Hold on to Reality
Author's
note: This piece is my reflection on the book Fahrenheit 451. My focuses were expressing opinion and using
context from the book to help readers understand my purpose behind the piece. I
also tried to use a wide range of vocabulary to express ideas and AB
transitions between paragraphs.
Technology has
evolved over time into something that is an essential part of life. It has
gotten to the point where full conversations can take place between a computer
program and a human being, which is playing with the line between practicality
and reason, and impracticality. Although some inventions have greatly affected
the advancement in how we live our lives, others have negatively affected the
positive characteristics of a human being.
Ray Bradbury did an
outstanding job in Fahrenheit 451
exemplifying how dangerous human-machine interaction can become if we're not
careful. He placed the mechanical hound in the book intentionally as symbolism
of man’s best friend becoming mechanical, and something to fear rather than a
loyal companion. The interactive televisions the size of a living room wall are
no coincidence either. The inability to leave the screen is exactly what he
fears will come true, and it already has to a less extreme extent. The
seashells he mentions in the book are a prediction for ear buds which is
incredible considering the book was written in the 1950's when there was no
strong evidence that would happen.
In Fahrenheit 451 there are several
predictions that are already starting to come true. The book is a warning, a
warning of what will happen if we lose what makes us great, what makes us
successful. If we continue to follow Ray Bradbury's predictions, and the world
really does come to the point where living in a dystopian society is reality,
we're going to need a lot more people like Clarisse and Montag. Without people
who remember the world as it was, the world will end up burning down . . . along with the books.
The Help
The life for colored
people before civil rights was cruel and punishing. Women took jobs working for
people that had never faced the hardships that they had, and men took
physically exhausting jobs that white men were too proud to do. They were dead
end jobs, making just enough to get by. They watched as the children they
raised and loved turned into their parents, getting rid of the obliviousness to
the fact that they aren't equal.
I believe Kathryn
Stockett really captured how the interaction between white and colored women
was. In her book she really gets inside of a different mindset, something
besides her own. Every chapter comes with a new perspective. I think that the
writers for the movie achieved this with subtle remarks that showed off
personality, and the actors and actresses did a great job with expressing their
emotions such as their frustration or confusion towards their bosses.
Writing a book like The Help at that time in history is
incredibly dangerous. By the constant mention of the characters looking over
their shoulders and staring at the door, as a reader, it is easy to gather that
it's much more than their job that's at stake. In the movie, the actresses
playing the maids really captured the emotions and facial expressions of
someone who is putting so much at risk. It would've helped if the writers put
more of that concept into the script, because someone who hadn't read the book
wouldn't have known that every moment Skeeter was at their house they feared
their husband or neighbor would stop by. Although, mentioning that what they
were doing was illegal in the movie was a very important decision that helped
significantly in expressing the danger.
In books, changes in
time and place are shown in chapters or in separate paragraphs, but in a movie
they are separated by scenes. The layout of the book includes separate chapters
for different perspectives. To incorporate this same technique in the movie,
the cameras focused more on one person in certain scenes to show their specific
emotions towards what's going on at the time.
Overall, most of the
thoughts and concepts were transferred from the book to the movie in a logical
way. It's always difficult to capture all details from the book to the movie in
a reasonable length of film. After all, it's the details that make the book,
and the visuals that make a movie.
Battles in Your Head
Author's
note: For this response I chose to use a prompt recommended by Mr. Johnson;
Discuss the changes
you have seen take place in Montag so far. Of what do you believe these changes
are a result? In this piece I focused on using
metaphors and descriptive vocabulary to really explain what is happening to
Montag.
Montag is two
people. One is hidden, overpowered by the dark, strong, and cruel other that is
dominant in the relationship. Then a match is struck, a spark goes off in
Montag. The hidden person makes an
appearance after the encounter with Clarisse, and it grows stronger still when
he touches the woman's arm, right before she burns herself. This is when he
starts realizing how horrid his job really is, and that he wants change. Then
the questioning side of him takes over, gains confidence, battles the dark
side, and tells his conscience to become of a more curious, and risky
nature.
Montag is at war
with himself, and he's suffering from insanity. So many question linger in his
brain. "What can I even do with these books? What if there's nothing
there? How can I continue doing a job I hate?" His wife's lack of interest
and support makes it even harder to go on. Montag can either do something
great, or be taken over again by the cold salamander he once was.
Innocence
Author's note: As my first piece in response to Fahrenheit 451, I originally was going to compare Clarisse to Montag. However, seeing that I had so much to say about Clarisse I decided to just show my opinion about her character. In this piece I will be focusing on writing metaphorically and using advanced vocabulary.
She's a candle; a
soft glowing light in a dark dystopic world. Clarisse is beautiful to the eyes
and to the heart. She questions what other's may just ignore, noticing the
beauty in the world; The dew on the grass, the man in the moon, the magnificent
rose gardens. She represents purity,
innocence, and beauty.
Clarisse is the type
of character you wish you knew personally. She always has something to say,
something to question, to challenge. Maybe deep inside of her, she knows how
life should be. "Is it true that long ago firemen put fires out instead of going to start them?" Most
people would dismiss that thought as a rumor, yet Clarisse knows there's a
truth behind it.
To be like Clarisse
in a dystopic world is to be a diamond in the ruff. Not always seen, but much
admired when you come to find one.
I love this piece! Your simile in the last paragraph is incredible. You're right about everything you said about Clarisse, she is by far the most normal character(to us). Your an amazing writer!
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