Zachary's English 10 Class Blog

Important Blogging Ideas - Dystopia Essay

2007-06-01T09:28:00.000-07:00

While reading the novel Fahrenheit 451 at first, I thought I was alone when I couldn’t comprehend the theme of the story. When I read other people’s blogs that were also reading the same book, I finally realized I wasn’t alone. Alex also didn’t understand some things I didn’t, such as the parlor and some quotes, such as, “I saw the damnedest snake in the world the other night. It was dead but it was alive. It could see but it couldn't see. You want to see that snake? It's at Emergency Hospital where they filed a report on all the junk the snake got out of you!”

Other people’s blogs also helped me understand the things I couldn’t comprehend. Italia describes how the mechanical hound replaces a Dalmatian in the firehouse, and is almost completely opposite of one.

Overall, it was a great experience to be able to read other people’s thoughts freely on the same book I read, Fahrenheit 451. It benefits my learning because I could see how I think similar to others. If we discussed everything in class, I wouldn’t get the same experience as I was now.

Governmental Warnings - Dystopia Essay

2007-06-01T07:42:00.000-07:00

The government in Fahrenheit 451, created by Ray Bradbury, suppresses the freedom of many individuals, forbidding them from living their lives in luxury. In their world, there are several idiotic ways in which to get jailed, fined, or even killed. Their primitive ways of governmental life teaches us to not make the same mistakes they have done. If our world copies them, we may end up the same way they are.

In their world, it is forbidden to read and write books. Speaking to the public, the government tells them that it's a boring subject that’s a waste to your life; you should be more energetic and have fun with the time you have alive. The government scares people, making sure that nobody would do such a thing, by sending firemen to burn someone's house down whom has a book. The person would then be sent to jail, or some sort of asylum, and maybe even killed.

Along with that, Beatty and the government had Clarisse’s house snooped so that they knew what was going on. The government was suspicious of the McClellan family because they were unique. Her uncle was arrested for such things as “being a pedestrian at night” late at night. Nobody should be arrested for doing such ridiculous things, such as going below the speed limit. Hopefully we’ll learn from their government and not arrest people for nothing.

Parallels Between the Worlds - Dystopia Essay

2007-05-31T16:45:00.001-07:00

The world we live in today is similar to the world of Fahrenheit 451, made up by Ray Bradbury. The people of their world are threatened by the government controlling them, as a whole and as an individual. Not only are they in danger from their government, our world too is similar in that aspect.

Fahrenheit 451’s world supports war with another country, as Faber states on page 131, "You know the war's on?" Their government, like ours, fights in a war that they say are going to easily win, which is not the truth. In our world, the United States is fighting a war in the middle east that they know will never be settled.

Another reason our world and the world of Fahrenheit 451 are parallel is because our lives as individuals are very similar. Beatty describes their life in a very simple cycle, stating, “Out of the nursery into the college and back to the nursery; there’s your intellectual pattern for the past five centuries of more.” That is a very true quote that is part of our lives today, because it explains that when you are born, you first arrive in the nursery. You then study and spend the rest of your life trying to get into a good college. Finally, after you retire, you go back to the nursery in the state of a retirement home.

Those are just a couple of the several examples on how our world is parallel to the world of Fahrenheit 451.

Thoughts on Another Posting

2007-05-25T09:34:00.000-07:00

In Alex's blog on the second part of the book Fahrenheit 451, he explains that he does not understand some aspects of Montag's life, which I too do not comprehend. First was the parlor, "Im not exactly sure what the parlor was, but all i could think of was just a room with nobody in it, but thinking that somone might walk in at any minute", but to me, it was a room made up of imaginary people known as the 'family' that entertained you with verbal conversations, parties, etc. Along with that was the quote, "I saw the damnedest snake in the world the other night. It was dead but it was alive. It could see but it couldn't see. You want to see that snake? It's at Emergency Hospital where they filed a report on all the junk the snake got aout of you!" When Montag says that quote, he is using opposites which makes it even more confusing.

