Closing the book on ENGL2k

I want to thank all of you for your hard work this semester. As we all learned, maintaining a blog can be hard work if done correctly and I think the product that you folks put together speaks to your commitment to consistently turn in thoughtful responses.  

In addition, I wanted to pass along the appreciation I've heard expressed from members of the greater Baton Rouge community for providing this forum. From what I'm hearing, it helped stimulate discussion in classrooms and reading groups throughout the community.

Likewise, let me express our class's appreciation for all of the support and participation that members of the community have contributed to this project. We especially appreciate the participation at the Big Read discussion session held in April at the Goodwood library branch. 

I certainly hope it has been an interesting and enjoyable semester for all of those involved. 

Finally, just a note wishing all of you the best of luck in your future endeavors at the university and beyond. Thanks for working hard this semester.

All best, 

Joe

The lights are officially out.

Mentally Disabled

Consider how Flowers for Algernon explores social issues concerning the handicapped. Does the novel have a particular argument? If so, how does it set about making it?

The novel Flowers for Algernon, written by Daniel Keyes, explores different issues throughout its course. One of the most prevalent and obvious issues is the concern about the mentally challenged or handicapped. Keyes presents two different arguments relating to the way handicapped people are treated. The author’s argument regarding the mistreatment of the mentally challenged evolves through the novel.

The author explores how the mistreatment of mentally challenged people is still socially acceptable in today’s society. Through the book, Daniel Keyes presents many scenarios of how handicapped people are treated on a daily bases. For example, when Charlie goes to a diner, he gets a glimpse of how he was treated just months before. In the diner, a handicapped boy who works as a busboy is laughed at after dropping a stack of dishes. Charlie finds himself laughing along with the others, but soon realizes that the boy is mentally challenged. Charlie, angered by the laughter, shouts: “Shut up! Leave him alone! He can’t understand. He can’t help what he is … but for God’s sake, have some respect! He’s a human being!” (199). This scene shows how inconsiderate people are to others feelings, especially towards mentally handicapped people.

On the other hand, the author also shows how some people are selfless in their actions towards the mentally challenged by providing them with care and affection. When Charlie visits the Warren State Home, he is surprised not only by its residence but also by the staff. Charlie is curious about the lack of fences in the establishment, but the doctor reassures him that it is not a jail. The doctor then explains that although many residents do escape, “…After a week or so on the outside most of them come back when they find there’s nothing for them out there. The world doesn’t want them and they soon know it” (223). Charlie also discovers the selflessness of the workers at the Warren Home. The doctor states that even though many people are willing to give materials or money, few will give time and affection to mentally handicapped people. The doctor then asks Charlie, “How many people do you know who are prepared to take a grown man into his arms and let him nurse with the bottle?” (230).

Daniel Keyes displays two different arguments about the social acceptance of mentally challenged people. In these situations dealing with the mentally handicapped, it would be biased to present only one argument. On one side he gives a pessimistic look to the daily lives of mentally disabled people but as the novel progresses, Keyes shows a more positive side of the spectrum.

Consider the observations Charlie makes of the Warren State Home and
Training School. What do you think is Keyes's purpose in having
Charlie visit Warren at this point in the novel?

The initial perspective that comes to mind is that Charlie goes to
the Warren State Home to tour it because he is realizing that he may
have to life there once his operation digresses pass the point of no
return. While on his visit he is asked by Winslow “What do you know
about being shut out from every human experience as our patients have
been?” This is highly ironic, as not only does Charlie know exactly
what this is like, but he is already on his way to returning to a
less intelligent state.

There is, most likely the deeper reasoning behind this part of the
text. We believe perhaps Keyes does this to show the reader the irony
and that Charlie is coming to terms with his intelligence not being
as good as it has been.

Winslow’s remark also makes us think about the quality of our lives
and that we truly do not understand what the mentally
challenged have to go through daily.

Keyes also brings another purpose to the table. Why are there so many people not willing to take care of the mentally challenged? Winslow points this out to Charlie at the Warren Home. “There are a lot of people who will give money or materials, but very few who will give time and affection.” No one wants to help out because they don’t want to waste their time with a challenge. Keyes is trying to show us that more people should be willing to help out the mentally challenged. These homes really need more help with the handicap.

Daniel Keyes Relation to Plato's Theory on Light and Darkness

Daniel Keyes utilizes an excerpt from Plato's The Republic to exemplify the experiences of his main character, Charlie Gordon, in Flowers for Algernon. In the beginning of his novel, Charlie was blinded by ignorance just as Plato describes an individual in the dark. For example, Gimpy and his friends at the bakery play practical jokes on Charlie, which is easy for an intelligent person to do without the knowledge of unjustified criticism. Charlie is unaware that his friends at the bakery are even making a mockery of him.

The operation performed by Dr. Strauss and Professor Nemur can be related to Plato's revelation of a person in darkness to the light. Charlie's gradual increase of knowledge reveals a world of many opportunities that he has never experienced before. Just as Plato states, Charlie Gordon is disoriented due to this transition from dark to light. Although Keyes introduces the increase in Charlie's intellectual capacity, his emotional ability has not yet matured. The novel indicates a time when Charlie experiences this lag of emotional feeling when he is alone with Alice and he is unable to act upon his love for her.

A transition occurs and the same experience of confusion lies within the main character. Charlie visits the Warran House and he asks Mr. Winslow what he means when the staff give up their time. When he can not wrap his head around these simple concepts, Keyes demonstrates his slow migration back to the darkness. Unfortunately, the time of light in Charlie Gordon slowly begins to fade until he is ultimately left in the dark once again.

