Fahrenheit 451 Analysis

Discuss the blurred distinction between life/death in Fahrenheit 451, referring to Mildred, Clarisse, and life-like machines that dominate society. Use specific examples.

Fahrenheit 451 is a story about the future of humanity, and how it would eventually funnel down to staying indoors and completely shutting out the outside world. In this science fiction world, people are dominated by their reliance on technology and the strict leadership of their own governments. They are shut off from life-changing events going on around them, such as war and politics. They are also shut out from death. Guy Montag seems to be one of the only people to notice the blur of life and death, between his wife, neighbors, friends, and acquaintances. Throughout the story, Guy observes the snake-like machines and how "the impersonal operator of the machine could... gaze into the soul of the person" (14), and that being even near death did not mean much anymore. The next example of a blurred line between life and death was how Mildred was impartial about the fact that Clarisse had passed away. She tells Guy that "I meant to tell you. Forgot." (47), and that it apparently didn't mean much to her. Mildred remains impartial still when Guy says to her "We burnt a thousand books. We burnt a woman", because it did not affect her own life (50). Mildred herself does not feel any weight in terms of life. Her hobby is explained in her quote to Guy, "The keys to the beetle are on the night table. I always like to drive fast when I feel that way. You get it up around ninety-five and you feel wonderful. Sometimes I drive all night and come back and you don't know it. It's fun out in the country. You hit rabbits, sometimes you hit dogs. Go take the beetle." (68). The hound also represents the mix of life and death in society. The book described it as a being that "slept but did not sleep, lived but did not live." (24), with its intimidating killer instincts that made its own purpose only to end other beings' existences. Another blurred distinction is because of indifference; the indifference to life and death, and to war. Even as cities are bombed and destroyed in seconds, it might as well have been that they had not existed at all. In the end, Granger explained to Guy how "There was a silly damn bird called a Phoenix..." (163), and how no matter how far man strayed from the values of life, it would always return again from the ashes.

TU Tuesday- Local

http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Teen-charged-in-Schenectady-fires-3592197.php

On of the many cases of suspicious house fires in Schenectady started on Memorial Day weekend has been traced to a teen who has been "charged with arson... and the fire department is hoping a $500 reward will provide clues to other suspicious fires...". the 15 year old was arrested on Tuesday and faced numerous charges, with "two counts of fourth-degree arson, [and] a felony". So far, officials still expect more arsonists to exist. They are posting a $500 reward for clues on the suspects.

Fire Chief Michael Dellarocco said on Tuesday, "'An arsonist doesn't care about the life of a citizen or a firefighter so people should make sure they have a working smoke detector and be aware of what is going on in their neighborhood'". They are still advising people to be wary of suspicious activity in their neighborhoods.

There are many things that could cause instability in teens, such as issues with parents, and with others. More should definitely be done about things like this to get to the root of the problem, and to protect not only the teens but others as well.

21. Why is our military so important?

Our military is important because it protects the interests of our nation and upholds the liberating ideas of our nation all across the world. Without our military, there would be nothing to protect our best interests in other parts of the world, and our government would carry a greater burden themselves. Our military makes great sacrifices to ensure the longevity and well-being of our important investments that will undoubtedly make our country great and beautifully gilded. It allows us to impose our majestic presence to those less fortunate around the world, such as countries with plentiful natural resources but no way to harvest them because of their oppressive native rulers. Our military directly leads to the funding of science and technology, and creates many job opportunities. Thus, it is imperative that we, as citizens, help our own military out in the same fashion that they have helped some of us by reinforcing them with the $1 trillion in taxpayer money that they need to operate on in 2012. This small investment will no doubt be returned to our nation in time by the upholding of our values and business investments. Finally, without the military there would be no war, no expansion, no advancement, no growth, and no America. Foreign powers would dominate global affairs, and life would be terrible. America would be dragged down by them and they would cause massive inflation and joblessness. Without our military, life would be terrible.

