-choice
After reading the Fahrenheit 451
As I am very interested in scientific-fiction books, I chose this book among others without any hesitation and I do not regret my choice.
This book was very challenging for me to read as the author had very different view about the world than me. While I looked at the human deveopement in positive way, the author described it with fearful machines controlling us.
Also, this book gave me many questions to think about. For example, the murder of Captain Beatty by Montag left me question of "Does knowledge worth human life?"
Other than that, I realized how much I depend on modern technologies and how many simple things I can not do by myself without any help from machines. Even when I am doing the simplest calculation in math, I do it with calculator and I began to lose confidence in myself.
I also realized that idea of being equal while neglecting one's unique characteristic can be dangerous idea, which is very similar to the communism.
In the end, the book was so vivid and realistic that I fear it would be prediction of our future.
2007년 2월 15일 목요일
Fahrenheit 451-#7
-Are there any settings in this novel which you have found to be beautiful? Or disturbing? Or memorable? Describe these settings and comment on why they were meaningful to you.
The scene where the machine-snake sucks out blood from mildred and putting new and fresh blood into her was the most memorable setting for me. When Mildred tries suicide, the two men from emergency center comes and replace her poisoned blood. The author reveals self hatred and deep saddeness within Mildred by this incident. However, her rotten spirit with misery does not get replaced and Mildred shows her emptiness through out rest of the story.
I thought this was very significant setting, because Mildred represent the people living in that world and their empty lifestyles filled with the desolation.
The scene where the machine-snake sucks out blood from mildred and putting new and fresh blood into her was the most memorable setting for me. When Mildred tries suicide, the two men from emergency center comes and replace her poisoned blood. The author reveals self hatred and deep saddeness within Mildred by this incident. However, her rotten spirit with misery does not get replaced and Mildred shows her emptiness through out rest of the story.
I thought this was very significant setting, because Mildred represent the people living in that world and their empty lifestyles filled with the desolation.
Fahrenheit 451-#6
-Please choose one passage from the novel that is significant to you. why is this passage meaningful? Please type it into one of your entries and comment on what you think about the passage.
"Well, after all, this is the age of the disposable tissue. Blow your nose on a person, wad them, flush them away, reach for another, blow, wad, flush. Everyone using everyone else's coattails. How are you supposed to root for the home team when you don't even have a program or know the names? For that matter, what color jerseys are they wearing as they trot out on the field"
This is what Clarisse's uncle said during the conversation of family.
It is rather a sarcastic joke about how excessive reliance on machines resulted downfall of human value. This passage was very significant to me as it was describing our society right now. One man dies today, everyone forget about his existence the next day. One machine gets broken, everyone cries out of pure fear. This mere thought made me shudder. The development of machines made our life much easier than before, but at the same time, it disabled us. Now, people have lost the ability to do even the simplest of tasks.
This idea of human value downfall is mentioned in the book for several times.
When Mildred and her friends were chatting, Montag turns off the "family" on the wall.
They act uneasy and cry out of discomfort because of fake "families" were gone, while they do not care if their husband dies during the war.
This also include me, even though I am not that extreme. I feel indisposition if my computer is out of order or tv is dead.
"Well, after all, this is the age of the disposable tissue. Blow your nose on a person, wad them, flush them away, reach for another, blow, wad, flush. Everyone using everyone else's coattails. How are you supposed to root for the home team when you don't even have a program or know the names? For that matter, what color jerseys are they wearing as they trot out on the field"
This is what Clarisse's uncle said during the conversation of family.
It is rather a sarcastic joke about how excessive reliance on machines resulted downfall of human value. This passage was very significant to me as it was describing our society right now. One man dies today, everyone forget about his existence the next day. One machine gets broken, everyone cries out of pure fear. This mere thought made me shudder. The development of machines made our life much easier than before, but at the same time, it disabled us. Now, people have lost the ability to do even the simplest of tasks.
This idea of human value downfall is mentioned in the book for several times.
When Mildred and her friends were chatting, Montag turns off the "family" on the wall.
