Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 †A Book Analysis Essay Example for Free

Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 – A Book Analysis Essay In his book, Fahrenheit 451, author Ray Bradbury highlights the power and importance of obtaining knowledge through books but decries the impact that technological innovations, particularly the television, pose in stifling intellectual and creative development. As a science fiction book that was first printed in 1953, many readers particularly literary critics and students correlate the book to state censorship and subsequent cultural decay presaging the eras following the book’s publication. Indeed, it can be easily gleaned from the main character’s occupation as a book-burning fireman that the book burning per se may be emblematic of   a common situation that most societies have found themselves grappling with – specific stages in nations’ histories whereby basic inalienable rights and freedoms were suppressed. Literary censorship, in particular, has been a recurring theme in many great works of literature. In real life, censorship is something that most governments have resorted to for varied reasons other than as a means of quelling what they categorize as rebellion or insurrection, and in almost every instance, books that echo the sentiments of many great nationalists or radical-thinking individuals have borne the brunt of censorship laws. Some analysts point out that in Ray Bradbury’s book, Fahrenheit 451, â€Å"The book burning is not a government mandated censorship Instead, it is a society-built degradation of the written word. Society has rejected the black and white messages bound in leather and paper† (Przybyszewski).   The author himself does not dispute this observation. Whether it is art imitating reality or the other way around, Fahrenheit 451 is a successful attempt in making readers including those who got to read the book generations after its initial publication ponder on key social and political issues like censorship, even if the author himself had clarified that his novel â€Å"is actually about how television destroys interest in reading literature† (Oleck, par. 1). A lover of the written word, Ray Bradbury hails from humble beginnings in Illinois, which set the stage for his profound yet realistic insights, searing views and cunning overall approach to his subject matter. He was born on August 22, 1920 in Waukegan, Illinois; studied in a Los Angeles High School in 1938, and furthered his education by working nights in the library and pounding away at   typewriter keys and selling newspapers in Los Angeles by day (â€Å"Ray Bradbury Biography†).   It can be noted that Fahrenheit 451, in many ways, pays homage to Bradbury’s Waukegan hometown.   It is in this locality that he developed an enormous and lasting appetite for books and a love for libraries, something which is continually described in his book. As Bradbury himself narrates: From the time I was 9 up through my teens I spent at least two nights a week in the   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   town library in Waukegan, Ill. In the summer months, there was hardly a day I could   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   not be found lurking about the stacks, smelling the books like imported spices, drunk   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   on them even before I read them (Moran). Based on the author’s personal narrative, one clearly sees how he obtained the characteristic ease in describing to readers a well-stacked library, and how he skillfully let some of his characters express forceful sentiments about books not just as a storehouse of knowledge and cultural heritage of nations, but as instruments to guide man in living and making decisions about the future. Ray Bradbury’s Waukegan roots likewise armed him with first-hand knowledge and distinct style of writing about a specific subject matter as firefighters. As another writer gathering from Ray Bradbury’s musings in writing Fahrenheit 451: Bradburys wary respect for fire can be traced back to his Waukegan youth, where he   Ã‚  Ã‚   would pass the firehouse on his way to and from the Carnegie Library and end up   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   writing down his descriptions (Moran). Ray Bradbury’s remarkable style is indeed something which has not escaped discerning book readers and analysts. â€Å"While a lesser writer would have to content himself with beating the reader over the head with description and exposition, Bradbury is able to make his nightmare world real with economy and subtlety. The horror never grabs you by the throat as in a Stephen King novel; instead it creeps into your soul almost unnoticed† (Wright). Content-wise, what American writer Ray Bradbury sought to impress on his readers is the fact that humanity stands to be strangled by the very forces – or trappings of modern living   that had originally been conceived to make life better. Bradbury makes a very good point in singling out television as the piece of equipment that most people have been overly relying on, and it comes at a very huge price: a stifled intellectual development. Indeed, of all the new modern conveniences or gadgetry the world has ever seen, one medium of communications which remains all-powerful or influential to minds and attitudes of people of all ages is the television. It is evident that Bradbury possessed remarkable foresight in ascertaining early on that people are bound to be enslaved. One of many insightful reviews about Ray Bradbury and his book states: Bradburys novel — or novella, really — is an inspired criticism of what we now call   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   the information society, and the yawning chasm it is creating in our collective soul.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In it he managed to predict with frightening accuracy such current social pathologies   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   as the dumbing down of popular entertainment and education, our growing addiction   Ã‚  Ã‚   to empty sensory stimulation, the rise of random violence among youth, the increasing anomie and alienation among everyone (Wright). Indeed, it takes a meticulous eye attuned to his surroundings for a writer to realistically depict current real-life situations as well as future scenarios. One important point that Ray Bradbury stressed in Fahrenheit 451 is that most of the time, people’s enslavement, whether by societal forces or modern technological advances, do occur from their own volition or free will. â€Å"It’s ordinary people who turn away from reading and the habits of thought and reflection it encourages. When the government starts actively censoring information, most people don’t even bat an eye† (Bradbury 183). It is true, of course, that in the present society, there are many cases of jaded individuals – especially ordinary citizens who wield little or no power to go against the powers-that-be – who initially protest but end up allowing circumstances like government   restraints on media/information to prevail or take place.   It is, however, an inescapable fact that many freedoms, like free speech and expression of ideas through books, are not absolute. This is something that advocates of censorship keep harping on. Introspection will show that in many ways, people, during these increasingly complex times and informational bombardment, do succumb or let government impose controls as the latter may deem morally and socially and politically fit. In doing so, it becomes a clear case of the antagonist turning into an ally. In societies which do a good job of balancing interests and rights, this may be permissible. There are, however, exceptions to the rule. There are people may rant and do nothing, but there are some individuals who even band together to form a coalition or cause-oriented group/association to bat for what they perceive as just. To their minds, the words of 18th century political theorist and philosopher Edmund Burke, of letting evil triumph if good men do nothing, may be ringing loud and clear. Reverting to the other main issue tackled by the book, which is the tendency of people to allow themselves to be enslaved by new technology and turn away from the many virtues of reading books, this is a universal problem pervading modern societies today. Ray Bradbury may have crafted decades ago a concise book about a dystopian society, but its message reverberates up to the present age, when gadget-toting new generations turn to books only when school requires them to, or when a bestselling book-turned-movie or escapist adult novels catch their fancy. In effect, the firemen’s task of burning books in the novel is actually a metaphor for the way a society’s citizens allow themselves, or their knowledge and future, to be stunted.   â€Å"The firemen are rarely necessary. The public itself stopped reading of its own accord† (Bradbury 87).

