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I think that was in essence what Fahrenheit 451 was supposed to be about. That you lose information and knowledge and dreams and everything to time, to life to the world. But you gain more information and knowledge and dreams and everything as time, life and the world goes on.
For example, Montag loses his job (because of beginning distaste for it), his wife (her distance and their unfamiliarity with the other and lack of desire to truly know each other) and his home (to fire). But he realizes that none of that matters as long as he keeps moving, keeps picking himself up and keeps learning new things every day. He lost a lot in the span of a week, but he realized that what he lost wasn't who he was or who he desired to be.
I'm not going to lie and say I enjoyed reading Fahrenheit 451. As I have said before, I love reading and I chew through novels viciously. If this wasn't on the summer reading list, I would have probably picked it up myself sometime in the future. I have read many wonderful, beautifully crafted and written and imagined stories in my lifetime, and I had hoped Fahrenheit 451 would be one of them. But it wasn't. At least, not according to my standards.
There was no big unveiling. No shocker of an ending. No plot twists that were that twisty. The characters seemed underdeveloped and cloaked in too much mystery. The action sequences weren't excited and the oxymorons every other paragraph were killer. Descriptions and dialogue were a bit on the flat side. Situations did not make much sense half the time, seeing as the novel is narrated by Montag. A neither reliable or trustworthy guide.
I'm a writer, so I'm prone to being overly critical to literary works. But I have talked with others who have read the novel, and we seem to agree. When Fahrenheit 451 promised defiance and hope, it gave half-answered questions and a grim look at a possible future. This was not, as I had hoped, my kind of book.
Friday, July 30, 2010
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Burning Bright... To the End
This definitely wasn't how I imagined it to end. I mean, wasn't it sort of anticlimactic? Fahrenheit 451 is not exactly an exciting read, but I definitely thought the story's end would be faster paced, some intense action scenes (The running didn't cut it. It seemed like it was in his head most of the time.) and some serious confrontations. What could have been a thrilling conclusion failed. Strictly in my opinion, of course.
Okay, what was up with Montag's temper tantrum? He. Blew. Up. Beatty. With. A. Flame. Thrower. Now that wasn't morbid at all. I mean, Montag even tried to justify it by saying Beatty taught him "to burn the problem" and how Beatty was asking for it by provoking him. Those aren't good reasons to blow someone to pieces. And then killing the other two firemen, just for being there... That's horrible. I lost all respect for Guy Montag as a character in that moment.
The whole meeting with Faber in was just weird to me. They just sat there and seemed to give a summary of the last couple pages and drank alcohol. Nice. To give him credit, Faber did give Montag good advice about running away, but I'm pretty sure Montag could have figured that out for himself. Unless I totally over-estimate his character. Which is totally possible. Probably it makes sense (their meeting) but I just thought it rang on off-note upon my first reading. To each their own, I say.
Did I already address my disappointment with the big unveiling of the "rebellion"? No? Well, I was disappointed. A group of old men who camp outside of the cities that memorize books? And then burn them? That's blasphemy! That should be everything they are against! They're not helping civilization towards a lighter day, but spiraling it into a darker age! If the people who supposedly love books and literature and knowledge are adding to the flame themselves, then why should they expect anything different from others? Sure, they try to "preserve" books and novels by memorizing them, but that's not much. They're more likely to forget what the original works or screw them up in translation than help people with the knowledge. And they're not even trying to get other people to join them. They're not planning protests or gatherings. They're not questioning authority. They're bending the rules set in place for them. Some rebels they are. So much for beliefs.
Random Thoughts Whilst Reading:
- I can't believe the entire book happened in one week. It seemed like so much longer, or maybe it was just the slow pace.
- Poor random man who enjoys taking walks. See what your hothead and impulses get you, Montag? An innocent dead man.
- Why is Montag still hung up over Mildred? She's a good for nothing, self-absorbed, ignorant woman who rats her husband out. Great lady. I mean, it's natural for him to feel some attachment and feelings for her seeing as they were married for what? ten years? But to bring her up as much as I felt he did... Not necessary.
- I'm glad Mildred and those other annoying women told on Montag. If they didn't, well, you already read how I felt about that. I mean, I'm not glad that Montag was on the run, but at least this shows that Mildred's friends weren't completely incompetent.
- Why did Montag leave a book in the Black residence? Personal vengeance? Wanted to rid of the evidence? Closest firefighter? Maybe they explained it, but I'm not remembering.
- Mechanical Hounds sound insanely creepy. I hope never to come across one. Especially since it'd probably be the death of me.