At the beginning of Flowers for Algernon, Charlie relates the criticisms of the operation expressed by his first nurse, Hilda that foreshadow some of the ultimate questions about Charlie's operation. He writes:

And she said mabey they got no rite to make me smart because if god wantid me to be smart he would have made me born that way. And what about Adem and Eev and the sin with the tree of nowlege and eating the appel and the fall. And mabey Prof Nemur and Dr Strauss was tampiring with things they got no rite to tampir with. (16)

How is this moral (even religious) criticism similar to/different from some of criticisms others make throughout the novel? Is it similar to what Charlie comes to think about the operation? Ultimately, how seriously do we take this? Or are we invited to dismiss it?

Like Adam and Eve, Charlie's operation allows him to see the world differently. Adam and Eve ate from the Tree of Knowledge. This allowed them to see their environment in a different perspective. They were punished by God for having this knowledge and banned from the garden. When Charlie had the surgery his perspective also changed, and he saw the world for what it truly was. He was ultimately punished and lost his innocence. He matured from a naïve, loving child to a cold, arrogant individual.

The criticisms made by Hilda before Charlie's operation to the Adam and Eve story were similar to those made by Fanny as well as the Paradise Lost text that Charlie read after his surgery. Hilda, Fanny, and the Paradise Lost book all express that maybe Charlie should not have gotten the surgery because God made him the way he is. If God wanted him to have a high intelligence he would have given it to Charlie. Hilda and Fanny argue that maybe Professor Nemur Doctor Strauss had no right to interfere with God’s work. On the other hand, the scientist believed this operation to be very beneficial. If it was successful, Charlie would be helping out many mentally retarded adults. Even if it proved to fail, it was looked at to be a major turning point in modern science. The differences in opinions indicate the different perspectives in terms of faith and religion.

Charlie comes to think of the operation as a mistake. Even though he was blessed to see the world as an intelligent person, everything suddenly taken away from him, much like Adam and Eve story. He no longer had friends. He had even exceeded the intelligence level of the scientist and started to become unappreciative of their work. His personality was altered dramatically and Charlie would have preferably been dumb with friends instead of intellectual without friends. He did not regret having the operation, but was not fond of being referred to as an experiment and not a human being.

In the beginning of the book, readers can dismiss the foreshadowing criticism and are invited to examine the operation seriously as an opportunity for a man to prove that he can make something of himself and be accepted by society. However, once the effects of the operation start to regress, the Adam and Eve story is then taken more seriously. The readers begin to think that maybe things should have just been left alone.

True devotion?

In this post, we will explore the dialogue between the Benefactor and D-503. What do we learn about the Benefactor, and how does D-503 respond to him?

The relationship that we find between D-503 and the Benefactor in the beginning of Zamyatin’s “We” is clearly one of absolute devotion. D-503’s displays an unwavering faith in the sovereignty of the Benefactor. D-503 shows his devotion through his writings but also in the way that he lives his life, spending all his energy on the building of the integral.

After meeting I-330 we see a shift from him being 100% focused on his work with the integral. As he is more and more occupied with I-330, his time and energy begin to reflect it. However, he is still quite devoted to the Benefactor at all times. There are many instances where he battles in his mind with turning in I-330 to the Benefactor because of her alternative way of thinking. He is often torn between following her and his imagination or reporting her to the Benefactor and returning to his work on the integral.

After an attempt to lead a revolution fails, D-503 and I-330 are brought before the Benefactor. D-503 then watches as I-330 gets punished but not himself. The Benefactor informs D-503 that “…those in paradise no longer know desires, no longer know pity or love. There are only the blessed, with their imaginations excised…obedient slaves of God” (187-88). D-503 realizes that he‘s only devoted to the benefactor because he underwent an operation to excise himself of his imagination.

Journalism

How does Zamyatin’s We function as a journal? What are some of the expectations for journal writing? How does the novel satisfy or frustrate those expectations?

A journal functions as a source for enhancing reflection, facilitating critical thought, expressing feelings and writing focused arguments on paper. In Zamyatin’s We, the main character D-503 takes on a task of recording his day to day activities much like a journal. The journal format is a necessary writing format because living in a one state totalitarian government an individual is not able to have freedom of thoughts or speech. Being able to write his thoughts down, D-503 is able to express his emotions each day.

We, being a predominant satire novel, is almost looked at as a love story. Emotional expression is presented all through the text also; there is a clear relationship of some sort between D-503 and O-90. Also there is an apparent developing emotion of love in D-503. The constant love triangles are very soap opera-esque, and by D-503 writing down what happened each day makes the reader feel more engaged while reading the novel. D-503 reflects on his past throughout the novel. The journal shows that there is an ongoing internal struggle within himself that prevents D-503 from doing exactly what is expected of him. A reader should see a change in D-503’s actions and attitude throughout his writings, and he seems to become more independent by the end of the novel through writing down his thoughts. Although this novel does not take the format of a traditional journal, it encompasses each expectation called for by a journal.

Cruel Intentions

At then end of We there is the lingering, troubling suggestion that D-503's relationship with I-330, rather than authentically romantic in nature, was instead a means to her revolutionary ends. What do you make of their relationship? Did she use him? Either way, how do you explain/read their last scene together?

Throughout the book, there is obvious sexual chemistry between the two characters D-503 and I-330. I-330’s intriguing demeanor forces D-503 to become attracted to her based solely on her unique personality. D-503 is mislead by I-330 and begins to form an emotional connection with her, not knowing of her ulterior motive of gaining possession of the Integral to revolt against One State.

