13 January 2009

Warnings from 1984 and Fahrenheit 451

The response to this blog posting is due before class starts on Friday, Jan. 16

Both 1984 and Fahrenheit 451 are dystopian novels set in the future. However, one purpose of a dystopian novel is to warn readers about a flaw or problem in today's society today. Based on the first few pages of each novel, what flaw or problem do you think the author is trying to warn us about?

Select an example from one of the excerpts - either 1984 or Fahrenheit 451 - and use it to predict what you think the author is trying to warn us about. What is the problem in the futuristic society and how can it be connected to real problems that exist in our own world today? In your answer, you must use a specific passage or quote from the novel.

If it helps, think about the discussions we've had leading up to the novel about technology.

32 comments:

Anonymous said...

Based on what i have read so far in Fahrenheit 451 the problem i see the author warning us about is are envolvement with entertainment such as video games, tv , and any kind of media we beleive in.
For Example , in Fahrenheit 451 all thses people beleive in mostly the same thing there is absolutley no uniqueness at all.
They seem almost brainwashed.The Problem in the futuristic society is everyone has lost complete individuality and think there original thoughts. Everyone is either using drugs by their own choice or the government has put them on drugs to keep them thinking the way they want them to. This is similar to some of the issues in our society today also. Alot Of people in our society use drugs to help them feel or think certain ways also.
Just like they do in Fahrenheit 451.
- SARAH CASANOVA
PERIOD 2
:)

Miller said...

Students: Don't forget to include a specific quote from the excerpts. Use MLA style to cite the quote with the page number.

"It should look like this." (34)

Anonymous said...

In Fahrenhrit 451 a girl starts to ask all these questions and that is bad because you are not suposto do that. She also thinks for self. "So menny people are. Afraid of firemen...."(7)

Steven P6

Anonymous said...

From what i do know about Fahrenheit 451 is that it takes place in a totalitarian future, where no questions are asked of the people in control, and anything that may cause people to ask these questions is removed, killed, or destroyed. The story follws around a man named Montag whos job is to burn any and all books because books prevoke thought and thought prevokes questioning. He is known as a "fireman" because of his job and is very proud of himself for doing it. his lack of thought is almost disturbing to me "he walked to the corner thinking little at all, about nothing in particular."(4) it may have not fully shown how there is little to no thought in this future but its foreshadowing. That is what i know about the novel Fahrenheit 451.

Donovan Steinke
Period 6

Unknown said...

In 1984 orwell talks about a telescreen, it was put there by the government and it cannot be turned off. The telescreen watches you, and you can watch it. Also police squads fly around and intrude on peoples personal lives. The warning seems to be something along the line of "Don't let your government do things you don't want it to."

The Kevin Peterson

Anonymous said...

heyy mill! i wasnt in class today so i dont know anything about 1984, but i remebered about the blog:)



roryyyyyyyyy

Anonymous said...

In 1984 George Orwell talks about warning readers to be careful because if were not careful the world could end up with no privacy. The posters that say big brother is watching you are warning the characters in the book to be careful and cautious because the telescreens are watching them. The telescreens are
like google gathering information from us.
"How often, or on what system, the Thought Police plugged in on any individual wire was guesswork."

ian p5

Anonymous said...

The authors of fahrenheit 451 and 1984 might be foreshadowing that with our fast advances in technology, that it might take over our lives. At the rate were going alls we will be concerned with is technology. another thing that 1984 shows is not only watching television, but television watching you. this could be a hint a out computers and other technology getting to smart.

Eric Ryalls
Mr. Miller
P. 6

Anonymous said...

The flaw or problem from both 1984 and Fahrenheit 451 that i find apparent from both texts we have read so far is a totalitarian-like government where individuality and self thought are frowned upon. This is probably from any wars that were going on when these books were written or world events where extreme communism or even dictatorships could have been seen. "There was of course no way of knowing whether you were being watched at any given moment." (3) This quote from the book 1984 describes a society where every action you make is monitored. This is most likely a warning about how there is no safe place to be yourself in this society. There are no periods of time where you can have a personal thought without being caught. This can be connected to a future of our own if we end up in war and lose, falling to our victors who might have a say in everything we do and think as well.