- Was Beatty implying that Clarisse was a spy for him? Those few lines - "You weren't fooled by that little idiot's routine, were you? Flowers, butterflies, leaves, sunsets, oh, hell!... What trash What good did she ever do with all that?... Alone, hell! She chewed around you, didn't she?" - seemed to imply that Beatty knew far more about the girl. Perhaps he executed her, or gave the orders for her death, but it felt really suspicious to me.
Random pages bookmarked whilst reading:
- Page 115: "For everyone nowadays knows, absolutely is certain, that nothing will ever happen to me. Others die, I go on. There are no consequences and no responsibilities. Except that there are. But let's not talk about them, eh? By the time the consequences catch up with you, it's too late, isn't it, Montag?... What is there about fire that's so lovely? No matter what age we are, what draws us to it? It's perpetual motion; the thing man wanted to invent but never did. Or almost perpetual motion. If you let it go on, it'd burn our lifetimes out. What is fire? It's a mystery. Scientists give us gobbledegook about friction and molecules. But they don't really know. Its real beauty is that it destroys responsibility and consequences."
- Page 141: "The sun burnt every day. It burnt Time. The world rushed in a circle and turned on its axis and time was busy burning the years and people anyway, without any help from him. So if he burnt things with the firemen and the sun burnt Time, that meant that everything burnt! One of them had to stop burning. The sun wouldn't, certainly. So it looked as if it had to be Montag and the people he had worked with until a few short hours ago. Somewhere the saving and putting away had to begin again and someone had to do the saving and keeping, in one way or another..."
- Page 151: "All of us have photographic memories, but spend a lifetime learning how to block off the things that are really in there."
- Page 153: "But you can't make people listen. They have to come 'round in their own time, wondering what happened and why the world blew up under them. It can't last."
- Page 156: "Everyone must leave something behind when he dies, my grandfather said. A child or a book or a painting or a house or a wall built or a pair of shoes made. Or a garden planted. Something your hand touched some way so your soul has somewhere to go when you die, and when people look at that tree or that flower you planted, you're there. It doesn't matter what you do, he said, as long as you change something from the way it was before you touched it into something that's like you after you take your hands away."
Page 163-164: "You're not important. You're not anything. Someday the load we're carrying with us may help someone. But even when we had the books on hand, a long time ago, we didn't use what we got out of them. We went right on insulting the dead. We went right on spitting in the graves of all the poor ones who died before us.... And when they ask us what we're doing, you can say, We're remembering."
I said before I planned to have a final reflection of the overall novel, but upon reaching "the end" I found an afterword and coda. I haven't read those yet, but I'm doing that now and then I'll post my final reaction combined with those. Until then.
And since it said I needed an "advertisement" enjoy this:
Okay, what was up with Montag's temper tantrum? He. Blew. Up. Beatty. With. A. Flame. Thrower. Now that wasn't morbid at all. I mean, Montag even tried to justify it by saying Beatty taught him "to burn the problem" and how Beatty was asking for it by provoking him. Those aren't good reasons to blow someone to pieces. And then killing the other two firemen, just for being there... That's horrible. I lost all respect for Guy Montag as a character in that moment.
The whole meeting with Faber in was just weird to me. They just sat there and seemed to give a summary of the last couple pages and drank alcohol. Nice. To give him credit, Faber did give Montag good advice about running away, but I'm pretty sure Montag could have figured that out for himself. Unless I totally over-estimate his character. Which is totally possible. Probably it makes sense (their meeting) but I just thought it rang on off-note upon my first reading. To each their own, I say.
Did I already address my disappointment with the big unveiling of the "rebellion"? No? Well, I was disappointed. A group of old men who camp outside of the cities that memorize books? And then burn them? That's blasphemy! That should be everything they are against! They're not helping civilization towards a lighter day, but spiraling it into a darker age! If the people who supposedly love books and literature and knowledge are adding to the flame themselves, then why should they expect anything different from others? Sure, they try to "preserve" books and novels by memorizing them, but that's not much. They're more likely to forget what the original works or screw them up in translation than help people with the knowledge. And they're not even trying to get other people to join them. They're not planning protests or gatherings. They're not questioning authority. They're bending the rules set in place for them. Some rebels they are. So much for beliefs.
Random Thoughts Whilst Reading:
- I can't believe the entire book happened in one week. It seemed like so much longer, or maybe it was just the slow pace.
- Poor random man who enjoys taking walks. See what your hothead and impulses get you, Montag? An innocent dead man.