During their last encounter, D-503 is perplexed with I-330’s intentions towards him. He awakens and she is sitting in his room. She says, “Don’t bother. Don’t say anything. It does not matter—you see I came anyway. They’re waiting for me downstairs. And you want these last few minutes of ours to be…” (216). Then the blinds fell. I-330 comes to the realization that this is their last meeting which evokes affectionate feelings towards D-503 that she never outwardly expressed, or knew existed at all. This is the exact moment when she comes to the conclusion that she has unintentionally formed a connection with him.

D-503 is forced to have his imagination removed and he returns to being a puppet for One State. D-503 has no emotion or sympathy for I-330 or any of the other members of the revolution after he undergoes the operation to remove his feelings, as opposed to his willingness to love prior to the operation. After the ‘Great Operation,’ I-330 is sentenced to torture, and ultimately death, by the Machine of the Benefactor due to her rebellious behavior. D-503 is present but he does not recognize her, nor does he ever call her by name. He claims that during I-330’s torture, it reminds him of something, but he cannot recall it. “When they started pumping the air out of the Bell, she threw her head back, and half closed her eyes and pressed her lips together, and this reminded me of something.” (225). She was put under the Bell three times and even though she was staring at D-503, he could not recall his memory of her.

Because D-503 had an inability to trust I-330, he was never quite sure of both his feelings toward her and her intentions with him. The operation ultimately dissipated any chance of him coming to a conclusion about their relationship. On the other hand, their last encounter proves that I-330 was emotionally attached to him, proving their relationship was not completely meaningless.

In a previous post another group explored Titus's journey as the protagonist of Feed. What development did you see for D-503 in Zamyatin's WE? How does he change from the beginning of the novel? Does he? If not, why?

D-503, the narrator of WE, is a loyal subject to OneState. He's a great mathematician and first builder of the INTEGRAL. In the beginning of the novel, Zamyatin portrays D-503's character as a devoted member of the OneState. Zamyatin reveals D-503's loyalty by delegating him the job of spreading the word of the OneState through his journal writings. In order to do this, one would have to be a devout follower of the OneState.

However, after meeting I-330, his dedication to the OneState begins to falter. From the beginning, I-330 is described as intangible. D-503 further relates the anxiety he feels with the idea of her being unknown and the same frustration when he learned of irrational numbers. He recognizes I-330 as different from the other Numbers. For example, he describes her face as an "X," which is peculiar because in math, an "x" is referred to as "unknown."

This "unknown" about I-330 causes D-503 to become frustrated because he cannot figure out her true identity. From this point on, the reader recognizes two different personalities of D-503: When alone, he is completely devoted to the OneState and the INTEGRAL; however, in the presence of I-330, he is vulnerable to her rebellious nature. For example, she leads him to the Ancient House when he has other priorities to fulfill. Initially, D-503 is hesitant about her intentions until he meets I-330 and all anxiety fades.

Ultimately, one would expect the character of D-503 to evolve in the novel. However, he constantly alternates his loyalty between his dual personalities. Just as the reader expects this climatic change, Zamyatin disappoints the readers by having the protagonist undergo the procedure in which his imagination is depleted. This returns D-503 to his initial position as a faithful member of the OneState.

Epiphany

Through M.T. Anderson’s Feed we are given many phrases that force us to think outside the box. In this post, we are going to explore the meaning of the novel’s final line, “Everything must go.”

The first idea that comes to mind when reading this phrase is Titus maturing through the last pages of the story. With the tragedy in his life Violet, he realizes that his previous ways of thinking are not as correct as he once thought. “Everything must go” is quite clearly Titus realizing that he must not only allow this new mindset, but also develop and embrace it. He is starting to accept this new understanding of the world around him.

Another major thought that stems from the final phrase brings us back to the dialog with Violet on page 297. While talking to her in her bedroom, Titus says “There’s one story I’ll keep telling you. I’ll keep telling it. You’re the story. I don’t want you to forget. When you wake up, I want you to remember yourself. I’m going to remember. You’re still there, as long as I can remember you. As long as someone knows you. I know you so well, I could drive a simulator. This is the story.” Anderson leads us to believe that while discarding his old mindset and lifestyle, he’s not only adapting to his new mindset, but also making room to remember and protect Violet’s story and the ideas that drove her through life.

In both of these ideas the overall picture that Anderson paints is one where Titus has reach an epiphany in life. The way he previously viewed the feed has been challenged and trampled by the impact that Violet made on him in the short time that he knew her. He is left knowing only that the future isn’t quite as certain as he once believed. This is made clear with his argument with Violet’s father as we see that he does care about her story and the things she taught him.

However, the last two pages of the book finish with him repeating the phrase “Everything must go”, much like a clichéd car commercial trying to clear out the old and to bring in a new style. This emphasizes that in spite of all that he’s been through, he still wants to be relieved of caring; an inescapable tendency inherited from the feed. Even with the growth we appear to see in Titus, caring seems to be too much of a burden for him to carry.

Changes

Usually in fiction we talk about the journey of the protagonist, whether he grows, changes, or learns some profound life lesson. How does Titus, our narrator, change from the beginning of the novel?

In the novel Feed by M.T. Anderson, the narrator, Titus, undergoes changes throughout the course of the novel, however he continuously regresses back into his old ways and beliefs.

Titus is just like every other teenager of the time; he has a feed that enables his ability to think for himself. In the beginning of the novel, he enjoys having a feed. It tells him where to party, where he can find the best deals on clothes, and is his gateway to unlimited knowledge. He encounters and becomes fascinated by Violet because she is very different from himself and his friends. She is concerned with matters of the world and other people rather than just herself. She does not like the idea of people having feeds so she devises a plan to fight against the feed. Due to this, Titus wants to know more about what is going on in the world around him and begins to question the use of the feed. He initially goes along with Violet’s plan to confuse the feed and learn more about the world but when he is around his friends, he reverts back to his old ways.

