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!

Love To Know Slideshow

http://freelance-writing.lovetoknow.com/Slideshow:Daily_Writing_Prompts~1

What is your mood like when you wake up in the morning? Do you have any special rituals, such as reading the newspaper while enjoying a cup of coffee, that help you get ready for the responsibilities of the day?


On a school day, waking up in the morning isn't something I think about. I just do it. I don't wake up extra early to actually "wake up". I get out of bed and immediately take a shower. I don't have time to relax before I go to school, mostly because I want to get as much sleep as I can. When I'm at my moms though, I have a glass of cranberry juice just before the bus comes. On weekends, I'll have juice then tea with my breakfast :) I enjoy mornings (as long as I'm not starting the day with geometry...worst morning class). If mornings are bad, the rest of the day is bad, in my opinion. So, I try to be optimistic in the mornings. 

Creative Contest III

Sometimes Glee can make me glum.

TU Tuesday - Classified

http://timesunion.kaango.com/ad-photography-students-seeking-same-sex-married-couples-for-project/20516731

Photography students from the Fashion Institute of Technology in NYC are looking for same-sex married couples for a documentary photography/video project. If you are legally married as a result of the NY State Marriage Equality Act, we want to talk with you about participating in this project. Students will be traveling throughout the state during the months of April and May. Please send emails of interest to KEVIN_CAMPOS@FITNYC.EDU.

After making his coffee, Kevin took a seat at the kitchen table and opened up today's newspaper, just like any person would on an average day before work. He quickly noticed an ad in the paper, "Photography students from the Fashion Institute of Technology in NYC are looking for same-sex married couples for a documentary photography/video project". 

Kevin turned to his husband, Chris. "Will you look at this!" he said, enthusiastically. 

"What?" Chris saw the LGBTQ pride flag and groaned. "No."

"But-" Kevin wasn't surprised. "It's perfect. We're in Brooklyn, and they need a couple who is 'legally married as a result of the NY State Marriage Equality Act'."

"Nope. Not doing it." Chris was shy. He didn't want to make a big deal out of his marriage, anyways. It didn't need to be publicized. 

"But this is a great opportunity." Kevin didn't understand Chris when it came to the LGBTQ community, and how he shut down when they brought it up in a conversation.

"You don't understand, Kevin. There are people out there who do not support this and never will. I don't want it to destroy us. I know how you can take situations personally, you have to believe me on this."

And Kevin dropped it.

P = Pierogi

My moms side of the family has this tradition every Good Friday before Easter Sunday.  My aunt Suzy, my Nana, my Nana's friend Kathy, my mom and my sister all go to Suzy's house to cook for Easter dinner at my grandmas. Suzy makes the dough, I roll the dough, and everyone helps out filling the dough with sauerkraut and potatoes. I help my sister dye eggs and write everyone's names on them with the clear crayon. After using all the dough we can to make circles for the pierogis, we roll the extra dough, and fry them with butter. My great grandpa called them "babici" (best spelling I could think of, pronounced bah-bike-ee). They're delicious. One of the best parts of this day is when my grandma wears her apron that says "got pierogi?" and I wear my grandpas hat that says "You bet your dupa I'm Ukranian". My grandpa is 100% Ukranian and my grandma is 50% Ukranian and 50% Italian, so that's why we have this tradition with Easter and pierogis. It all started way back when. (Also, I was happy that my letter was P because it's the first thing I thought of.)

Recipe (passed down, not online ;) )
1 egg
1/4 cup veg. oil
warm/hot water
2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp salt

use mix master to make the dough
break 1 egg into 2 cup measuring cup, add 1/4 cup veg. oil, add enough warm/hot water to fill to 1 cup line

mix flour and salt in mixind bowl, add the egg/oil/water and mix while mixing the flour, add more flour until dough does not stick to your hands too much.

Next, you cut the dough into circles with a cutter, put in the sauerkraut or potatoes, dip your finger in water and rub it against the outside of one half of the circle, fold it, use a fork to close it but do not poke holes.

Then boil them or something!

Famous Poem Starters

But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep 
So I take what's left, and put it to rest
For now I know what cannot be undone
Is in my dreams from now on

Happily haunting itself away, until it is awakened

Day by day, the thoughts are never shaken

Following me from side to side

In my mind and almost out

Where I can finally spill the whereabouts 

Nursery Rhymes ARE Relevant to Life

http://www-personal.umich.edu/~pfa/dreamhouse/nursery/rhymes/dream.html


What did I dream?

I do not know;
The fragments fly like chaff.
Yet strange my mind

Was tickled so,
I cannot help but laugh.

I picked this nursery rhyme because almost every morning when I wake up, I can remember my dream. I remember them so often that I started to write them down. And they usually make sense, but I guess no ones dreams really do. I've tried to decode them to see if they mean anything, but it's all so random. I enjoy it, though. They do make me laugh. 

Turn your Inkblot into a Butterfly

When you try something new,

their can be overwhelming fear

But the fear can soon transform into something good

Sometimes you shouldn't go with your gut

to experience something new

even if you think it's a mistake

And then you soon realize,

the pain and fear turns into the time of your life

Something truly meaningful in your life

And that conquering your fears,

as a mistake,

can be actually fun.