Margaret P.5

Anonymous said...

I think that the authors of both books were trying to tell what the future would be like. In both books it seems like its a very strong government. and in this quote from 1984 "There was of course no way of knowing whether you were being watched at any given moment." (3) it seems like they think the government rules everything. I predict that in both storys there will be some sort of upriseing against the government.

Ian
P.2

Anonymous said...

In 1984 the the auther talks about this man who is being watch at all times and seems to have no privacy at all. This event can be realated to todays use of technology and this is because everytime new tecnology is created and put in the human hands we loss our privacy everytime we use any of the ew tachnology. This eventand the story1984 is reallated because is about how much privacy a person can have. In 1984 the men is being watch by the wall side tv which appears to be a new technology. What the auther is trying to warn us is that by the new inventions being created we re loosing our privacy, the way we mey think and even who we like. FInally we may loose the ability to make or own decisions.

Carla M. p6

Anonymous said...

IN the novel 1984 it talks about the future and how life is living underneath the ruling of a dystopia which means basically the complete opposite of good. Because personally i don't like being watched at all time especially when i don't even knowing it. Also people are kinda like robots how their being drugged and by doing this everyone looses like half of their rights. Its also used so they wont remember the old times back before this happened."But it was no use, he could not remember: nothing remained of his childhood except a series of bright-lit tableaux, occurring against no background and mostly unintelligible."p.3 This is good for who or what is behind this because it lowers the chance of people wanting to go back to the old ways and throw the leader out of power.

per.6
Nick Lepper

Anonymous said...

In Fahrenheit 451 I think the author is trying to warn us about what can happen if we let technology take over like it is starting to now. Also, as more things are discovered, we'll have less and less privacy. I think the book is also trying to tell that if this were to happen, people would become lifeless and forgot what the world is really supposed to be like. "He walked to the corner thinking little at all, about nothing in particular."(4) This quote shows how the society took so much away from the people that they are basically like robots with no real thoughts or common sence at all.

Kristy Period 6

Anonymous said...

1984 features a world were there obvious problems. The society is completely controlled by the government. The government has taken all sorts of actions to make sure the people are utterly controlled. They have police patrols looking into people’s windows from helicopters to make sure that they are not doing anything they shouldn’t be doing. The people’s actions, what they say and do is constantly being watched by the government. The narrator states, “There was of course no way of knowing whether you were being watched at any given moment," (3). There are telescreens which the people are forced to watch, because they can only be dimmed, and which are designed to listen and watch the people. The government could plug into your line at anytime without your knowledge. As a result of not being able to know when you are being watched, the people are forced to obey the rules and not question anything or bear the risk of getting in severe trouble. In this society there is no free thought, or open curiosity. People have no choice but to obey. This future seems desolate, unhappy and hopeless. This future relates to our present at this time because the technology is why the people are being held to this ridiculous thoughtless society’s rules. The technolony enables them to watch the people without there knowledge forcing them into submission. The telescreens monitor them, and keep them in check and controlled. This controlled society is something that does relate to our society. People today are caught up in television programs, videogames, I-pod, and the internet. This can control people’s lives. For example, a 17 year old boy in Ohio actually shot his mother and father because they took away his Halo 3 game. There is no doubt that these new technologies are controlling just as the technologies which control the society in the book, 1984. I believe that George Orwell is trying to tell us to be aware of the world around us and not be so centered on all the technologies around us, because if they continue they could control us. Not by forcing us to obey laws, but making it so they are sole concern. We would lose our focus of what the government is doing and a similar situation could occur. I think the most important message the author is trying to send us is to stay connected in the world and not so focused on technology that we forget the rest of the world exists. This dystopian novel is the authors warning to the people.
Ella Period 6

Anonymous said...