Titus is not able to be as resistant to the feed as Violet is. His selfish desires take over him and he wants to have a sexual relationship with Violet. Violet at first is apprehensive but once she discovers she is dying she gives into Titus. Once Titus learns of Violet’s condition, he wants nothing to do with her. He completely detaches himself from her and goes back to his old ways, however he becomes much worse. Violet’s dad alerts Titus when Violet is near death. Her dad yells at him for deserting his daughter in her time of need. Titus, realizing that he has done wrong, sits at her bedside and tells her everything that is happening in the world. It takes the loss of a friend for Titus to realize he was wrong and that society is wrong.

The progression of Titus’ growth in this novel is similar to the growth process in teenagers today. It is hard to challenge the views of society and more difficult to go against friends. Most of the time, it takes a tragic event for one to see the wrongfulness of their actions. Anderson develops Titus in such a way that readers can easy relate to and learn from him.

Explore Anderson's interesting inclusion of the lesions that are grotesque and, yet, somehow fashionable. What do you think the author is suggesting about the role of societal norms, fashion trends, and elective surgery in the near future?

Anderson's inclusion of the lesions in Feed is similar to that of today's high-end fashion models seen on the runways. Like the lesions, alarmingly skinny models are supposed to be beautiful, yet they are at the same time disgusting. In today's society, beautiful is defined by being skinny. Since this is the trend teens go to extreme lengths to try and look just like models. The same happens in Feed. All the actors and famous stars have these lesions. In order to be cool Calista gets an artificial lesions. Calista even tells her "Don't let anyone tell you you look stupid...because seeing what's inside of you, all your guts, is just so sexy" (200).

Anderson suggests that the extremes that people go through to look beautiful will only get worse in the future. The idea of beauty in America has taken a drastic and scary turn. The societal norm is all about appearance instead of the inner beauty. This causes people to go to extremes to look "beautiful". Unfortunately, because of this, expensive plastic surgery has become the norm in America, and many people suffer eating disorders to be skinny like the models. Like in Feed, today's society is told what one should buy to look good and what styles are in. Today we are unaware of how much we actually influenced by the media.

The Teen Scene

M.T. Anderson's Feed is a work usually assigned to the genre of juvenile fiction. Consider the intended audience for the work and explore what issues may especially connect with younger readers. Anchor your discussion to at least one scene in the novel that you think exemplifies this connection to this particular audience.

M.T. Anderson’s Feed is a novel geared towards the adolescent audience by incorporating modern day teen activities such as spring break, parties, fashion and relationships with both parents and friends. The characters experience the typical drama and excitement of a teenager’s life. The language Anderson uses helps the young reader easily connect with the characters as opposed to reading adult fiction.

In Feed, Anderson foreshadows the way society is moving forward. The author intends this novel for young adults because he hopes they too can foresee the consequences of a rapid changing world. In the novel Anderson discusses important issues such as education, family values, global warming, and how technology takes over humans. By addressing these issues, he brings awareness to younger generations so they can prevent such things from happening.

Throughout Feed, fashion is a major factor that influences the character’s popularity and lives. Although the trends change much faster throughout the novel than they do in present day society, it is still representative of how every teenager needs to have the latest fads in fashion. Feed also takes this to an extreme by incorporating self mutilation as a form of beauty and style. Lesions, which are cuts on the body, develop on the character's skin and are deemed popular by a television show that plays on the feed. Quendy gets fake lesions all over her body to outdo Calista who has one on the back of her neck. Titus says, “I was disgusted, like, Huh? You can see her like muscles and tendons and ligaments and stuff through the lesions.” Marty then says, “which makes you kind of think about what’s inside, huh? Which is sexy.” This exemplifies the extent at which teenagers will go to fit in and be wanted in their social circles.

The characters attend a party hosted by Link and they experience different peer pressures. The party is a typical example of the ridicule of an outsider, in this case, Violet. They play spin the bottle which is when Violet goes ballistic and criticizes the others. Violet starts screaming, “Look at us! You don’t have the feed! You are feed! You’re feed! You’re being eaten! You’re raised for food! Look at what you’ve made yourselves!” Because of Violet’s reaction, the other characters poke fun at her which is an example of how teenagers who think for themselves are not easily accepted into established cliques.

Because of these factors, young readers can relate to the characters more appropriately than any other age group. The book deals with the struggles of everyday teenage life but in a more rapidly changing way of life.

In M.T. Anderson's Feed, we are shown a world in which the line between consumer product and consumer has been blurred or erased. Cite a few examples from the novel where this has occurred and explore the consequences that the novel suggests accompany such a change.

The novel Feed, by MT Anderson, reveals a future in which the boundaries between a company’s product and its buyer are often difficult to differentiate. A primary example that Anderson demonstrates early in the novel takes place when Titus meets Violet for the first time. Due to his loss of words, the feed suggests the word in which he should use. After it recommends the word “supple,” Titus uses the word even though he is not sure of its meaning. However, the reader is then exposed to the world in which the protagonist lives by experiencing the same commercial running through his feed. Within this advertisement, the word “supple” is used in order to explain its definition.

The feed replaces things like billboards, television commercials, and magazine advertisements that one chooses voluntarily. However, Anderson portrays a world in which an individual is unable to control the media's affect on consumers through the feed when it reveals advertisements based on the interests of each potential buyer.