They act uneasy and cry out of discomfort because of fake "families" were gone, while they do not care if their husband dies during the war.
This also include me, even though I am not that extreme. I feel indisposition if my computer is out of order or tv is dead.
Fahrenheit 451-#5
-What is the mood of this novel? do you find this novel saddens you in any way? why?
The mood of this novel, Fahrenheit 451 is both dark and hopeful.It generally is dark and sad, becuase it sharply reflects our present life.We depend our knowledge and values on electronic devices and often we find ourselves saying what we are told from the media without really thinking about it.It is brainwashing in a way, because our value is determined by what world is saying, which makes us their spokesman. For example, the TV and magazines determined the standard of beauty, and many people try to fit in there without thinking why it is beautiful.While reading the book that describes chaotic world, where people chase after entertainment, I realized that it is exactly we, and our world. We sit in front of television and computers for pleasure, but hardly read book. We seek easier ways to gain knowledge and information, which result us to estrange from the books.
However, like the two sides of a coin, the mood of this book is also full of hopes about the "new world" where people start to read and think about their lives. The ending of the book when Montag and other walk toward the destructed world with the hope of rebuilding it with freedoms is the brightest point of the book.
The mood of this novel, Fahrenheit 451 is both dark and hopeful.It generally is dark and sad, becuase it sharply reflects our present life.We depend our knowledge and values on electronic devices and often we find ourselves saying what we are told from the media without really thinking about it.It is brainwashing in a way, because our value is determined by what world is saying, which makes us their spokesman. For example, the TV and magazines determined the standard of beauty, and many people try to fit in there without thinking why it is beautiful.While reading the book that describes chaotic world, where people chase after entertainment, I realized that it is exactly we, and our world. We sit in front of television and computers for pleasure, but hardly read book. We seek easier ways to gain knowledge and information, which result us to estrange from the books.
However, like the two sides of a coin, the mood of this book is also full of hopes about the "new world" where people start to read and think about their lives. The ending of the book when Montag and other walk toward the destructed world with the hope of rebuilding it with freedoms is the brightest point of the book.
Farenheit 451-#4
-What is the climax of this novel? What happens? How do the events of this novel make you feel?
The climax of Fahrenheit 451 is when Guy Montag kills Captain Beatty and other firemen. When Beatty puts electronic hound after Montag, he realizes that Montag is hiding books. So, he somewhat enthusiastically watches Montag struggling to find the truth about the books. He instructs Montag to burn his own house down, giving him the message that books bring nothing but disasters.This is the point where indecisive Montag was forced to make choice between the plain and manipulated life and dangerous life. He chooses the dangerous life, and burns Captain Beatty and runs away. Even though the main antagonist died, I felt uneasy and angry with protagonist rather than feeling relieved. At this point, a question started to rise in my head: "is mean justified by the extreme?" Because I have believed that murder cannot be excused even if it was for the right reason this scene made me think about my value. I think human protection is the main point of every action. Of course, he had this important goal to save the knowledge for the world, was violence and blood necessary? I still believe that there were other options for Montag than killing the men. After all, saving the knowledge in books is for human.
The climax of Fahrenheit 451 is when Guy Montag kills Captain Beatty and other firemen. When Beatty puts electronic hound after Montag, he realizes that Montag is hiding books. So, he somewhat enthusiastically watches Montag struggling to find the truth about the books. He instructs Montag to burn his own house down, giving him the message that books bring nothing but disasters.This is the point where indecisive Montag was forced to make choice between the plain and manipulated life and dangerous life. He chooses the dangerous life, and burns Captain Beatty and runs away. Even though the main antagonist died, I felt uneasy and angry with protagonist rather than feeling relieved. At this point, a question started to rise in my head: "is mean justified by the extreme?" Because I have believed that murder cannot be excused even if it was for the right reason this scene made me think about my value. I think human protection is the main point of every action. Of course, he had this important goal to save the knowledge for the world, was violence and blood necessary? I still believe that there were other options for Montag than killing the men. After all, saving the knowledge in books is for human.