Western Views of Women in Islam Essay example -- Essays Papers

Before venturing into the ideals and movements of Islamic feminism, it is important to recognize some of the biased views Westerners often take when it comes to women in Islam. Because of the portrayal of women in the Arab world through pop-culture and the media, some Westerners may believe that Islam creates a society in need of modernity. The concepts of religious government are also foreign to the Western world. Feminists often focus on the practice of veiling women in Islamic tradition as a law made to minimize the importance of women as citizens. It is important for us to recognize where our biased views exist, and what sorts of root assumptions we make about women in Islam. The truth is, Islamic culture is highly misunderstood, and the customs within Islam are often misinterpreted by Westerners. Often we point to the Arab world as an example of poor treatment of women, without evaluating our own laws and practices. In an article in the Start Tribune published in 1989, Dr. Fatma Reda, a scholar from Egypt who came to the U.S. with her husband the year before, experienced some of the Western stumbling blocks for women and longed for her Islamic country. She decided to buy a parcel of land for herself, but in the U.S., she needed a co-signature of her husband. She had been used to more equality in Egypt between men and women. â€Å"Under Islamic law, women can own property independently of their husbands†¦ in Islamic teaching, women are entirely equal to men†¦ many times Muslim women make choices that look on the surface like we don’t have as much freedom, but it is just different† (p. 1). Many Islamic cultures do in fact see women as secondary citizens, but Islamic women are becoming much... ... It is time they realized they have much common ground† by Arzu Merali, the author points out what feminists have assumed of Muslim women. â€Å"The Islamic Human Rights Commission receives case after case of employers and educators using this image of the downtrodden Muslim woman to excuse discrimination. Muslim women are denied many opportunities on the assumption that they will- if not on a whim then by force- get married, or have many children. Or they face the horrendous dilemma of having to choose between employment and their Islamic garb.† We are not prepared to enter a discussion on Muslim women if we do not understand that our stereotypical images are not accurate. The purpose of this project is to bring light to the facts of Islam, of women, and of the Qur'an. After obtaining these facts, only then can we interact for the common goal of feminism.