In rebellion to this way of life, Violet chooses to spend a day at the mall in which she takes interest to certain things that she does not have any concern with. The purpose of her actions is to confuse the feed by not correlating with her past desires. Subsequently, Violet's motives are ultimately the cause of her death in the end of the novel. Because of this confusion, she is unable to attain an updated feed after her old one experiences certain difficulties when it slowly suppresses the functions of her body. Nina with FeedTech Corp informed Violet that after reviewing her purchasing history and shopping habits, they did not feel she would be a reliable investment. She explained," ...like for example you asking for information about all those wow and brag products and then never buying anything.....Sorry-I'm afraid you'll just have to work with your feed the way it is" (247).

Lastly, toward the end of the novel, Titus argues with Violet's father. After an emotional breakdown once he is in his room by himself, Titus has a certain impulse to continue to buy one certain product. He states, "It was like I kept buying these things to be cool, but cool was always flying just ahead of me, and I could never exactly catch up to it" (279). Because of such feelings, Titus believes the cure to this hardship is to purchase.

However, this buying does not accomplish anything.

Worth it all?

With the introduction of the “book people” that Guy Montag meets by the railroad tracks, a reader is brought to wonder quite a few things. One prominent question left in your mind is whether or not the efforts of Granger, the leader of the “book people,” and his crew are in vain. Granger tells Montag “Right now we have a horrible job; we're waiting for the war to begin and, as quickly, end...When the war's over, perhaps we can be of some use in the world.”

They feel that without these records of history, civilization will lose the lessons and stories learned through the years. This is the idea that drives the group of "book people" by the railroad tracks to protect at all costs the knowledge they have gained from books.

As they talk of their plan to rewrite the books after the war is over, their passing on of stories and knowledge from person to person bears a striking resemblance to civilization before the idea the writing of records was taking place. They feel that although it is not the most fortunate situation, memorizing and passing on the books from person to person is worth it in the end if they are to keep culture from regressing with the loss of knowledge.

Their motivation shows just how clearly they understand the value of the knowledge contained in books. Granger tells Montage of their intentions, saying “All we want to do is keep the knowledge we think we will need intact and safe. We’re not out to incite or anger anyone yet, for if we are destroyed, the knowledge is dead, perhaps for good.”(152)

We believe that by doing this they are helping preserve the wisdom that humanity has gained over the course of time. The loss of hundreds years of writings would be one of the greatest tragedies of our time, because as Granger tells Montag, once the knowledge is lost, it cannot be recovered.

Things Don’t Always Seem As They Appear

In the novel, Fahrenheit 451, there are several symbols and motifs in which underlying messages are conveyed. When Granger says at the end of the book, “We're going to go build a mirror factory first and put out nothing but mirrors for the next year and take a long time to look at them?” Bradbury is commenting on the necessity of society to reflect on the past and instigate change. This quote specifically refers to Montag’s description of Clarisse at the beginning of the book, and the use of mirrors metaphorically describes the connection between the ways people perceive themselves contrasted to how they actually appear. The mirrors symbolize the juxtaposition of an imagined, utopian society, and one based in reality that focuses on individual people and their freedoms. This quote goes back to the main theme that is portrayed throughout the novel which shows, it is necessary for members of a society to know who they are as individuals and to take on ideals of their own. Without having knowledge and being able to reflect on who you as an individual; changes will not be made and therefore will hinder a society’s ability to truly be successful and prosper.

Suicide in F451

In Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451, there are two mentions of a suicide and a near-suicide involving two entirely different characters. One character is conformed by society and one refuses to conform to society. It’s interesting why two people who are so different from each other would want to take their own life. Suicide is believed to happen so frequently in Montag's society because the people are controlled by the government. The people do not live their own life but a life of meaningless media.

In the beginning, Mildred almost dies by taking too many sleeping pills. Montag has to call medical technicians to come change her blood. The worker is almost bored when he says, “We get these cases nine or ten a night” (15). When Montag confronts Mildred the next morning, Mildred denies that she would do such a thing and is excited to have a part in a play with the “family.” She is obsessed with the “family” and driving fast in her car. Mildred may drive fast to feel like she is alive as opposed to feeling zombie-like when she is with the “family” at all hours of the day, every day.

In contrast to Mildred, one woman loves her books so much that she is willing to die for them. The fireman get a call that a woman is harboring illegal books in her house and rush off to burn them. When ready to burn the house the woman will not leave. Montag does not want to leave her but Beatty says, “These fanatics always try suicide; the pattern’s familiar” (39). Without warning she strikes her own match and lights the books and herself on fire. She would rather take her own life and die with the books that make her happy than to be miserable by the way society has become.

Suicides may be frequent in Montag's society due to a lack of creativity and knowledge. What would cause Mildred to try and take her own life? Does her life really satisfy her?

Spiraling Into Oblivion

One of the main themes of Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 is the topic of censorship throughout the novel. The first amendment states “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” In Fahrenheit 451, though, books are banned altogether and even possessing one is crime; restricting not only freedom of speech, but also freethinking.

Bradbury never blatantly tells us why censorship has become so important in the futuristic society in which Montag and the others live. He does, though, give us a little insight as to how it got that way.

One of the main reasons books are banned in Montag’s society is because it sparks intellectual thinking, which the government does not want. The government believes that any kind of knowledge provided by books is harmful because books encourage people to question power, freedom, and society. The government also fears the fact that books have the ability to make certain people or minorities discontent. This is explained when Beatty says “Colored people don’t like Little Black Sambo, burn it. White people don’t feel good about Uncle Tom’s Cabin, burn it” (59). Eliminating the uncomforting aspects of life was the main goal of society at this time.
Another reason that books have been banned is due to the stimulation of newer technologies such as interactive televisions, which has slowly dwindled peoples’ desires to read. People would rather spend time interacting with their televisions or driving their fast cars than sitting down to read a book. Beatty states, “it didn’t come from the Government down. There was no dictum, no declaration, no censorship, to start with, no! Technology, mass exploitation, and minority pressure carried the trick” (Bradbury 58).

