1. RAY BRADBURY Fahrenheit 451

2. “It was a pleasure to burn.”

3. Define the following terms Diction Allegory Allusion Diction Genre Motif Parable Symbol Theme The writer’s or speaker’s particular word choice used to accomplish a goal in writing. Word choice determines the level of the language.. Non-standard (vulgarity, slang, colloquial, jargon) Formal vs. Informal Mono- vs. Polysyllabic Euphonious vs. Cacophonous Literal vs. Figurative Denotative vs. Connotative Active vs. Passive Concrete vs. Abstract Specific vs. General Overstated vs. Understated Simple vs. Pedantic Literary Terms

4. Background Notes Fahrenheit 451 is a science fiction novella set in a future version of the United States.  It was first published in 1953, a time of great prosperity for a large group of Americans.  World War II had brought the country out of the Depression. Manufacturing and production increased.  Two things that were produced in large numbers, and that changed the face of America, were the television and the automobile.

5. Literary Genre: Science Fiction Fahrenheit 451 is a work of science fiction. Unlike fantasy, science fiction describes things that are plausible, based on the best scientific knowledge at the time. Science fiction often considers the effect that technology might have on society.

6. Automobiles The rise of the automobile coincided with the building of President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s Interstate Highway System. New cities and suburbs were planned around the new roads and plentiful, cheap automobiles. Walking became more rare; the automobile was the preferred method of getting from one place to another.

7. Major Themes 1. Progress can actually be dangerous or harmful. 2. The thinking man or woman will always be at odds with society. 3. Reason can be used as a weapon to defend wrong as well as right. People should make their own choices and be careful about accepting what they hear.

8. Major Motifs: Light and Vision Fire brings not only physical warmth, but light, which is a symbol of wisdom. 1. Eyes – Eyes have been called “windows to the soul”; they show a person’s mental or spiritual illumination. 2. Looking vs. Seeing – In Montag’s society, people experience constant visual stimulation, but do not actually see. As in Plato’s Allegory of the Cave, they mistake the things they are watching for reality. 3. Mirrors – A mirror is a symbol of self-examination and mental reflection. 4. The Sun and Moon – The sun gives off light by burning, the moon by reflecting.

9. Allegory of the Cave The ancient Greek philosopher Plato authored a dialogue (philosophical discussion between characters) that we now know as The Republic. In this work, Plato describes the difference between ideals and reality. There are, he says, ideal forms of things which exist only as abstract concepts, but which are the most true and perfect things. Human beings, however, live in a shadow world; they see imperfect reflections of these true forms. In his famous allegory, Plato imagines people sitting in a cave, watching shadows play on a wall. Because the cave is all they know, the people think the shadows are real. When one person is somehow taken from the cave and placed in the Real World, he or she is unable to convince the others of the truth. Like biblical prophets, persons who have been “out of the Cave” and know True Reality, are considered foolish or insane by those who still accept the shadow figures on the wall of the Cave as reality. Out-of-Cave prophets are dismissed, ridiculed, discredited, and— often—destroyed.

10. Major Motifs: Good and Bad Fire Fire and burning are important symbols in Fahrenheit 451.  Fire can be life-saving; after all, people need warmth to survive.

11. Major Motifs: The Hearth The first section of Fahrenheit 451 is entitled “The Hearth and the Salamander.” The hearth is an ancient symbol of home and family. A warm fireplace symbolizes comfort, familiarity and affection. It is one of the places that contain the nurturing, non- destructive fire.

12. Classical Allusion: Goddess of the Hearth Hestia, Greek Goddess of the sacred fire, was once known as "Chief of the Goddesses" and “Goddess of the hearth and home".

13. Classical Allusion: The Salamander The salamander was believed to be a creature of fire. Sometimes it was simply fire resistant or would put out fire, at other times it was said to live in fire, sometimes it was even said to be born in fire.

14. Classical Allusion: The Phoenix The phoenix is a legendary bird mentioned in Greek, Roman, and Egyptian mythology. According to ancient writers, the phoenix lived for 500 years, then died and was reborn. It had brilliant golden and scarlet feathers and grew to the size of an eagle. Just before dying, the phoenix built a nest of fragrant herbs and spices. Then it set the nest on fire and died in the flames. However, a new phoenix always from the ashes.

15. Classical Allusion: Prometheus According to one ancient Greek myth, Prometheus (his name literally means “forethought”), a son of Zeus, made human beings out of clay. He then stole fire from the gods for his new creation, allowing people enlightenment and knowledge. Zeus was angry at Prometheus for three things: being tricked by the sacrifices, stealing fire for man, and refusing to tell Zeus which of Zeus's children would dethrone him. Zeus had his servants, Force and Violence, seize Prometheus, take him to the Caucasus Mountains, and chain him to a rock with unbreakable chains. Here he was tormented day and night by a giant eagle tearing at his liver.

16. Parables A parable is a fictitious or made up story designed to teach a lesson through comparison. When you hear the story, you can relate it to your own life. It conveys its message of truth through analogy, through comparison or contrast. Parables are told so that only those who really care will come to know the truth. Not so much because they understand the parable, but because they care enough to ask what it means after the story is finished. The others don’t really care and leave. Remember, the disciples didn’t understand the parables, but they asked what Jesus meant after the crowds left. Understanding is an issue of the heart. Those who have a hard heart, also have closed eyes and closed ears and they don’t understand.

17. Biblical Allusions You will need to have a basic, working knowledge of the following Biblical stories. Bradbury uses Biblical allusions to add additional depth of meaning to his story and its characters. the Garden of Eden the Book of Ecclesiastes the story of Sodom and Gomorrah

18. Fahrenheit 451 and Censorship Although the books and people have fallen victims to censorship in Fahrenheit 451, luckily, some citizens remain who are willing to sacrifice their lives to ensure that books remain alive. Because the government has censored so much in its society, the citizens in Fahrenheit 451 have no idea about what is truly happening in their world. A direct result of their limited knowledge is that their entire city is destroyed because propaganda wouldn't allow individuals to see that their destruction was imminent

19. Resources http://www.goddessgift.com/ goddessmyths/greek_goddess _hestia.htm http://www.goddessgift.com/ goddessmyths/greek_goddess _hestia.htm http://www.dragonorama.co m/creatures/salamander/ind ex.html http://www.dragonorama.co m/creatures/salamander/ind ex.html http://www.cliffsnotes.com/li terature/f/fahrenheit- 451/critical-essays/the-issue- of-censorship-and- fahrenheit-451 http://www.cliffsnotes.com/li terature/f/fahrenheit- 451/critical-essays/the-issue- of-censorship-and- fahrenheit-451 http://www.mythencyclopedi a.com/PaPr/Phoenix.html#ix zz3kK2RSZ00 http://www.mythencyclopedi a.com/PaPr/Phoenix.html#ix zz3kK2RSZ00 https://bible.org/seriespage/i ntroduction-parables https://bible.org/seriespage/i ntroduction-parables