Independant Reading Project 2023 Evan A. Mcintire Greenwood Christian Academy English 10 Mrs. Huber May. 19, 2022 This paper tells the themes of the dystopian texts Fahrenheit 451, 2081, and “Chained to the Rhythm”. One of the themes connected to these texts was to stand up for one’s beliefs. The other theme I used was be yourself and don’t get caught up in society. I connected these themes with the literary elements of satire and man vs society. These themes were developed by different characters Full Title of paper Theme Number 1: Stand up for one's beliefs Literary Element 1: Man vs Society Conflict Ray Bradberry and Kurt Vonegut Jr validates the theme of stand up for one's beliefs in their dystopian, fictional texts titled Fahrenheit …show more content…
One place in Fahrenheit 451 that shows a metaphor is Faber is telling Montag to take action in what he believes. "Stuff your eyes with wonder, live as if you'd drop dead in ten seconds. See the world. It's more fantastic than any dream made or paid for in factories…shake the tree and knock the great sloth down” (Bradbury 1951, p.155). The phrase “shake the tree and knock down the great sloth” shows a metaphor by saying Montag should do something about his situation. In 2081, civilians wear handicaps, and everyone in the society is made to be equal. Harrison Bergeron did not like this, and used his ability to make a scene during a show. During the show, Harrison uses a metaphor through the theme Stand up for one's beliefs by letting the government know they couldn’t make him be something he is not. He wanted to be different. This is shown when Harrison says “I am greater than any man ever lived! Now watch me become what I can become!” (Tuttle, 2009, 2081). The author developed this theme by Harrison going against society and not collapsing to the government. He is standing against what he was told to do. Harrison Burgeron displays a metaphor through the theme of Stand up for one’s beliefs in …show more content…
In Fahrenheit 451, the character Faber, who encourages Montag to think for himself and go against what everyone else is doing, shows satire because he is going against society and showing he is his own individual person. One place in the text where he shows this individualism, is when he chooses to not burn the books and run away because he realizes the society is not what he stands for. “Montag took the four remaining books and hopped, jolted, hopped his way down the alley and suddenly fell as if his head was cut off and only his body lay there”(Bradbury 1951, p. 116). Montag knows books have value and shows satire through irony and exaggeration and shows the down side of the society. Montag believes everyone should have the ability to be individual. Chained to the Rhythm also uses satire by letting readers know that they are caught up and distracted with what everyone else is doing. In “Chained to the Rhythm”, the song is about society being in their own world. People in the music video are inside an amusement park, and that is all they see in their life. It is like they are blocked off from the rest of the world. “turn it up it’s your favorite song, dance, dance, dance, to the distortion”(Parry & Marley, 2017). Chained to the Rhythm also uses satire by letting readers know that they are caught up and distracted with what everyone else is doing. In
Irony is used in "Camp Harmony, " written by Monica Sone, through how these Japanese-Americans were put into the internment camps, despite doing nothing wrong. As Sone describes her unfair and horrible experience during her time in the camps, the reader understands that there is nothing harmonic about the camp, as the name postulates. Sone wrote, "Our room was one room . . . the size of a living room. " Most of these Japanese-Americans were used to the space of their houses, not the small confinement of a mere cabin.
Both Fahrenheit 451 and the video “2081” convey the theme that when someone chooses to express their ideas others might question their choices when it goes against society's idea of the way people should be. In Fahrenheit 451 Clarsies asks Guy if he is happy he replied saying, “‘Am I what?’ (...) Of course I’m happy. What does she think?
Everybody must do what I say at once!" (Vonnegut 4). The insane Harrison was brave enough to do what no one would ever dare to do. Harrison wanted more then a handicap harness around his neck unlike the rest that genuinely, but not by choice abide by the rules. Equality was more diverse from the rest of the society, he wanted something different.
The sense of limiting one's individuality and ambition in a society; handicaps imagination and civic mindedness. In the short story, “Harrison Bergeron”, the author analyzes total equality and how it affects the community. It is clear by context that the equality is not causing total happiness amongst the people. The author states through his character George, “Some things about living still weren’t quite right, though.” (299)
It’s all about the courage to speak up about society, but everyone is inflicted with fear and follows the way society is run, and eventually, everyone is brainwashed. In Ray Bradbury’s book Fahrenheit 451, society has been controlled by the influence of technology and government laws restricting the ownership of books or reading them. All day, their society is preoccupied with media on screens, influencing them to follow their decision making ruining the idea of individual thought. The main character Montag comes to his senses and wants to change their society back to how the past used to be. Throughout the book, Ray Bradbury uses the illegal use of books and knowledge to show the dehumanization of humans who don’t have any individual thoughts.
