Fahrenheit 451 Ray Bradbury

Ray Bradbury Born August 22, 1920 in Waukegan, IL Began writing own stories by age 11 No formal writing education Sold newspapers to make ends meet Began writing science fiction for TV, movies and eventually novels The Martian Chronicles (1950) established him as a leading writer of science-fiction Received many awards for writing

Birth of Fahrenheit 451 Wrote F451 on a pay-by-the-hour typewriter in basement of UCLA library Wrote first draft in 9 days Initially called The Fireman Shaped similarly to George Orwell’s science-fiction (dystopia & dangerous future) Published in 1953 Most popular and read work of fiction

Characters Guy Montag-fireman, main character Mildred Montag-Guy’s depressed wife Captain Beatty-Fireman captain Professor Faber-Professor of English Clarisse McClellan-17-year old societal outcast Granger-leader of “Book People” Mrs. Phelps & Mrs. Bowles-Mildred’s friends Stoneman and Black-firemen

Themes Censorship Knowledge versus Ignorance Books that are forbidden to be read for various reasons Knowledge versus Ignorance Firemen destroy knowledge to protect ignorance Relationship between humanity and happiness Without maintaining human nature, mankind struggles

Motifs Paradoxes Animal and Nature imagery Religion Questioning the reality of beings Animal and Nature imagery Force of innocence and truth Religion Several biblical allusions that suggest how much people desire to have a sense of truth

Symbols Blood “The Hearth and the Salamander” “The Sieve and the Sand” repressing human soul “The Hearth and the Salamander” the problem between the idea of a home and the job of the firemen “The Sieve and the Sand” Impossibility of grasping the truth Phoenix Rebirth after destruction Mirrors Self-understanding