Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury 1953

Timeline 1900 - 8000 cars in U.S. 1925 - 26 million cars in U.S. 1940 - 23 TV stations, 10,000 sets in operation. Black and white, 5 – 9 in. screens 1940 - U.S. Car Sales: 6,665,800

Timeline cont’d 1950s – first anti-depressant 1951 – first commercial computer 1952 – first bar code 1953 – Bradbury writes Fahrenheit 451 1954 – first color TV is introduced. America has over 500 stations & 40 million homes with TV.  1955 – first microwave

As of 2004 118 million prescriptions for antidepressants in United States. 76.4% of people in United States have a personal computer 285 million televisions in use in the United States 250,844,644 registered passenger vehicles in the United States

1950s  rise of Postmodernism In general, the postmodern view is accepting of the chaos of contemporary existence. The stress is on the present (all we have) and the focus is on popular culture. Technology is used for pleasure and self-expression - not practical use. (Video and electronic media are used frequently.) Lack of belief in absolute truth or the idea of a reality constructed knowledge from ignorance social progress from reversion dominance from submission presence from absence

Utopia Vs. Dystopia

Topos – place Greek DYSTOPIA: εὖ - “good” οὐ - “not” DYSTOPIA: A society or place which attempts to be perfect but takes perfection to the extreme and leads to a dehumanizing existence

Dystopian Works District 9 (govt) Equilibrium (govt) The Island (govt) The Matrix (govt) Minority Report (govt) 28 Days Later (post-apoc) The Book of Eli (post-apoc) I am Legend (post-apoc) Terminator: Salvation (post-apoc) Wall-E (business) Mirror’s Edge (govt) BioShock (govt) Half-Life 2 (govt) http://ps3.kombo.com/images/content/news/blurb_bioshock_20081017.jpg

Both DYSTOPIAN and UTOPIAN stories are supposed to instruct us, and teach us about our mistakes as humans.  Dystopian stories are often warnings, a forecast of what could happen IF we don’t learn our lessons in time. Dystopian literature depicts the flaws and failures of societies due to technology and human flaws.

They show current trends and concerns exaggerated to a nightmarish conclusion. Individual freedom of thought is lost due to equality for everyone.

Pay attention to the small details. What do you notice? Look at the image closely on the front of your book. Pay attention to the small details. What do you notice? What does the cover tell you about the story?