Fahrenheit 451 Analysis

13. Discuss Montag's relationship with Mildred. Is this a typical marital relationship in their culture? Discuss the role of family in the characters' lives, particularly in relation to the TV parlor "families" and their nature and function. Explain using specific examples from the text in your argument.

From the beginning of the book, Fahrenheit 451, I could tell that Montag and Mildred do not have a normal marriage. Mildred seemed very different from Montag, from the moment she first spoke in the book. Mildred is so invested in her TV parlor families that it seems like she doesn't care for Montag that much at all. "How long you figure before we save up and get the fourth wall torn out and a fourth wall-TV put in? It's only two thousand dollars." (pg. 20) Mildred doesn't care that it's one-third of Montag's yearly pay. I think Mildred cares more about the TV walls than she does Montag himself. The TV walls have digital people in them, that you can interact with, almost as if they were in your house. Mildred considers them her family. "Well, wasn't there a wall between him and Mildred, when you came down to it? Literally not just one wall but, so far, three! And expensive, too! And the uncles, the aunts, the cousins, the nieces, the nephews, that lived in those walls, the gibbering pack of tree apes that said nothing, nothing, nothing, and said it loud, loud, loud." (pg. 44) It is obvious that Montag does not care for the TV walls. I think that Mildred likes the TVs because it gives her a chance to escape and something to focus on. Mildred  acts like she has mental problems, and I think that's why she's so addicted to the TVs.

I also think that they do not have a typical martial relationship because neither of them remember where they met (not including Montag's realization at the end of the book). You marry someone because you're in love with them, and I think it's odd to not remember where you meet the love of your life. Not only do they not remember, but Mildred says "it doesn't matter." (pg. 43)

When Montag starts to feel guilty about burning books, and how he had to burn down the womans house with her in it, Mildred did not hold the same concern. Mildred says, "she's nothing to me; she shouldn't have had books. It was her responsibility, she should've thought of that. I hate her. She's got you going and next thing you know, we'll be out, no house, no job, nothing. " (pg. 51) And when Montag tries to explain the importance of the books, Mildred doesn't understand. I think they don't fit well together as a couple.

Towards the end of the book, it's clear that they don't care about each other. When Montag is talking to Granger, he says "it's strange, I don't miss her, it's strange I don't feel much of anything. Even if she dies, I realized a moment ago, I don't think I'll feel sad." (pg. 155) And I think Mildred feels the same way about Montag, because she reported him for having books in the house, even though it's her own house and her husband. "'Was it my wife turned in the alarm?' Beatty nodded." (pg. 117)

Guy and Mildred Montag did not have a typical marital relationship. Their relationship is very strange, even for their culture.

Tu Tuesday - Local

Kayla Treanor is a senoir at Niskayuna High School. Treanor plays for Niskayunas girl's Varsity Lacrosse team as a midfielder. Treanor "has been invited to try out for the 2012-14 U.S. Women's National Lacrosse Team." This is huge for Treanor, because she will be "playing against the best college players to the best players to ever play the game." Treanor says she is "excited and honored" to be a part of it. In the past, Treanor has also played for the "under-19 U.S. National Team in the World Championships last summer in Hanover, Germany."  It's great to see girls from the area become so successful with lacrosse. I wonder if anyone from Guilderland has ever been invited in the past. Congratulations to Kayla Treanor.

(And good job at beating Guilderland at Sectionals last year. You got lucky.)

http://www.timesunion.com/sports/article/Treanor-trying-for-U-S-team-3518795.php

4. Are there any veterans in your family?

I have one veteran in my family, and it's my Uncle Bob. He's my fathers brother. I'm not exactly sure what he does in the military, because my parents always said it was a secret. He spent a long time in Iraq, and he now lives in Pennsylvania. He loves it there, even though all of his family is in New York. He comes here on Christmas Eve, and random weeks. I saw him the other day at my aunts, it was nice to celebrate some of Memorial Day weekend with him.

What is Crippling Us?

John Taylor Gatto asks the question, "do we really need school?" Gatto believes that school is ruining kids, and that we don't really need it. Although, that doesn't mean we don't need an education. " I don't mean education, just forced schooling: six classes a day, five days a week, nine months a year, for twelve years. Is this deadly routine really necessary?" This reminds me of Ray Bradbury's thoughts in Fahrenheit 451 because of how the government thinks that they don't need books. They still know how to read and write, and they read certain things, but books are not necessary. Captain Beatty reminds me of Gatto. "I've read a few books in my time, to know what I was about, and the books say nothing!" (pg. 62) Also, how Gatto says school states that school is boring and Beatty says that "...our civilization is so vast that we can't have our minorities upset and stirred." (pg. 58) They both state the reason for why those things shouldn't exist. Obviously, in Fahrenheit 451, life without books is pointless. And school. Their claims make sense and good points, but it is useless to try and persuade that school is not necessary (and I hate routine). Along with books as well, even though it is a fictional story. 

Tried and True

http://writingprompts.tumblr.com/post/17477297690/my-28-most-tried-and-true-writing-prompts



George Harrison and Amy Poehler

I chose George Harrison because he could teach me his ways of guitar playing, and I'd most likely automatically have a recording contract of some sort. I'd get to meet all Beatles and hopefully play something with them if I'm not too young. It'd be weird if I looked like the female version of him, though.

I chose Amy Poehler because she is hilarious and I would love to be as funny as her. Maybe if she was my mom, it would rub off. And I could be blonde. Hopefully. Everyday would be a fun day. If I was lucky, I could possibly become best friends with Aubrey Plaza. Even more fun.

Commencement Speech

"I know it provides the ultimate experience in higher learning and according to the movies, I know it is filled with people who get rich either by inventing things or sueing the people who they claim stole their invention. Let me be clear. I believe everything I see in movies." Amy Poehler is my favorite female comedian, and on May 25, 2011, she spoke for Harvard's graduating class of 2011. "All I can tell you today is what I have learned", said Poehler, despite her jokes. " As you navigate through the rest of your life, be open to collaboration. Other people and other people's ideas are often better than your own." I agree with that quote extremely. Influence is important. Other people's ideas can benefit you and even change your life. "I cannot stress enough that the answer to a lot of your life's questions is often in someone else's face". Poehler makes a several points about being involved with the people around you. "So I will end with this quote: Heyah, Heyah, Heyah, Heyah, Heyah, heyah, heyah, heyah, alright alright alright, alright, alright. The group: Outcast; the song: Heyah. The lyrics: nonsense. I'm sorry it was really late when I wrote this." (This is why Amy Poehler is my favorite).

http://www.sweetspeeches.com/s/2030-amy-poehler-2011-commencement-address-at-the-harvard-university 

If I Were A Television Producer

I would contact Ryan Murphy ASAP, and convince him to continue American Horror Story. I would love to work with him on anything. I'd like to write a bit. I'd get to know people in the industry and maybe start a new show with someone. I'd need to hire writers, a director, etc... Anything in the television industry would be a dream. Any type of horror show I'd like to produce. Comedy, maybe. But I feel like there are so many comedy shows nowadays, and none of them are all that great because the ideas are just not original. Comedy seems like the most difficult to write, though. Parks and Recreation and 30 Rock are probably the best written comedies on TV. Off topic, but maybe I could try to stop Nickelodeon and Disney from airing some inappropriate scenes. On Disney there has been eating disorder jokes, and on Nickelodeon there is a lot of sexual innuendos. It's weird because my little sister is watching it, and it's like, I didn't know that as a kid!