- Why is Montag still hung up over Mildred? She's a good for nothing, self-absorbed, ignorant woman who rats her husband out. Great lady. I mean, it's natural for him to feel some attachment and feelings for her seeing as they were married for what? ten years? But to bring her up as much as I felt he did... Not necessary.
- I'm glad Mildred and those other annoying women told on Montag. If they didn't, well, you already read how I felt about that. I mean, I'm not glad that Montag was on the run, but at least this shows that Mildred's friends weren't completely incompetent.
- Why did Montag leave a book in the Black residence? Personal vengeance? Wanted to rid of the evidence? Closest firefighter? Maybe they explained it, but I'm not remembering.
- Mechanical Hounds sound insanely creepy. I hope never to come across one. Especially since it'd probably be the death of me.
- Was Beatty implying that Clarisse was a spy for him? Those few lines - "You weren't fooled by that little idiot's routine, were you? Flowers, butterflies, leaves, sunsets, oh, hell!... What trash What good did she ever do with all that?... Alone, hell! She chewed around you, didn't she?" - seemed to imply that Beatty knew far more about the girl. Perhaps he executed her, or gave the orders for her death, but it felt really suspicious to me.
Random pages bookmarked whilst reading:
- Page 115: "For everyone nowadays knows, absolutely is certain, that nothing will ever happen to me. Others die, I go on. There are no consequences and no responsibilities. Except that there are. But let's not talk about them, eh? By the time the consequences catch up with you, it's too late, isn't it, Montag?... What is there about fire that's so lovely? No matter what age we are, what draws us to it? It's perpetual motion; the thing man wanted to invent but never did. Or almost perpetual motion. If you let it go on, it'd burn our lifetimes out. What is fire? It's a mystery. Scientists give us gobbledegook about friction and molecules. But they don't really know. Its real beauty is that it destroys responsibility and consequences."
- Page 141: "The sun burnt every day. It burnt Time. The world rushed in a circle and turned on its axis and time was busy burning the years and people anyway, without any help from him. So if he burnt things with the firemen and the sun burnt Time, that meant that everything burnt! One of them had to stop burning. The sun wouldn't, certainly. So it looked as if it had to be Montag and the people he had worked with until a few short hours ago. Somewhere the saving and putting away had to begin again and someone had to do the saving and keeping, in one way or another..."
- Page 151: "All of us have photographic memories, but spend a lifetime learning how to block off the things that are really in there."
- Page 153: "But you can't make people listen. They have to come 'round in their own time, wondering what happened and why the world blew up under them. It can't last."
- Page 156: "Everyone must leave something behind when he dies, my grandfather said. A child or a book or a painting or a house or a wall built or a pair of shoes made. Or a garden planted. Something your hand touched some way so your soul has somewhere to go when you die, and when people look at that tree or that flower you planted, you're there. It doesn't matter what you do, he said, as long as you change something from the way it was before you touched it into something that's like you after you take your hands away."
Page 163-164: "You're not important. You're not anything. Someday the load we're carrying with us may help someone. But even when we had the books on hand, a long time ago, we didn't use what we got out of them. We went right on insulting the dead. We went right on spitting in the graves of all the poor ones who died before us.... And when they ask us what we're doing, you can say, We're remembering."
I said before I planned to have a final reflection of the overall novel, but upon reaching "the end" I found an afterword and coda. I haven't read those yet, but I'm doing that now and then I'll post my final reaction combined with those. Until then.
And since it said I needed an "advertisement" enjoy this:
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
The Sieve and the Sand = A Metaphor
I think the metaphor used as this part's title pretty much sums up the entire book. "...if you read fast and read all, maybe some of the sand will stay in the sieve. But he read and the words fell through.." (page 78). I think this shows that Montag is beginning to learn the weight of his actions (burning books) and is trying to overcome them. He's coming to terms with something he's felt for a long time (that it's wrong), and he plans doing something about it even though it seems futile and impossible. But he's going to try because it's the right thing to do and because even if he never succeeds, he'll know he tried.
Faber. I'm not sure how I feel about him. I think he has the potential to be an awesome character, but right now, he's getting on my nerves. He's a scared old man who admits his weaknesses, but still refuses to face them. He hides behind too many things and needs to actually do something. It's great that he plans on aiding Montag, but I think he has to do more than just that. You want to be part of the rebellion? Then you can't stay in the background.
What was up with the blowup at Mildred and her friends, Montag? I know they're infuriating and completely clueless, but if you want to change the world (or get rid of the firefighters), you're going to have to learn how to control your fiery temper. It's pointless yelling at them, and you just make yourself look like an idiot. Control yourself next time, okay?
