Anyways, it's so true how much education can affect us.
Couldn't wait for you to post the comment first:)
By the way, I liked the point of how you said the theme of this novel in one complete sectence.But I felt that it would have been better if you had put more specific thoughts or examples of how you think about the theme than just giving out the main points of what's happening to teenagers in 2008. If you have read mine, it seems to be similar of how we both feel about how nowdays teenagers enjoy watching television and other things than reading books.
And Susie..exactly WHEN are you going to comment on mine?^^
Could be. But I think that could be sort of a more personal thought than the main theme. I think that the reason they didn't the books was because they had fixed thought on about the books, that they were full of bad stuff, and because out of fear. It's all because they didn't really know about what books can do for you and what happiness exactly is. Well those are my thoughts.
I had a same idea too ^^ (Like most of the others...) I agree with how Ray Bradbury was trying to show his readers how important reading books is. He wrote about situations where exactly opposite things about literature are going on to the world. This made us think more about the world. Also~ I liked and agreed how you mentioned about every characters in this book are unhappy except for Clarisse because she reads, gains knowledge, and enjoy her life with books. Good job~ ;D
*comment on mine please =)
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