What is Crippling Us?

Gatto and Bradbury both have very parallel views on the cons of modern society and about where trends are leading towards. Bradbury, in Fahrenheit 451, writes about how people in a society like ours shallowly entertain themselves with simplicity and ignorance. Gatto writes about the cause of these trends, which is education and a lack of it, or a lack of interest in it. Bradbury writes that people will become indifferent, and life will be diluted, with even the Bible. Faber remarks "I wonder if God recognizes His own son the way we've dressed him up, or is it dressed him down?"(81). Gatto says that "could it be our schools are designed to make sure [the children never] really grows up?". Gatto's statement could be interpreted as an observation of how schools are falling behind the times, and not focusing on the correct points that define a character, which I agree with. Bradbury also writes much on the way people think. Thought becomes shallower and shallower until deep thought itself is basically banned. The third important thing Faber recites is "the right to carry out actions based on what we learn"(85). Gatto reinforces this idea with the fact that he has observed kids' desires to learn things that are beyond the classroom, and that "adults regularly conflate opposition with disloyalty". Both writers recognize the fine line that distinguishes the rights everybody should have, which is to take an initiative in their own lives, but I disagree with the statement that opposition is not disloyalty when the same kids being discussed by Gatto are kids that Bradbury believes will become shallow and narrow minded, and basically incapable of taking the initiative for themselves. In this circumstance, I think that opposition will surely mean disloyalty, as it does in most cases in our own school. No kid would revolt because they feel that they are not learning enough.

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
http://www.wesjones.com/gatto1.htm

Tried and True

http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lz9qxtcUB01qz4e4a.png

My advice is that I would recommend dating a cat instead, because cats do not have the ability to change their facebook relationship status (having a complete lack of paw dexterity and all that), so people who base their conclusions on information gathered from facebook would be much better off. A few key points about this graph illustrate actual real life points though, which is that relationships are generally favored when there is a complete lack of any contact whatsoever between the two parties. It is good to break up before Christmas so that you don't have to give your partner an expensive gift. It is also good to break up during holidays for the same reasons, including the fact that you can save yourself some time and do what you want to do.

TU Tuesday Commencement Speech

J.K. Rowling is a witty and motivating writer who set a great example by climbing out of poverty and becoming ridiculously successful, although she remarks that "Poverty itself is romanticized only by fools". She believes that  people can be "driven by a fear of failure quite as much as a desire for success", and that failure is not fun, but it is necessary and builds the core of one's personality. To get over the fear of failure gives an overwhelmingly fresh and lightweight feeling. If you've lived too cautiously, "you might as well not have lived at all". J.K. Rowling has experienced a wider range of life than most average people, from severe poverty to amazing success. She believes strongly that every person should experience some sort of failure, but also that everyone should have an imagination. Imagination "is the power that enables us to empathize with humans whose experiences we have never shared."

Steve Jobs was another well known successful figure who had strong beliefs in success and failure. In Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson, Isaacson writes that Jobs, at an early age, "was fascinated by the need for perfection". Decades later, he would still have zero tolerance for the imperfect, and the average. 

Both of these people grew up in a less than wealthy life while they were young, but they brought themselves to success with determination and a lack of fear of failure. They both worked hard and wanted to help others for the greater good of humanity.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHGqp8lz36c&feature=related

http://www.amazon.com/Steve-Jobs-Walter-Isaacson/dp/1451648537

22. If I Were an Advertiser Today

If I were an advertiser today, life would be pretty easy. It's really not hard to look around and see for oneself how easy it is to successfully market a product. Especially here, in the west, where we're basically a civilization full of lots of money. I would really like to be an advertiser, because it would be one of the most entertaining and rewarding jobs out there. And it's easy money. These days, there are even advertisements advertising programs that allow people to tell advertisers how bad their advertisements are. It's getting really ridiculous, admittedly, but it's still not getting any less profitable. And money is delicious.