I believe that both stories are trying to warn us that every action we make effects us and that we are going to be so far advanced that even our own thoughts won't matter, becuase of the brainwasing. That soon enough were not going to be much of anything at all just a person a moving, breathing person, but with thoughts and no concerns just someone that is merely there."He walked to the corner thinking little at all, about nothing in particular."(4) In this quote it really makes me feel that they are there physically, but barely mentally and that as bad as they might want to think and have thoughts its jus not there.

Sean D. Period 2

Anonymous said...

The distoopian flaw that is present in our society annd in the book 1984 was how they falllowed your every move. "Big Brother is watching you"(2). This is a perfect example because ot shows that the people are being seralanced by the government. This also relates to today society baecause we suvalance people all the time without cause and this relates to or society and 1984 london society. that is a flaw that can be related to the 1984 society to present day America.

Bryan P.
Period 6

Anonymous said...

Fahrenheit 451."While the books went up in sparkling whirls and blew away on a wind turned dark with burning." This Quote means that peole are burning the books. The stuff that we are doing now will cause this problem because if everyone keeps on saying that this book has to much swering or this has to much negetive talk. This makes me think that there will be no books in the future.

Michele C. P.5

Anonymous said...

In Fahrenheit 451 it tells how everybody isn't alowed to read books because it causes them to think for example the "what if's" or the "maybe I could" and what not. The book mentions that people think they know that they're happy. More so this world in the book really is a miserable place even though most would say they were happy if you were to ask. People are afraid some of the time they fear certian things, when Montag talks with the girl on the sidewalk she bring his job up randomly showing him that she has courage right after telling him she's crazy. She declares, "I'm not afraid of you, you know...because many people are afraid, of Firemen..."(7) telling him this she is letting him know how people really feel, but only her side. it seemed that Montag did not know why anybody would fear him so she might just know a few people who share the same fear but it might not be the same for everybody, so the truth still stays hidden. In this book it seems to try to show the worst that could possibly happen in the world.

Raquel
period 5

Anonymous said...

There is a definate flaw and issue that the author is trying to tell us about in Fagreheit 451. The issue that comes about is that no one really knows about entertainment and books and TV. Everyone doesnt think for themselves and there is no such thing as unique thoughts. Everyone is brash washed by the siotcey's media.People there take drugs just to be entertained and have fun. This is almost what will happen in the future, people will all start thinking the same and being the same. One goverment or person will control everything and no one will try to stop or challenge it.It is even starting to happen now, alot of people want to be protrayed as how the media says is the cool.

Anonymous said...

roryyyyyy ^^^^^^^^^

Anonymous said...

Based on the reading of Fahrenheit 451 the book seems to have a bleak future. The book also has a
government which seems to be very controling. The government you could say is a communism government. The government seems to poisin them with medis and or drugs. But tthe government also seems to destroy books so none can read and also seem to stop free thought. The job also of fireman seems to change in this book because the burn books not stop fires. They also seemed to be fear like when the girl Clarise said "I'm not afraid of you, you know...because many people are afraid, of Firemen."(7)This seems to be the pace of things like how fear creates order and with out the chance to be individual there is only following and fear.

Brian S.
Period 5

Anonymous said...

In the book Fahrenheit 451 it talks about how the people in the society are drugged and brain washed into thinking the way the government wants them to think. Everyone in the community thinks that they are happy and they like the way they live, but they don't know that the way they are living isn't the way they should be. The people have no freedom. The author can be warning us to try not to always listen to what the media is telling you. For all we know we could be brain washed and brought up to think the way the government wants us to think. In the book 1984 the people in the community have more freedom than the people in Fahrenheir 451. They are just constently being watched at all times. The people know this but they can't do anything about it. The authur of this book maybe saying that we should really appreciate what we have and the freedom that we get because we are lucky that we arent being watched at all times and that we have the freedom and privacy that we have.


Jamie Grillo
Period 2.

Anonymous said...

the distopian in 1984 and our society was how they watch your every move. pg 2."Big brother is watching you." its a good example because it shows how they are being servalanced and how we are too here in America. its something that can realte to both America and the story 1984

p 2 tessaaa

Anonymous said...