Since the government has censored so many aspects of the society’s life, they no longer know what the needs of real families and real people are. Because everyone focuses so much on television, people do not realize that the family portrayed in the shows are another tool used by the government to control society. People do not realize that by censoring books and providing television as the only source of entertainment, their minds are manipulated so that everyone has only one point of view.

Freedoms Surrendered?

In a world where freedoms are disappearing around every turn, Fahrenheit 451 brings up an interesting perspective. In the book, Bradbury portrays a twist on the typical view of the loss of freedoms due to government regulations. As you read through the story you begin to understand that rather in contrast to the modern day view of freedoms lost to growing government regulation, the society in the book came to a near unanimous decision to forgo their right to having and reading books.

Captain Beatty explains to Montag that reading breeds differing viewpoints, which is the enemy of peace of mind, he says. Beatty tells him that after all houses were fireproofed, it was convenient to give firemen a new job, “custodians of our peace of mind…” (59). This is how the transition was made from the idea that books were not healthy for a society to the ultimate surrender of that freedom.

This is an interesting contrast to the general idea of government wrestling freedoms away from us. As seen in the book, the culture forfeited their rights and only later, partially as a result of the need to reassign the firemen, the rights are taken from them.

In our modern world, a government would not be able to revoke freedoms without a vote or there would be an uprising. One look at the current state of airport security, however, and you can see that freedoms are slowly surrendered every day by our society in the name being a safer nation.

In Fahrenheit 451, the trade-off that we observe is one of liberties for peace of mind. But as you read through the text, you will notice how, although the society agreed with the idea that books are the enemy to peace of mind, the idea wasn’t necessarily a viewpoint that originated within the culture.

So who is posing the idea that relinquishing certain freedoms to the government makes us better off? Is it a general consensus of our society, or an idea promoted by the very government offering protection?

Are We All Conformers in the End?

Throughout Fahrenheit 451, there are many symbols and motifs that demonstrate the ideas of conformity and the efforts to create equality of intelligence throughout society. For example, Beatty says to Montag, “We must all be alike. Not everyone born free and equal, as the constitution says, but everyone made equal . . . A book is a loaded gun in the house next door. Burn it. Take the shot from the weapon. Breach man’s mind” (58). It is clear that Bradbury is trying to show the connection between the negative effects technology and censorship have on people’s ability to think for themselves. Bradbury conveys these ideas of censorship through characters like Beatty and Mildred, as well as roles of opposition through Montag, Faber, and Clarisse.

Montag’s boss, Beatty plays a crucial role in showing the importance of conformity, as well as having the knowledge to back up his reasoning. He argues about the content of books and how they only cause disagreements. Beatty says, “Now let’s take out the minorities in our civilization…dog lovers, cat lovers.. the bigger your market, Montag, the less you handle controversy, Remember that" (57).

Mildred is also a good example of a character that readily conforms to the ideals of censorship within the book. Based on her unwillingness to connect with any characters in the novel, let alone her husband, she is portrayed as an empty human being devoid of any warmth. This makes it difficult for readers to empathize with her and she easily serves as a perfect contrast to Clarrise McClellan. Bradbury often alludes to Mildred’s emptiness by describing Montag’s bedroom at first as “not empty” because it contains Mildred and then later as “indeed empty.”

Clarisse McClellan and Faber are very influential characters throughout this novel as well, and in contrast to Mildred and Beatty, are opposed to conformity: an ongoing theme seen throughout the novel. Clarisse is one of the first people that Montag meets, and she plays a crucial role in advancing Montag’s continuing skepticism and curiosity he has for books. Faber, the English professor that Montag encounters, is the prime example of opposition in the book, and competes with Beatty to win over Montag’s mind. Montag feels he is desperately in need of change, although, he never truly changes for himself. He still relies on other’s to tell him how to think, and this is seen when Montag says to Faber, “I’m not thinking. I’m just doing like I’m told, like always” (92). This would suggest that he is as empty and vulnerable as Mildred.

Finally, conformity and equality of intelligence is portrayed as being inevitable throughout this novel. With the use of technology and censorship, people begin to lose a sense of self and what is truly valuable or real. The question that remains: are we getting what we want out of life, or are we just as naïve as the characters in the novel?

Man vs. Himself

At various time in the novel, Ray Bradbury presents Montag questioning himself and this rebellion he has started with himself and society. This revelation of a conflict between man and himself begins with the neighborhood girl, Clarisse. During their first meeting, she questions Montag's line of work and reveals to Montag the history of the fireman and how it evolved. After further questioning, Bradbury acknowledges that Montag begins to doubt the information he already knows. Bradbury states, "He suddenly couldn't remember if he had known this or not, and it made him quite irritable" (10). Montag begins to search for his personal identity after Clarisse leaves him with the question of whether he is truly happy.

The reader sees this ambiguity throughout the novel. However, the most apparent is the conversation between Montag and Faber through the "bullet." Montag states his confusion to Faber by saying, "I'm not thinking. I'm just doing like I'm told, like always. You said get the money and I got it. I didn't really think of it myself. When do I start working things out on my own?" (92). Montag's uncertainty causes the reader to question his beliefs and later leads to ambivalence.

Montag's fluctuation in his beliefs is obvious in the scene in which he arrives to burn his own home. The impulsive decision to burn the books, which he risked his life to hide, is yet another example of Montag questioning what holds true.

Through Bradbury's revelation of this inner struggle, the reader can further question Montag's reaction if faced with adversity in the future.

Faber: Voice of Reason?

