My understanding of critical literacy is being able to have the ability and knowledge to create, find, analyze, and comprehend a variety of text including digital, film, and television productions for a range of purposes, audiences and situations. Critical literacy is our individual meaning of texts, advertisements, and television. Charlie Temple’s article, Critical Thinking and Critical Literacy, states “We are constantly assaulted by language that is not just unclear, but often deliberately deceptive and manipulative. Students need tools to unmasking the true purposes of language within a particular context so they can both understand its true meaning and, as necessary, free themselves from its pernicious effects.” In order to develop positive …show more content…
Ray Bradbury uses machine imagery to create the setting and environment in this novel. The novel is based on a dystopian society that prohibits people to think critically or question authority. Bradbury presents Guy Montag, a pyromaniac, who took “special pleasure to see things eaten, to see things blackened and changed.” (Bradbury 1) He burns books that he has never read or questioned. At the time Montag seems to enjoy his job as a fireman. He is a “smiling fireman.” Many of the characters like Mildred and Beatty conform to the government because it is the way this society lives. Individuality is not accepted in this society because it causes conflicts with one another. The government excluded any kind of individuality one has, and does not put up with any kind of knowledge that could influence critical literacy. In Fahrenheit 451 conformity is the motto of this society, the people are distracted with certain simple things like TV and racing car. Then there is the character Clarisse who is spontaneous and curious. She speaks to Montag of the beauties of life, the man in the moon, the early morning dew, and the pleasure she receives from smelling and observing things. Montag has never had any interest in any of those “insignificant’ things. However, by critically comparing and contrasting Montag and Clarisse you immediately discover that Montag is not happy. At first Montag finds Clarisse a bit annoying. He tells her “you think too many things.” But despite all of their difference the two are attracted to each other. She encourages Montag to think of things that he has never thought of before and he begins to question his life. "How like a mirror, too, her face. Impossible; for how many people did you know who refracted your own light to you?" Captain Beatty naturally senses