2007년 2월 13일 화요일
Farenheit 451-#3
-Main characters in the novel
*Guy Montag- He is the main character and protagonist of the story. Despite the fact that he is a fireman, who burns the books, he starts to question himself about the world he is living in.Even though he did many small mistakes, I liked him because of his courage and pure passion to gain the knowledge. If I was in the same possession as he was, I would just ignore the truth I know and follow the rules that world gives me. Later when he was forced to choose between knowledge and comfortable life, Montag risks his life and all the worldly possession just to know the truth: the value of the books.
*Mildred Montag- She is the wife of Montag in the story. As Mildred was the one to turn Montag in, she can be counted as antagonist with Captain Beatty. Rather than like/dislike her, I pitied her emptiness for she is dead in spirit. Mildred leads a vacant and meaningless life with loss of passion and curiosity. She is the character who represents the people living in the world, which book describes, and perhaps some of us too. Everyday she watches the entertainment wall and finds comfort and joy from fake "family", while neglecting their real family and friends. She is rather a robot than a living person for she lives her life the way world instructs to.
*Captain Beatty- Captain Beatty was the main antagonist who represents the majority of the world, who strongly believes that knowledge is threat and ignorance equal happy life. Even though Captain Beatty has read few books, he could not understand it, but thought it was non-sense. With his experience, he attacks the protagonist saying books are nothing but papers with letters that contradicts themselves. He shows anger, hatred, and even jealousy to those who understand books. Guy Montag kills him, when Captain Beatty tried to submit him by burning his house with books in it.
*Guy Montag- He is the main character and protagonist of the story. Despite the fact that he is a fireman, who burns the books, he starts to question himself about the world he is living in.Even though he did many small mistakes, I liked him because of his courage and pure passion to gain the knowledge. If I was in the same possession as he was, I would just ignore the truth I know and follow the rules that world gives me. Later when he was forced to choose between knowledge and comfortable life, Montag risks his life and all the worldly possession just to know the truth: the value of the books.
*Mildred Montag- She is the wife of Montag in the story. As Mildred was the one to turn Montag in, she can be counted as antagonist with Captain Beatty. Rather than like/dislike her, I pitied her emptiness for she is dead in spirit. Mildred leads a vacant and meaningless life with loss of passion and curiosity. She is the character who represents the people living in the world, which book describes, and perhaps some of us too. Everyday she watches the entertainment wall and finds comfort and joy from fake "family", while neglecting their real family and friends. She is rather a robot than a living person for she lives her life the way world instructs to.
*Captain Beatty- Captain Beatty was the main antagonist who represents the majority of the world, who strongly believes that knowledge is threat and ignorance equal happy life. Even though Captain Beatty has read few books, he could not understand it, but thought it was non-sense. With his experience, he attacks the protagonist saying books are nothing but papers with letters that contradicts themselves. He shows anger, hatred, and even jealousy to those who understand books. Guy Montag kills him, when Captain Beatty tried to submit him by burning his house with books in it.
Farenheit 451-#2
- are there are any current situations in the world that relate to the novel? what are they, and how do they relate? does the novel shed any light on how current situations could be resolved or "fixed"?
Farenheit 451 is the book with extreme drawing of our current world.
The book describes how people begins to lose rooms for literature because of busy lives.
The cars, bill boards, and entertainment walls, things that were invented to make our lives easier start to make people forget about the books and later, even ban them. It is very simlilar to our present world, where everyting goes fast that we actually cannot focus or concentrate on one thing. Like chanracters in the book, we often rely on internet and TV to get knowledge and information than reading a book.
The author gives solution through out the book, which is people in the world having affection for books and finding the needs of them again. Other than that, he gave the message saying, people recognizing the problem should courageously stand up in the society and fix it, rather than keeping silence. The author emphasize how minorities can change and fix the world. For example, the death of the woman might seem useless, but eventually it influenced the other person: Mintag. Montag, in the end of the book, joins the minorities who know the importance of the book, and goes on the journey the spread knowledge.
