F451 Background & Technology Quizizz

Fahrenheit 451: Background & Technology Lesson

01

Open Ended

Recall from your reading of the Introduction of Fahrenheit 451 by Neil Gaiman:

1. What relevant historical context impacted Bradbury’s perspective? (Give at least one piece of relevant history from your reading of the Introduction)

2. Can you think of anything else that was happening during this time period (1950s) that was not mentioned?

TODAY’S AGENDA:

SETTING THE

STAGE:

TECHNOLOGY
TO DISTRACT

WATCH &
DISCUSS:

ANIMAL FARM

SCENE

DEBRIEF &

DISCUSSION:
TECHNOLOGY
TO DISTRACT

01

02

03

04

INTRODUCTION
& BACKGROUND:
FAHRENHEIT 451

Background & Introduction:
Fahrenheit 451

01

Meet the Author: Ray Bradbury

● American Author

● August 22, 1920-June 5, 2012

● Texts typically include elements of poetic style, nostalgia, social criticism, and the dangers of runaway technology

● Wrote short stories, novels, and poems

Information retrieved from Britannica

“You don’t have to burn books to
destroy a culture, just get people
to stop reading them.”

-Ray Bradbury

Open Ended

How does the following quote by Ray Bradbury speak to his concerns regarding "runaway technology?"

“You don’t have to burn books to destroy a culture, just get people to stop reading them.” -Ray Bradbury

Meet the Text: Fahrenheit 451

● Published in 1953

● Futuristic society where books are forbidden and Guy Montag (protagonist)
is a "fireman" who’s job is to burn books

● Themes of anti-censorship and its defensive of literature during the
advancement of media technology

Information retrieved from Britannica

Continued…

Relevant Historical Context: 1950s

• Television

  • 1950 → 50,000,000 TV sets in the U. S.

  • Establishment of a mass audience

• Teen Culture

  • In the 1950s → the word “teenager” entered the
    American language

  • 1951 → “ROCK ‘N ROLL”

  • The “Beat” Generation

• Scientific Progress

  • 1951 -- First IBM Mainframe Computer

  • 1953 -- DNA Structure Discovered

  • 1957 -- First Commercial U. S. Nuclear Power Plant

The next slides cover historical context. Do some googling/research on any concepts you aren't familiar with.

Relevant Context to the Book:

Brainstorm:

Make one connection
between video &
historical context
we covered

Watch & Discuss:

Animal Farm
Scene

02

Edpuzzle

You can open this webpage in a new tab.

Copy link

Open in new tab

Open Ended

How do the pigs use the tv in this scene to serve as a distraction for the animals?

What impact does this have in relation to the milk and apples?

Debrief &
Discussion:

Technology to

Distract

04

Open Ended

1. Draw a parallel between Orwell’s use of technology in Animal Farm and Bradbury’s use of technology in Fahrenheit 451. How are they similar and different?

2. What does this suggest about the perspectives of both authors on technology? Do you agree with them? Why or why not?

Open Ended

Great work! What questions do you have?

Finished early?
Review your current assignments in Schoology and make sure you are up-to-date on submissions. Work on any late or missing work for the marking period.

Message Mrs. Bitner if you need to
make-up any assessments.