There was one thing in Alex's blog that I did understand, which were the descriptions that Ray Bradbury used in his book. They are symbolizing and characterizing, for example, when Montag symbolizes the ear device, he describes it as a moth in a cave.

How Do They Not Know?

2007-05-25T09:21:00.000-07:00

The society in Fahrenheit 451 has no idea how messed up the world they're living in is. Books have somehow become illegal to own, although there is no true written law that explains it. How could their reality come to be such a dystopia? Beatty told Montag that books made people unhappy, and more and more people were becoming more energetic. "With school turning out more runners, jumpers, racers, tinkerers, grabbers, snatchers, fliers, and swimmers instead of examiners, critics, knowers, and imaginative creators, the world 'intellectual,' of course, because the sweat word it deserved to be." This was just the beginning, how it all started to happen. Then little by little, less and less authors wrote books and decided to lean towards magazines, which soon went downhill too. Before anyone knew it, books were out of their world and people looked towards the fun things in life, "...your clubs and parties, yours acrobats and magicians, your daredevils, jet cares, motorcycle helicopters, your sex and heroin, more of everything to do with automatic reflex." When everyone began to do this, the government decided to put some more entertainment to the public by using firemen to burn the evil books and present a fire show.

Fahrenheit 451 - Part 2

2007-05-20T18:19:00.000-07:00

In part two of Fahrenheit 451, I understand the book even better. There are only a couple of things that I am not sure of though, such as the parlor, the walls, and the "family". In my opinion, the parlor is just a room where there are fake people, the family, in which to spend your time with. The walls, I believe, are large, enhanced televisions.

Also in part two of the book, I love how the author compares things to other things. For example, the green ear radio in Montag's ear is compared to a moth in a cave. Another thing Ray Bradbury did that interested me was the cliffhanger at the end of part two, stating, "'Why,' said Montag slowly, 'we've stopped in front of my house.'" I just can't wait to start part three so I could see what ends up happening to Montag.

Taking Things into Consideration

2007-05-15T18:33:00.000-07:00

In the group I was stationed with, we mostly talked about how Clarisse is a unique character in the book. She seems to take things people don't tend to think about, and make a bigger deal with it. For example, when she was walking with Montag in the rain, she was saying how "The rain feels good" and "Rain even tastes good." During the time the book takes place, the people there don't really think about things such as that.

Another example of how Clarisse has very unique characteristics, is with the dandelions. She talks to Montag about how those yellow weeds are to determine if someone is in love, just by rubbing it it under their chin. Montag has never heard of something like that, and tries it out. In my opinion, I don't think he understands how someone could even think about things like this.

The Dangers of Blogging

2007-05-14T09:36:00.000-07:00

Mr. Miller's Blog

There are many dangers that you may occur when you go out blogging throughout the Internet, including racist comments and death threats. The one that is mostly true are the racist comments, because people tend to think they mean no harm and they could not get in trouble. Although those were some of the dangers that were spoken about in the website, there are many more out there, such as physical damage. These predators are crazy enough to come stalk you and do what they please, without anyone getting in their way. To blog safely, people should never put down personal information such as their last name, phone number, or address. For class, teachers should keep a good eye on what you're writing, and making sure it's school appropriate. Along with that, you should be made to remove your profile from being read by the public.

Fahrenheit 451 - Part 1

2007-05-10T06:08:00.000-07:00

I find that the book Fahrenheit 451 is somewhat confusing and difficult to understand, although I have only read the first 30 pages. One thing that confused me at first was on page 24, whenthe Mechanical Hound was being described, "...the brass and the copper and the steel of the faintly trembling beast." The only thing that the author has done to help me comprehend the story is by using similies, for example, "Her face was like a snow-covered island upon which rain might fall, but it felt no rain..." (Page 13). That aspect of the book helps me comprehend and visualize how the story is.