Also, the book shows how people's envy and sense of inferiority toward the group of minorities who are intelligent than others, can lead to banning of the books. The minorities in the book include people with more knowledge and insight than others.
Both in the book and in the world we are living in, people view them strange and dangerous.
It is the perfect example of communist countries, such as North Korea.
The limitation for people might be linear, as they can read books with Socialist Realism, which is glorifying the idea of communism and saying only positive sides of it.
However, the two worlds are similar in the end, because government doesnot want people to see the truth about what is right and what is wrong; and they limit your knowledge, while punishing the minorities.
The author keep mentions the animosity toward knowledge and attempts to make world equal, can bore a disasterous result in the end.
Farenheit 451 is the book with extreme drawing of our current world.
The book describes how people begins to lose rooms for literature because of busy lives.
The cars, bill boards, and entertainment walls, things that were invented to make our lives easier start to make people forget about the books and later, even ban them. It is very simlilar to our present world, where everyting goes fast that we actually cannot focus or concentrate on one thing. Like chanracters in the book, we often rely on internet and TV to get knowledge and information than reading a book.
The author gives solution through out the book, which is people in the world having affection for books and finding the needs of them again. Other than that, he gave the message saying, people recognizing the problem should courageously stand up in the society and fix it, rather than keeping silence. The author emphasize how minorities can change and fix the world. For example, the death of the woman might seem useless, but eventually it influenced the other person: Mintag. Montag, in the end of the book, joins the minorities who know the importance of the book, and goes on the journey the spread knowledge.
Also, the book shows how people's envy and sense of inferiority toward the group of minorities who are intelligent than others, can lead to banning of the books. The minorities in the book include people with more knowledge and insight than others.
Both in the book and in the world we are living in, people view them strange and dangerous.
It is the perfect example of communist countries, such as North Korea.
The limitation for people might be linear, as they can read books with Socialist Realism, which is glorifying the idea of communism and saying only positive sides of it.
However, the two worlds are similar in the end, because government doesnot want people to see the truth about what is right and what is wrong; and they limit your knowledge, while punishing the minorities.
The author keep mentions the animosity toward knowledge and attempts to make world equal, can bore a disasterous result in the end.
Farenheit 451-#1
what is the major theme of this novel? why is this theme important to a teenager living in 2007?
The major theme of this book, Farenheit 451, can be condensed down to conflict between knowledge and ignorance. After reading this book, I thought about the question, "does ignorance lead us to happy life, while knowledge destroys our life?"
It is about how we became estranged toward the book, furthermore, having knowledge.
In the book, people tries to make the society equal by banning people from learning or having anykind of knowledge, which results them to burn all the books.
The government tries to hide the truth about the sad and horrible life from people. In order to do that, they give people endless entertainment and takes away the books.
Minorities who recognized its importance, were punished and people began to forget about the war and complexities of life. They chase the "happiness" but what they got was "ignorance".
The book itself was a quite shock for me, because I am very similar to character Mildred, who depends my knowledge and life on modern technologies, such as computer. As it is easier to surf web than reading the book, I tend to stop reading the books when I have a choice.
The major theme of this book, Farenheit 451, can be condensed down to conflict between knowledge and ignorance. After reading this book, I thought about the question, "does ignorance lead us to happy life, while knowledge destroys our life?"
It is about how we became estranged toward the book, furthermore, having knowledge.
In the book, people tries to make the society equal by banning people from learning or having anykind of knowledge, which results them to burn all the books.
The government tries to hide the truth about the sad and horrible life from people. In order to do that, they give people endless entertainment and takes away the books.
Minorities who recognized its importance, were punished and people began to forget about the war and complexities of life. They chase the "happiness" but what they got was "ignorance".
The book itself was a quite shock for me, because I am very similar to character Mildred, who depends my knowledge and life on modern technologies, such as computer. As it is easier to surf web than reading the book, I tend to stop reading the books when I have a choice.
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