Faber was a vital character in contributing to Montag’s curiosity about books. Unlike Beatty, who says books allow one person to sense that they excel over others and cause everyone else to feel inferior, Faber says that books allow a person to think and reason about the information they have just read. He also explains that books allow people to think freely instead of being persistent and dominating like the “family.”

Montag first meets Faber when he is walking in the park. He catches Faber with a book and only after reassuring him that he is safe does Faber talk to him. Faber gives Montag his address and phone number with the option of befriending him or turning him in. Montag goes to Faber’s house after obtaining what he believed to be the last copy of the Bible. Faber then tells him, “It’s as good as I remember. Lord, how they changed it in our ‘parlors’ these days. Christ is one of the ‘family’ now” (81). What Faber means by this is that the “family” is a substitute for books. Books used to be the primary source for information, but now new media has taken over.

Montag is so used to being dependent on others to tell him how he should live his life that he looks to Faber for advice. Faber takes Montag under his wing so that he can live his life through him, seeing how easily influenced Montag is. Faber tells Montag that it is not books that he is looking for, but the meaning that they contain and what he feels about those meanings. He then gives Montag an earpiece that permits them to communicate with each other discretely. Faber tells Montag what to say when Beatty attacks him by quoting different literary works. After Beatty sees that Montag is listening to something in his ear, he knocks the earpiece out and threatens to trace it. Montag kills him with the flamethrower and flees to Faber’s house. Faber instructs Montag to follow the abandoned railroad tracks to hide. Here he finds a new “family.”

Montag rebelled against everything that the government told him to be with Faber’s help. Was Montag’s choice in befriending Faber the right choice to make? Did the knowledge that Faber gave Montag help him to achieve freedom and happiness in the end?

An F451 Reason to Watch the Oscars

Keep your eyes peeled on Sunday for Julie Christie, who was nominated for best actress in a leading role (and favored to win at that) for her part in Away from Her.

Christie, as you now know from our discussion in class, is the actress who played not one, but two roles (Linda, Montag's wife, and Clarisse) in Francois Truffaut's adaptation of Fahrenheit 451. In addition, she's usually recognized most for her role in Doctor Zhivago (1965).

What's of particular interest is that she won her previous Oscar for her role in Darling (1965) the same year that she appeared in Fahrenheit 451.

If you have a moment, take a look at the film trailer below. In addition, it looks like the critics agree that the film is excellent.

Mildred Montag: Epitome of Emptiness

Mildred Montag, the wife of Guy Montag, is a perfect representation of how a person will end up as a result of exposing themselves to meaningless media. She is brainwashed into believing that what she views through the television walls is her escape from her own reality. Her thought processes do not flow very deeply as she never questions society’s motives and, in turn, just takes them at face value. The very cause of this could be most contributed to the absence of books in her lifetime.

Mildred’s mind was very void of substance, but was filled with meaningless information from mass media. Unlike Faber and (later) Montag, Mildred and the rest of society do not learn how to think for themselves.

An example of how unsatisfied she is with the reality of her own life, she suffers an overdose of sleeping pills without even realizing what she has done. Mildred and Guy Montag speak briefly the next morning and after Guy tells her she took all of the pills, she says, “what would I want to go and do a silly thing like that for?” (19).

Mildred’s appearance also suffers due to her sedentary lifestyle. Her features are vividly described. “Her hair burnt by chemicals to a brittle straw, her eyes with a kind of cataract unseen but suspect far behind the pupils, the reddened pouting lips, the body as thin as a praying mantis from dieting, and her flesh like white bacon" (48). Guy Montag then says he cannot recall her any other way.

Mildred’s state of mind is one that begs pity, especially from Montag. The two do not communicate very frequently, but if they were to, Montag cannot think of one thing they would discuss. Mildred is so absorbed in her television “family” that she can recall many events that happened throughout the programs. Unfortunately, this causes her to have trouble recalling some of the most basic details from her own life such as how she met her husband.

Not only does Mildred not question society’s role, she embraces the control it has over everyone by begging Guy Montag to purchase a fourth television wall so she can feel “like this room wasn’t ours at all, but all kinds of exotic people’s rooms” (20-21).

Mildred is a prime example of where today’s society is going. The growing impact of technology on peoples’ lives is leading to the downfall of individualistic thinking. The media is constantly dictating what should and should not be done and society is becoming more prone to accepting these ideals.

From the Lighter Side of Censorship

Check out Deadspin's hilarious take on China's recent reaction to international criticism of their human rights record. In short, they decided to ban scary movies for the duration of the Olympic games. Per the Yahoo story:

The new guidelines aim to "control and cleanse the negative effect these items have on society, and to prevent horror, violent, cruel publications from entering the market through official channels and to protect adolescents' psychological health."

So, go ahead, have a good laugh at China's expense. But then remember, they're really banning these films.

Beatty: Friend or Foe?

Captain Beatty is an intricate character in the novel, Fahrenheit 451, who brings forth controversy throughout the storyline. Beatty explains books to be a cause of unhappiness in society and that the persistence of reading books would only cause disruption. However, he utilizes the knowledge learned from his own reading of books to deceitfully shape Montag's opinion of his profession's intentions. There are many times that occur in the book in which Beatty uses his knowledge of literature.

Following Montag's stealing of a book, Beatty arrives to talk to Montag as if he is already aware of Montag's crime. Ironically, during this part of the story, the reader first realizes Beatty's vast knowledge of books and the skewing of literary works to explain the reason for the burnings. Beatty takes advantage of Montag's ignorance of books by altering a quote from the Declaration of Independence; however, he introduces the passage as being from the Constitution. The Captain argues, "Not everyone born free and equal as the Constitutions says, but everyone made equal" (58). In a way, his speech is projected in a regretful tone. The reader could later question whether Beatty chose his job after the corruption of books or to simply have legal access to books through his authorative occupation.

