Throughout the process of reading the novel, I will ask you to analyze the setting and the responses characters have to the setting. The explanation and questions below will help you analyze these two aspects of the novel.
SETTING – How is the world within the novel flawed, corrupted, fallen? How do its flaws reveal flaws in the modern world?
"Something is rotten in the state of..."
These dystopias are all set in some imagined version of the future, but each of these future is based on some aspects of the modern world. (In the modern world, we have video surveillance. In 1984, every moment of life is under video surveillance.) The authors ask the question "What if this or that aspect of modern life were to grow, to expand, to take over? How would human life change?" In dystopian novels the authors are especially interested in how certain aspects of modern life could worsen human existence or could so radically change it that being human would become unrecognizable.
While reading your novel consider the question, what aspects of modern life appear (perhaps in an exaggerated or expanded or intensified form) in the novel? How does the novel critique these aspects of modern life? How does the novel function as warning to the modern reader? How does the novel warn against expanding and intensifying some of the beliefs and behaviors made possible in the modern world?
Then, evaluate the critique of modern life. How revelant is the critique? In other words, how likely is the sort of future presented in the dystopia? Or, how likely is something *like* the future presented in the dystopia? And, how similar are aspects of *our* world to aspects of the novel?
Then, consider whether you agree or disagree with the implied critique? (For those reading 1984, Is video surveillance really that bad? Would it be better if there were more of it in our world? Or for those reading Oryx and Crake what do you think about genetic engineering in the novel and in our world? Think along these lines.)
CHARACTERS – How do characters respond to living in a flawed, corrupted world?
"Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer/The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,/Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,/And by opposing end them?"
How do the characters respond to the dystopia, the flaws in her or his world? Do they suffer the slings and arrows? Do they take arms against a sea of troubles? What do they do? How do they assert (or not assert) their sense that the world is broken, corrupt, flawed, an unweeded garden? Or do they not have that sense? Do they see nothing wrong with the world as it is?
Consider what each of the major characters thinks about the world within the novel and how each of the major characters responds to it. (The answers will vary from character to character. The characters in Hamlet see the world quite differently and they respond quite differently too. The same will be true in your novel.)
12 comments:
1. Setting- This is a community that does not read. They would rather be involved in watching a film or listen to some music. This community tends to be one that shows no sign of indiciduality. People do not enjoy to be alone and understanding concepts, they are more like a fast moving community. Also, in this community the fire fighters in this community start fires with books, rather than putting them out. People of this community do not like to read.
Characters- Montag
Montag is a firefighter in the novel. Montag has a rough patch in life and starts to realized the individuality in life. From this, he starts to collect books from fires he participates in, which is against the communities natural lifestyle. Montag becomes confused about this situation of being interseted in books, so he choses to question the situation to his wife, who does not respond. Montag is a symbol, like John in BNW was, of what the reader actually conects with.
1.) The would that the novel Fahrenheit 451 starts off in in somewhat like our world. The author however uses some important parts of the setting and plot to shows a sense of flaw in the world. First of all in the first few pages of the book we find out that Montag, a local firefighter, job is too burn books. This is much diferent than what our firefighters do in our world.
2.) At the begining of the novel, Clarisse asks Montag if he is happy with the life he leads, and points out that the original job of a firefighter was to put out fires not starts them. I think the author uses this as a way to critique the world they live in. We are already thrown into a world where instead of revival being the norm, it is instead destruction
1.Setting- In Fahrenheit 451 the world described is corrupted, but in some ways very similar to our world today. The setting seems to be a future of the modern world where firemen burn books instead of putting out fires. This is an exaggerated version of our world because it satirizes the burning of books in today’s society. However, in the society created mostly every book is burned. Fahrenheit 451 shows the extreme world developed when people follow leaders without first critically thinking themselves. The actual setting is similar to our world and it is the way the characters react to the setting that is separate from our world. Montag, the main character, lives in a house where his wife sits with three walls of the living room made out of television. Everything is more modern in general. Houses can no longer burn down and therefore the need for firemen has changed. The setting does not allow the society to think. All aspects are created so that things may be done with the most efficiency. Also, in some cases the society is lied to, but has no other knowledge to dispute the information. One example of this is the claim that fireman have been burning books since George Washington’s time. The world created is set up to allow people to serve their purpose and not disagree with authority.