Advertising to children Essay

Over the last few decades advertising has altered the lives of many and in particular children. Children are susceptible to what they see and are more prone to act on a whim. This research paper will analyse advertising which is aimed at children and will test the following thesis statement – Thesis – Advertising misleads children in purchasing goods which they do not need. When you think about this, it may not seem that true. You could argue that you don’t know anyone whose fashion or style is influenced by Hollywood’s stars. But, you know you’ve seen people wearing Sean John or JLo brand clothing. Celebrities also influence fashion much more generally. â€Å"Most fashion trends were either started or influenced by the big stars,† says Ramon. Another key component of child intended marketing is the music industry. Stephen Kiehl of the Baltimore Sun says, â€Å"You could be forgiven for confusing the Number 1 song in the U. S. last week with a commercial. † The journalist also mentions that some musical artists are even paid to advertise specific products in their songs. A recent example of this is Petey Pablo’s song â€Å"Freak-a-Leak† in which the lyrics include, â€Å"Now I got to give a shout out to Seagram’s gin. Cause I’m drinkin’ it and they payin’ me for it. † According to the San Francisco marketing company, Agenda Inc. , â€Å"59 brands have been mentioned 645 times in the songs that have made it into the top 20 this year. † Another large reservoir of advertising aimed at children is oddly enough, school. â€Å"‘Looking right’ which really means ‘fitting in’, is very important for young teenagers,† says LaRue- Robinson, a middle school guidance counselor in Forestville, Md. With students caring about how their peers are dressed, moms are beginning to worry; â€Å"It’s gotten really bad now with†¦ Tiny Teddies and Cheezels give a balance diet to children (Houlihan, 2005). On the other hand, some advertisements using prize to deceive children to buy their products. The video (Buy me that, too! 1992) explained how the television advertising deceptive children. From the Cereal Giveaways advertising, children can get a complete set of baseball cards easily (Buy me that, too! 1992. But the presenter said 73 boxes to get a good chance only, this result in expenditure increasing for parents (Buy me that, too! 1992). Therefore, television advertising directed at children is not fair, people can not allow deceptive advertising continue to misleading children, it should be forbid. Some people argue that if government do not allowed manufacturers to promote their products on children television, this will lead to destroy of the children’s product industry. This point of view is biased. Word-of-mouth is influencing children buying power. Harry Potter novel now is popular around the world, but the success is not from television advertising, the books themselves became successful are because of word-of-mouth between children (Blades, Gunter & Oates cited in Proctor &Richards, 2002). Without television advertising, children’s product has been successful in society, Harry Potter gives manufacturers an example that how to achieve success without to promote on children television. Moreover, television advertising is not only method for manufacturers to promote their products. According to the Australia Film Commission report (AFC, 2005), it is estimated the total advertising expenditure with Commercial Economic Advisory Service of Australia (CEASA). Television advertising is not the most important channel for manufacturers in Australia, newspapers is the first choice for manufacturers to promote their products. Also, from the study, manufacturers like to choose radio, magazines and other channels to promote their products (AFC, 2005). Furthermore, 78% of children and adolescents who use the internet do so at home (National Center for Education Statistics, 2003). Internet has become an efficiency way for manufacturers to promote their goods. From the word-of-mouth advertising and study from AFC, people can find the answer easily that forbid the manufacturers to advertise on television will not destroy the children’s product industry. To escape advertising is nearly impossible; brand logos are everywhere. Even in outer space you can’t escape it. In 1993 Schwarzenegger’s underrated and misunderstood classic, (my opinion, I’ll admit it! ) Last Action Hero had it’s logo painted on a satellite for a large fee, and will circle our planet for the next few thousand years. The soldiers fighting in Iraq, even as I write this, are carrying advertisements; the M-16A2 has a Colt logo stamped into its side, a reminder of who makes that quality weapon. Even in the remotest regions of our world artifacts with recognizable logos are found thanks to care packages. (The Gods Must be Crazy is a wonderful movie on this subject. ) Why do we tolerate such invasions to our lives? Largely because these sorts of advertisements slip under our radar, but also for identification purposes; if you came to my house and saw my entertainment centre, you might know what the DVD player, stereo and the television are, but if you are not familiar with gaming systems, you would have trouble distinguishing the X-Box from the Playstation 2 or the Gamecube. So that type of brand labelling does serve a purpose other than advertising in some cases. There are exceptions to the rule of slapping a logo on everything that we purchase, and a clear boundary that corporations will not cross; furniture. A simple scan of the room I’m in shows that that my furniture has nothing denoting where it came from, although I do know that the mattress does have a manufacturer’s tag on it, my sheets cover it. Out of sight, out of mind. Advertising is becoming more and more a part of our society. The film Minority Report features a scene where advertising is everywhere, and customized to the person. This could be construed as an invasion of privacy, as every purchase of the individual is scrutinized and advertising is personally tailored to that person. This type of information gathering is already being tested in seemingly innocent places. Search for a book on amazon.com and you will get recommendations for other products that you may also be interested in based on your search. (Houlihan, 2005, pg76) Advertisers are also starting to work under our radar. On the Internet, advertisers used to use tracking cookies to find out the places you went, what you purchased online and other information. Soon the pop up ad appeared to annoy just about everyone who saw them. Pop ups were preceded by E-junk mail, dubbed Spam. The problem has moved on to what have been dubbed ‘Spybots’ programs that integrate into your browser program and report back the web activity to it’s source. Gator is the most infamous of these. The answer to the thesis statement based on this research paper is yes. To sum up, it is clearly shows that public should outlaw all advertisements that target innocent children. As this is good for children’s health and controls the increasing childhood obesity, and also is of great benefit to the relationship between children and parents. Parents are no longer afraid that children are influenced by unhealthy content of advertisements. Nowadays, more and more countries, like many European Union countries, implement a ban on children’s advertising. Children are a country’s future, protecting their wellbeing and healthy life is the most important responsibility not only for their parents but also for the whole society. References Derived from esbco host – The university of Winnipeg http://libproxy. uwinnipeg. ca/login? URL=http://search. ebscohost. com/login. asp? profile=web CNN. com Health America Australia Film Commission, 2005, what Australians are watching, [Online], Available: http://www. afc. gov. au/gtp/wftvisadrevenue. html [November 24, 2008] Baker, F. 2004, TV-Toy Ad analysis Worksheet, [Online], Available:http://medialit. med. sc. edu/toyadanalysisworksheet. htm [November, 24, 2005]