From Montag's point of view, who has never heard of the Constitution before, the quote means nothing. However, the reader recognizes its great importance. The reader must then question who makes this mistake and if it is on purpose. Is it Beatty or Bradbury?

Although Beatty has had the inclination of Montag’s secret for a while, he chose not to say anything until now and allows the protagonist 24 hours to do as he pleases before the book is destroyed. This affair causes the reader to inquire whether the Captain is truly the antagonist of the book.

In addition, during Beatty and Montag's second meeting, (while playing poker) Beatty recalls his personal experience about reading. The Captain claims that chaos is the only result of reading. He compares reading as going insane and continues with, "Bang, you're ready to blow up the world, chop off heads, knock down women and children, destroy authority. I know, I've been through it all" (106).

Beatty then declares that the destruction of books leads to more happiness and equality. Through the argument fact there is no need for any critical thinking, he reveals that the world is a more satisfying place to live. However, Montag later realizes after Beatty’s death that the Captain may have allowed Montag to kill him as a form of suicide. Was Beatty truly against the information literature had to offer?

Along with the many other questions that arise after recognizing Beatty's point of view. Why does Beatty use literature to justify his means? Is he doing it for enjoyment or is he simply salvaging his friendship with Montag?

NEA Report on Dire State of Reading in the United States

In the previous post, the editorial from the BR Advocate hinted at the recent reports published by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) suggesting that the nation's reading habits were on the decline.

The report, published in November of last year, is indeed sobering. Have a look at the entire report here. In summary, the report concluded the following:
1. Americans are spending less time reading.
2. Reading comprehension skills are eroding.
3. These declines have serious civic, social, cultural, and economic implications.

How troubling are their findings? Here are a few quick-hit headlines:

1. Young adults a reading fewer books in general. In fact, they found that nearly half of all Americans ages 18-24 read no books for pleasure.

2. Reading is declining as an activity among teenagers.

• Less than a one-third of 13-yr-olds are daily readers.


• The percentage of 17-year-olds who read nothing at all for pleasure has doubled over a twenty year period. Yet the amount that they read for school or home-work has stayed the same.

3. College attendance no longer guarantees active reading habits.

• 65% of college freshman read for pleasure for less than an hour per week or not at all.


• The percentage of non-readers among these students has nearly doubled.


• By the time they become college seniors, one on three students read nothing at all for pleasure within a given week.
  

Other points of interest:

• Even when reading does occur, it competes with other media. This multi-tasking suggests less focused engagement with the text.


• American families are spending less on books than at almost any other time in the past two decades.


• Reading proficiency rates are stagnant or declining in adults of both genders and all education levels.

Why it matters:
1. Reading for pleasure correlates strongly with academic achievement.

• Voluntary readers are better readers and writers than non-readers.


• Children and teenagers who read for pleasure on a daily or weekly basis score better on reading tests than infrequent readers.


• Frequent readers also score better on writing tests than non-readers or infrequent readers.

2. Employers now rank reading and writing as top deficiencies in new hires.

• One in five US workers read at a lower skill level than their job requires.


• Remedial writing courses are estimated to cost more than $3.1 billion for large corporate employers and $221 million for state employers.

3. Good readers generally have more financially rewarding jobs.

4. Good readers play a crucial role in enriching our cultural and civic life. In fact, literary readers are more than 3 times more likely as non-readers to visit museums, attend plays or concerts, and create artworks of their own. They are also more likely to play sports, attend sporting events, or do outdoor activities.

5. Good readers make good citizens. In fact, literary readers are more than twice as likely as non-readers to volunteer or do charity work.

Be sure to read the full report for more information.

Editorial from the BR Advocate on F451

Have a look at this editorial published in today's Baton Rouge Advocate. One of the most effective parts of the piece is found in its reminder that Bradbury's book posits a world where book burning has become the response to the public's overall flagging interest in reading. In other words, in Bradbury's book, people don't want to read, they'd rather watch "The Family" on their wall-screens. The firemen/book burners of Bradbury's novel are only a secondary response to this lack of interest. I thought their point coincided nicely with a discussion we had early in our reading of the novel.

Bradbury's jeremiad, we said, is only partially about reading. His overriding lament is the loss of critical thought. It's not the seashell headphones Mildred uses, the wall-screen tvs, or "The Family" television show that Bradbury objects to, but how they consume/watch/listen to these programs.

The question I had after reading the editorial was this: isn't it possible to read a book in the same way that Mildred watches television? That is, reading passively without ever really considering the work's major ideas, arguments, or themes. What if reading alone isn't a silver bullet for encouraging critical thought? Just reading may not be enough. Bradbury's novel suggests that it is how we read that is important.

Article on Bradbury's Indebtedness to Cinema

Check out this story in the Peoria Journal-Star about the influence of popular culture and cinema on Ray Bradbury's writing style.

Sam Weller, a Bradbury biographer (who, as it turns out, will be speaking in BR on March 1st), argues that "Bradbury may be the first author of literature to have his sense of narrative altered by cinematic style."

The question I had after reading the article, though, is how Weller would resolve Bradbury's significant interest in popular culture (which, the writer says, Bradbury "absorbed...like a sponge in the 1930s") and his searing critique of popular culture, television, and mass media that we see in F451.

Welcome

Welcome to the blog for ENGL 2000. Throughout the semester we'll use this space to foster discussion as we consider how our texts critique the social and political uses of literacy, censorship, and writing.

Though I'll serve as moderator, everyone is encouraged to start new discussions, post relevant links, etc. in addition to your regular group contributions.

-JB