2. Characters- Characters are not given a chance to think and therefore do not think independently. Clarisse, a seventeen year old girl, is one character who does reflect on the world. She becomes friends with the main character Montag, a fireman. Clarisse shares with Montag that she does not fit in to the society and tries to get him to think the way she does. She expresses her concern that people do talk, but when they do it is always about things and never ideas. This society is very social and taking time to reflect alone is seen as strange. This is why Clarisse is seen the way she is. In the society mostly everyone is happy and few seek knowledge. The books that contain real ideas are all burned. Similarly to Brave New World the characters cannot think and therefore there is little change made in society unless determined by leaders.
Setting:
The setting in this novel is quite strange in comparison to modern society. In this world, books are illegal and people are hired as “firemen” to burn them. When the story begins, Montag is at his job, burning books at a temperature of 451 degrees. This gives off an eery sense to the story, leaving the reader in confusion. This is because the author does not explain why the books are being burned until later in the novel. After he leaves his job, the story takes a strange turn as Montag meets Clarisse. The setting is much different than modern society in this scene for various reasons. The street is completely dark, because nobody in this society keeps their lights on during the night. Clarisse’s face is lit up by the moonlight, seeming to be the only light on the street. She affects the setting because she is completely different than the people in the society. Her ways of speaking, and the things she does are not only strange, but illegal. It leaves the scene with a sense of wonder and confusion.
Characters:
The novel’s main character, Montag, is simply an average person in this society. He follows all of the rules and thinks nothing of his strange job of burning books. Another character, Clarisse, is completely against the society in the novel without even realizing it. This seventeen year old girl is very social with Montag, and describes strange activities she participates in, such as being a pedestrian. This activity, along with others she does, is illegal. Montag is intrigued by her personable character and different ways. Despite being different, Clarisse appears content with who she is.
1. This world is corrupted and flawed in the way that the people in it choose not to read books. Instead they are influenced by television and radio. This relates back to modern day real life because many people have resorted to television and radio to get the information they need. People today show lack of desire to understand a concept and to think it through. They rather it be explained by ones on television. This world takes this to the next extreme, exagerating the laziness of the people in todays world.
2. Montag is one of the characters who has a lot to do with the difference between this world and modern day. He is a fireman whos job is to burn banned books which they dont read on the earth any longer. As Montag begins to find interest in the books he is designated to burn, he begins to question why books were banned to begin with. He is the character who the reader can relate to in such a different world. Everyone else sees the neglection of the books as a solution. It isnt until Montag that the characters begin to think like modern day again.
1.Setting- In Fahrenheit 451 the world is corrupt, but in a way that is somewhat reflects aspects of today's world. The book portrays a sort of future of our world, everything from doorbells to living room walls has been moderized. All of the people in this novel have been conditioned into thinking that books are bad and they should be burned,just like they people were conditioned in BNW. Since houses have been fire proofed, firemen are no longer needed for that purpose but instead are burning books. In our society people tend to conform to each other so that they can all fit in, the same way in this they all believe that books should be burned and everyone should watch the parlor walls(tv).
2.Characters-Professor Faber
Faber is a professor that Montag meet previously in a green park. At that time Montag was very into his job and Faber was trying to convince him that there is nothing wrong with reading a book, his attempt in giving Montag a book of poems failed but Montag took down his number.Faber is different from the majority of society, his living room walls are not gigantic tv's like everyone else,they are nothing more than plaster. Montag confides in him when he finally decides that society is wrong and something needs to be done. Faber in a way is trying to help Montag but at the same time is trying to get what he want out of it, like when he said he would only help copy the books if they were to plant them in other firemen's houses so they would get targeted and burnt.
Setting-
This novel seems to be the equivalence's of our world from the start of the book, but as you read on you find that it actually has many differences. In the book, people are more interested in up tempo style of life and never stops going. People would rather be moving around rather than having time alone. A main aspect of this novel, is that a fire fighters start fires, rather than in our world they put them out. This shows a sign of corruption in the community.
Character-
Montag is the symbol of corruption in the world. He is a fire fighter in the novel he is a fire starter, and he uses books. Montag starts questioning himself and thinking he has interest in books. His wife tells him that it is common for a firefighter to have this feeling and that it will go away. He feels that he is letting people down by being curiosity in books. As a reader, and understanding what a dystopia novel is, you realize that Montag is the connection with the reader.
my first one was to short so i added more to it....
Setting-
This novel seems to be the equivalence's of our world from the start of the book, but as you read on you find that it actually has many differences. In the book, people are more interested in up tempo style of life and never stops going. The uptempo styple of life is a connection between our style of life here in the boston community. People would rather be moving around rather than having time alone. Not having time alone, makes them not enjoy reading a novel, they would rather be doing something as in watching a movie. A main aspect of this novel, is that a fire fighters start fires, rather than in our world they put them out. This shows a sign of corruption in the community.