Michael Janairo

http://www.timesunion.com/michaeljanairo/

http://www.timesunion.com/entertainment/article/Springsteen-show-delivers-joy-3489973.php

Michael Janairo is the Arts & Entertainment editor for the Times Union, and "previously worked as the copy desk chief for features and for the news side copy desk". I read his article on the Bruce Springsteen concert on April 16, 2012. Springsteen and the band "delivered a night of power, emotion and showmanship". Springsteen played many songs, but the "biggest thrills of the night" came from his album "Wrecking Ball". Springsteen's high energy allowed him to pull people of the audience to come up on stage, and he also stage-dived and crowd-surfed. Springsteen also brought up the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York, and "urged people to donate". "62-year old Springsteen [had] amazing energy and connection with his fans". In addition for to his work with the Times Union, Janairo writes fiction and nonfiction pieces "that have been published in literary magazines".

NYT Tuesday

An Attempt

An individual standing alone,
untouched and undefined,
spit them out like a bitter tonic,
with a blunt force.

He struck a certain anchor,
on his back with arms outstretched
on his route to happiness.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/08/movies/katniss-everdeen-a-new-type-of-woman-warrior.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1&ref=arts
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/05/arts/music/bruce-springsteen-and-the-e-street-band-at-the-izod-center.html?ref=arts
http://www.nytimes.com/pages/arts/index.html

Imagination Prompt

Did you have a close relationship with any of your grandparents? Tell about it.

Both of my fathers parents are no longer living, and I am very close with my mothers parents. But I feel like that is not the question the prompt is asking.

I had a close relationship with my fathers mother. Unfortunately, I did not get to meet his father. I called his mother Grammy. I remember going to her small house with one floor, with the kitchen and living room connected. She had slot mini machines, and puzzles everywhere. She also liked to play cards a lot. I remember trying to help her with her puzzles, because she used to babysit me and my cousin Taylor when we were small children. She moved into an apartment later on, and we ended up giving her my cat, Charlotte, because I was too allergic to hold on to her any longer. It was sad, because she was becoming very old and alone in this apartment that was in the oddest place in town. I didn't know what to feel when she was gone, but I'm glad I have our memories together. The smallest things will remind me of her.

O = Olive Garden

Olive Garden is an Italian restaurant located on Wolf Road in Colonie, NY. I've only been there once, and it was a few years ago with my friend Jackie. I remember waiting about fifteen minutes before getting seated, it was a little crowded. The service was very good overall, though. I don't remember waiting long for our food at all. They give you bread sticks before your meal, and they're delicious. I ordered the Lasagna Classico. It was a very average piece of lasagna. I'm not a food critic but I didn't see anything special about it. It was tasty, though. The menu is classic Italian food, but they also have a sub menu for beef and pork, filled pastas, chicken, fish and seafood, pizzas, soups and salads, and appetizers. The price of my lasagna was $13.95. I don't know, but I would say the prices aren't too bad. Since Olive Garden is on Wolf Road, it is close to many stores, like the Colonie Mall, and my favorite, the Guitar Center. I would recommend it if you like Italian food. I am not a big fan of Italian food, but I would not mind going to Olive Garden again.

The Book(s) That Changed My Life

One book that "changed my life" is Scar Tissue by Anthony Kiedis. Scar Tissue is an autobiography about Anthony Kiedis growing up and his journey with the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Red Hot Chili Peppers have always been a favorite band of mine, but I didn't know much about them. In fact, I saw the book in the music section at Barnes & Noble, and my aunt told me a little bit about it because she had read a review on it. I bought the book, and read it immediately. I really enjoyed it because I had read biographies on other artists, but this was different because it was straight from Anthony Kiedis' mind about his personal life. Kiedis has the kind of life that people will want to read about, I think that's why it was such a good book. He added humor when needed, but most of it was written in a serious tone. Reading this autobiography made me want to read more non-fiction books. Now, that's mostly what I enjoy reading (but I love a good fiction book to "escape from reality").

Bucket List

1). Visit the West Coast and live in California. I don't know, I find the West Coast more interesting, I'd like to go to Portland, Seattle, Berkeley, and of course Hollywood. I'd like to see where the movies started.

2). Play a gig. Anywhere, really. Whether it's solo or with a band. I want to know what it feels like to be up on that stage.

3). Visit friends in different places. I'd like to go to Florida to visit my friend Vanessa, and to Arizona to meet my friend Cohen! And on the way, maybe meet some new ones.

4). Make a film. I've always loved movies, watching them, and figuring out tricks to how they were filmed. I think that's why I enjoy horror movies the most. I don't care if  the movie I make is not a feature film, or if it's just a short, I just want to get the motivation to do something with this love.

5). Meet the Glee cast. I love these people. If I could get the chance to speak with any one of them, it would be an honor. They are truly inspiring.

6). Work at Amoeba. Amoeba is a record store in Berkeley, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, California. That would be a really fun part time job, I wonder what requirements you need to work there.

7). Gain more and more experience with the guitar. I'm at a point right now where it's difficult for me to improve. I feel like I'm stuck. I just want to get past this, and keep on improving.

8). Learn to play the drums. I know I play guitar, but the drums were the second instrument that I really wanted to learn how to play. My brother wanted to play also, so we got a drum set for Christmas one year. Neither of us really played them because we never knew how.

9). Have my own website. I'm not sure what kind of website, maybe a blog that people will want to read, or something interactive where people can communicate with each other. A fun website that people won't just visit once.

10). Do something with fashion! I love fashion, even though I don't express it much. Maybe pick out clothes for a character, or design some. Or even work at a clothing store, like Topshop or Urban Outfitters.