In both stories it seems as if the author is trying to warn us that the future might bring things that arn't pleasent. In both stories the people are almost brainwashed and "drugged" and its because they don't know better because of what the government has done to them. In Farenheit 451, the fireman says that he doesn't have any feelings when buring the books. It is as if the people are machines or robots. In 1984 they arn't aloud to turn the tv off and it brainwashes them, and they are always being watched. The authors are really trying to show us or warn us that from there point of view the future was going to be controlled and overruled by big brother.

Jessica B.
period 5

Anonymous said...

In Farenheit 451, BradBurys warns agaisnt the dangers of machinery and media in overabunduce. As we've seen so far, montags world is ruled by the media, books, a product of thought, are banned and demonized, The goverment uses the media to pacify the public, to fool them into "thinking" their happy. The use of banning books is to prevent thought, thought may beget disobeyence. So by being able to indirectly control the thought process of the population, the goverment effectivly gains total power. Due to this, the people within the country dont notice the world around them at all. Therefore, they wont notice any flaw or disatisfaction in the goverments rule. The goverment has create a society where the people have basically lost their freedoms and rights, and aren't even aware of it.

This is all achieved by cutting off ties to thought and the real world. a good example of this is when clarisse's uncle was jalied for two days because he slowed down to look at the flowers, the grass, they saw that he was begining to notice the world around him and pounced on it.

Jake.C per 6

Anonymous said...

in Farenheit 451 the author warns about an inpending nuclear war.it also warns us about how the government in going to take over. also it says that peaple will not be able to have free thought and can't read books. it shows that some jobs will change like the firemen instead of putting out fires they start them. this also shows that they people are force to for get what happened in the past and and have no freedom to be unlike every one elts.

andrew
per 5

Anonymous said...

In 1984 George Orwell Explains how we need to be carful at all times or all our privacy will be gone. The posters in the cartoon, "Big Brother is Watching you", Reminds them all that everything they do is being recorded by the TV's. It's Like how Goole gathers our information from us when ever we are on the site. "How often, or on what system, the Thought Police plugged in on any individual wire was guesswork."

chris
p-6

Anonymous said...

I think the problem with both story is that they are controlled. They can't live their own life and it seem like someone is in controll. The person who is in controll has to much power that people don't want to mess with. They sound like they are very scared adn don't want to die, so they listen. One reason to let me know this is in 1984. The person in the stoy is being controll and he can feel. He sayd it feels like someone is watching his every move. Also in the other story when the fireman see the girl she tries to let him know about the past. He ends up saying ya right we where always like that. So in both these story they are being brainwashed. They fon't know evrything and the person controlling this won't like them. This can be connected to our life because we can be getting brainwash without knowing it. This life might not be real like we think it is. The govt. can be taking controll over our life.



jovanny p.5
p.s. my comp was down, just got up now

Anonymous said...

Hi - My name is Natalie Trimmer and I'm a high school math teacher who is taking an online course about the power of collaborating with others online to learn in new ways! I am very impressed by your class blog and although I've only read Farenheit 451 (and not 1984), I find many of the comments of the students to be excellent and insightful. My husband teaches high school English and I can't wait to show your blog to him. He loves technology and has used Wiki in the past to collaborate with students.

I enjoyed Donovan's comment about being bothered that the book paints a future where there is little to no thought. I also enjoyed Jake's example about Clarisse's uncle being jailed for 2days for noticing the real world around him. How terrible it would be to live in a world where we stop noticing our surroundings and thinking for ourselves.

I hope your class continues to read the book with such good analysis!

I have posted a comment in my blog about how impressed I am with your site and the work of your students.
http://mrstaahs.wordpress.com/

-Natalie

Anonymous said...

I think the author of Fahrenheit 451 is trying to warn us about the government brainwashing us and making people in society careless and have meaningless conversations. "...thinking little at all, about nothing in particular."(4)This quote expresses the emptiness of people in the society. I think this relates to people's addiction for television and big events like the Superbowl because they forget about how bad our economy is and spend so much money during a show.

fardin
per 6

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