1. Fahrenheit 451
by Ray Bradbury 1953

2. Timeline
cars in U.S million cars in U.S TV stations, 10,000 sets in operation. Black and white, 5 – 9 in. screens U.S. Car Sales: 6,665,800

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. Utopia Vs. Dystopia

7. 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

8. 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)

9. 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.

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

11. 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?