Descriptive Essay On Daddy - 703 Words

I’m sure every Daddy has said at least one thing on this list, and has probably regretted it ever since. When in the heat of the moment, it always seems that you say the most hurtful things to the ones you love the most. Anger takes hold, and words get thrown around. Let’s face it, a majority of littles are extremely sensitive; and a majority of Daddies are extremely good at saying the wrong thing at the wrong time. No Daddy is perfect, and mistakes happen; but a good Daddy will learn how to avoid hurting His little girl as much a humanly possible. Most little’s are easily-affected. They love deeper than most, and get hurt very quickly. It seems that whatever a Daddy Dom says to her will shoot straight to her little heart. The words He†¦show more content†¦Your punishment should never damage her heart. It should teach her, and help to grow her into a better person. Here You go: â€Å"Grow up.† â€Å"Stop being so immature and make a decision.† â€Å"You are so stupid.† â€Å"Do you want me to just leave?† â€Å"Why can’t you be more like ______?† â€Å"Shut up.† â€Å"I am not in the mood for little you.† â€Å"You are embarrassing me when you act little in public.† â€Å"you’re fine, so stop whining.† â€Å"Stop worrying about it.† â€Å"I am too busy for your little games.† â€Å"I give up.† â€Å"It’s your fault that I _______.† â€Å"Just do it, you are an adult for God’s sake.† â€Å"you are exhausting.† â€Å"Stop being so emotional.† â€Å"I can’t take this anymore.† â€Å"I will never forgive you.† â€Å"Why can’t you look more like _______?† â€Å"Stop crying.† â€Å"No. I will not help you.† â€Å"Loving you is hard.† â€Å"Do you want me to give you something to cry about?† â€Å"Why can’t you get anything right?† â€Å"Stop being such a coward.† â€Å"you always _______.† â€Å"you never _______.† â€Å"How can you be upset about that?† â€Å"I am to busy to listen to you complain.† â€Å"If you loved me, you would ______.† â€Å"That’s not how to do it. Just give it to Me and I will just do it myself.† â€Å"Why do I even try with you?† â€Å"you never do anything right.† â€Å"you are such a loser.† â€Å"I hate you.† â€Å"I wish that I had never met you.† â€Å"It’s no big deal.† â€Å"you will never amount to anything.† â€Å"you don’t turn me on anymore.† â€Å"you are such a disappointment.† â€Å"you are such a baby.† â€Å"Get out of my house.† â€Å"you are being soShow MoreRelatedDescriptive Essay : Daddy 1432 Words   |  6 PagesI mumbled in my heart, Daddy, I miss you. I hope you will come home. The mother and daughter silently finished the meal. The last meal between mother and daughter before the decision ceremony. The last meal until when the daughter came back to their residence sectors in her mid-ages. Attention residents. Please may all 13s depart from their living quarters, and report to the Transportation Hall. the speaker on the wall chimed as the lovely meal ended. 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