Character-
Montag is the symbol of corruption in the world. He is a fire fighter in the novel he is a fire starter, and he uses books. Montag starts questioning himself and thinking he has interest in books. His wife tells him that it is common for a firefighter to have this feeling and that it will go away. He feels that he is letting people down by being curiosity in books. As a reader, and understanding what a dystopia novel is, you realize that Montag is the connection with the reader. Many people feel a connection with him, and it turns out to be like John of Brave New World, and suddenly you see he is corrupt in the end.
Kaylie McTiernan
Setting-
Through the development of the plot you learn how the world came to be the way it is. In the beginning all you know is that books are banned. Captain Beatty explains to Montag that the end of books and thinking was a natural process. When the government saw this change they stepped in and hired firemen to protect this lifestyle. This makes the novel a real fear for today’s world. Through television and advertising people have many alternatives to reading. Advanced technology and censorship also add to the possibility of this world becoming a reality. This book shows an extreme society in which the world stopped caring about books and knowledge. The society in Fahrenheit 451 focuses only on pleasure. The acceptance of their world can be seen as dangerous since their world is entering a war and thought should be important concerning this topic. The people have no opinion on the war and instead accept what they are told. The flaws of this pleasure-filled world become evident as the book progresses.
Characters-
Montag goes through many changes throughout the novel and responds to his flawed world. He goes through a period of self-realization throughout the book. This change of heart was brought on by Clarisse and also aided by Faber. One thing that caused Montag to really examine his life is the realization that he does not love anyone. He discovers that if Mildred were to die he would not cry and finds himself crying over that sad realization. Montag comes to decide to do something in rebellion of the book ban. Montag admits to Mildred that he has been keeping books and then seeks Faber’s help in understanding what the books mean. Faber helps Montag to think independently and praises Montag on questioning him. Montag is turned in for having books and goes on the run. When burning his own house Montag decides to burn Captain Beatty as well. This shows another development in character as Montag goes as far as murder. Montag’s development is important in understanding many major concepts of the novel.
1) Setting- The setting in this novel is very different yet very similar to the way our world is today. In the novel it is considered against the law to keep books, and read them for several reasons. Beatty explains to Montag many reasons for this such as the persuit of knoledge, cenorship within the novel, and the lack of necessity of the books. The people in this world belive that since television and other visual forms of educations are much simpliar and more pleasurable then they should be the only thing used. evewntually this brain washes the community, as we see happen to Mildred. Our society can go both ways. We have people that will always want to take the easy way out of something , and we have others obbsessed with learning new things and persueing knowlege. The author uses this setting to critique the path our world is going down with the over use of media.
2.) Characters- The author uses many people as symbols in the book. I think that one of the more defiant symbols in the book is Montag's wife Mildred. She is intererting to follow because she is one of the only deeper looks into the corruption of the society. In other main characters like Montag, Clarisse, and Faber we see the defiance towards this hatred towares books. However Mildred has completly bought into this new world of ease and pleasure. In the novel you can see how brainwashed she is by all the media. She can't even take her sleeping medicine correctly, and belive that a television show familiy is her family. She was one of the main oppositions to Montag, when she was bruning his books, and when she sounded the alarm on their house. Mildred is a symbol of the corruption that was occured within the entire society.
Olivia Brown
SETTING
This novel stresses the dependency that we have on books to tell us information we might need to know to help us survive. In modern day we read books everyday to learn things that are necessary in life if we want to progress. This world lacks the capability to evolve, if books are banned then we would have a harder time realizing what might be a mistake and what might limit us from developing. Montag has a job that supports the new world directly. He is a fireman, hired to burn banned books which helps to enforce the new worlds corrupted flaw. Fahrenheit 451 also exaggerates how people turn to television in modern day. People in this world show how people in the world today listen to television as if its their only source of information. People in today’s society continue to slowly adapt to resorting to television.
CHARACTER
Montag becomes hesitant to following the new worlds laws. He goes through many changes and realizes the craziness in the world he lived in. He cannot help himself but be lost in fascination of banned books. He feels like he is letting society down because he is not helping by doing his job, burning books. He tries to explain to Faber that books are meaningful. Montag then gets caught for having read books, and makes a run for it. Montag eventually burns down his house with Captain Beatty inside, he officially resorted to murder. Montag helped the reader connect with the messed world because his reaction was somewhat respected as something a modern day person would do.
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