This truly “equal” world that the future has to offer in 2081 is very bizarre and in a way unfair. But there are two versions of this story that portray this story in different styles but both aren’t exactly alike. They are alike in ways such as their theme which is that although people might want equality where no one is better than another, our ability to do something that another cannot or to do something better than another is what separates every human as an individual and what makes humans what they are. While reviewing both the story and the live action oh “Harrison Bergeron” there was similarities and differences such as both the themes they surrounded were similar but more physical characteristics such as the setting,conflict,some
During a broadcasting of a ballerina performance, the show was interrupted with a news message that George’s son, Harrison Bergeron, had escaped from the handicap jail. Suddenly, Harrison appeared on the screen while declaring that “even as [he] stood there” while being “crippled, hobbled, [and] sickened,” he was the “greatest ruler than any man who ever lived” (Vonnegut 874). This event is a key point in the story because it highlights how although the rules and laws of society were strict, there will always be rebels who defy the rules. The presence of these rebels disrupts order in society because they offer a different opinion or belief than what the society originally believed in. This could then further result in more rebels who are inspired by their message, ultimately leading to a stricter totalitarian regime.
Imagine being equal to everyone else in the country. Everyone would be average; no one would be smarter, better looking, or stronger than anyone else. This is what life was like for young Harrison and his parents in the futuristic short story “Harrison Bergeron” by Kurt Vonnegut Jr. In Harrison Bergeron, the movie, the main focus is on Harrison and how he influences the plot.
Faber explains to Montag that he doesn’t want to get involved by claiming ”I can sit comfortably home, warming my frightened bones, and hear and analyse the firemen 's world, find its weaknesses, without danger. I 'm the Queen Bee, safe in the hive” -Bradbury pg 88. The ultimate boon in Fahrenheit 451 alternatively and more commonly called the climax is when Montag is taken to burn his own house by Beatty. Montag, as angry as can be, turns and burns Beatty. Beatty was a character created for the reader to dislike.
Blind to the truth of the world that used to be. In Fahrenheit 451 the government has banned books, and if found they will be burned by firefighters who have received a new job. The government prohibited books so people wouldn’t fight about actions in books, and books gave people knowledge. So my claim is that Montag, the use of metaphors, and Faber all develop the novel’s central theme that literature is a powerful tool. In Fahrenheit 451 Montag helps prove the power of literature by showing his character development after he starts reading books.
For example, one way he shows satire is in the beginning of the prompt he says “country was up in arms, the war was on, in every breast burned the holy fire of patriotism”(Twain). Twain is showing how the soldiers were ready for war that even their chest was on fire because of how much patriotism they had. When soldiers go to war I don't think there breast burned them for feeling patriotic. This shows how ironic he is because that didn't really happen. Twain trys to explain to the people how the soilders were so happy to go fight and knew they were going to win
Fahrenheit 451 shows a dystopic world where book burning is the way of limiting imagination and depth of thought. Resistance is shown in Fahrenheit 451 when Montag hides books in his house. When Beatty finds out about the books and burns down Montag’s house, Montag goes on the run and him and Faber decide together what to do from this point onwards. “I feel alive for the first time in years… I feel I’m doing what I should have done a lifetime ago.”
Harrison Bergeron teaches the readers many different lessons through the many themes that occur in the story. Harrison Bergeron by Kurt Vonnegut Jr. represents how equality can be dangerous if it is applied to human qualities like intelligence or beauty. One example of Harrison Bergeron showing that equality is dangerous is, “Harrison smashed his headphones and spectacles against the wall.” This is an example of equality being dangerous because Harrison became very scary once he got all of his handicaps off and it was all because he was being deprived of his true intelligence and beauty. A second example is, “Harrison’s scrap-iron handicaps crashed to the floor.”
The book follows Montag’s physical and emotional journey towards understanding himself. In Fahrenheit 451, Bradbury uses books as a symbol to demonstrate the thematic idea of knowledge is power to express his fear about censorship going too far. “A book is a loaded gun in the house next door. Burn it. ”(Bradbury 88).
The character Harrison, in the story “Harrison Bergeron” written by Kurt Vonnegut Jr, has many traits that help aide the theme of the story. Harrison was a strong, good looking, determined young individual with a goal to be different than everyone else. To begin with, Harrison is a good looking 14 year old that is 7ft tall with big goals in life. Harrison is one that was made handicapped by the Handicapper General because he is better than the others.