But something about that scene struck me as odd. I would imagine that, even though the women are gormless, they would have reacted a little more strongly to the sight of a book. If people's houses are being burned down with them in it for crying out loud, wouldn't the average person fear a book? Want to get away from it as fast as possible? Why would they act so calmly? And when Montag was on the train to Faber... wouldn't one of the passengers have noticed he had a book in his hand? Wouldn't they call the firefighters? Or police? What's up with that?
The firetruck pulling up at the Montag residence wasn't really that much of a surprise. It was interesting knowing that Captain Beatty knows so much and has read so much, but it wasn't actually shocking. Oh, well. I hope the next part is more exciting.
Random thoughts whilst reading:
- Clarisse is really dead, isn't she? Darn.
- It's kind of weird thinking about a world in which their are no copies of The Bible. It's the ultimate best-seller, and Christianity is the world's leading religion... It's just weird. I don't consider myself to be very religious, but I know we have at least two copies floating around my house.
- I want to ride one of those trains. They seem like fun.
- Why was "Denham's Dentifrice" repeating so many times? Is that supposed to mean something? Should I know what that means?
Pages I've bookmarked whilst reading:
- Page 71: "We cannot tell the precise moment when friendship is formed. As in filling a vessel drop by drop, there is at last a drop which makes it run over; so in a series of kindnesses there is at last one which makes the heart run over." Note: Quote is originally by James Boswell.
- Page 73: "Books aren't people. You read and I look all around, but there isn't anybody!"
- Page 75: "I don't talk things, sir. I talk the meaning of things. I sit here and know I'm alive."
- Page 84: "Number one, as I said: quality of information. Number two: leisure to digest it. And number three: the right to carry out actions based on what we learn from the interaction of the first two."
- Page 86: "Don't ask for guarantees. And don't look to be saved in any one thing, person, machine, or library. Do your own bit of saving, and if you drown, at least die knowing you were headed for the shore."
- Page 103: "He would be Montag-plus-Faber, fire plus water, and, then, one day, after everything had mixed and simmered and worked away in silence, there would be neither fire nor water, but wine. Out of two separate and opposite things, a third."
Up next: Burning Bright. Oooh. I wonder if they'll burn down Montag's house. Let's see, okay?
Faber. I'm not sure how I feel about him. I think he has the potential to be an awesome character, but right now, he's getting on my nerves. He's a scared old man who admits his weaknesses, but still refuses to face them. He hides behind too many things and needs to actually do something. It's great that he plans on aiding Montag, but I think he has to do more than just that. You want to be part of the rebellion? Then you can't stay in the background.
What was up with the blowup at Mildred and her friends, Montag? I know they're infuriating and completely clueless, but if you want to change the world (or get rid of the firefighters), you're going to have to learn how to control your fiery temper. It's pointless yelling at them, and you just make yourself look like an idiot. Control yourself next time, okay?
But something about that scene struck me as odd. I would imagine that, even though the women are gormless, they would have reacted a little more strongly to the sight of a book. If people's houses are being burned down with them in it for crying out loud, wouldn't the average person fear a book? Want to get away from it as fast as possible? Why would they act so calmly? And when Montag was on the train to Faber... wouldn't one of the passengers have noticed he had a book in his hand? Wouldn't they call the firefighters? Or police? What's up with that?
The firetruck pulling up at the Montag residence wasn't really that much of a surprise. It was interesting knowing that Captain Beatty knows so much and has read so much, but it wasn't actually shocking. Oh, well. I hope the next part is more exciting.
Random thoughts whilst reading:
- Clarisse is really dead, isn't she? Darn.
- It's kind of weird thinking about a world in which their are no copies of The Bible. It's the ultimate best-seller, and Christianity is the world's leading religion... It's just weird. I don't consider myself to be very religious, but I know we have at least two copies floating around my house.
- I want to ride one of those trains. They seem like fun.
- Why was "Denham's Dentifrice" repeating so many times? Is that supposed to mean something? Should I know what that means?
Pages I've bookmarked whilst reading:
- Page 71: "We cannot tell the precise moment when friendship is formed. As in filling a vessel drop by drop, there is at last a drop which makes it run over; so in a series of kindnesses there is at last one which makes the heart run over." Note: Quote is originally by James Boswell.
- Page 73: "Books aren't people. You read and I look all around, but there isn't anybody!"
- Page 75: "I don't talk things, sir. I talk the meaning of things. I sit here and know I'm alive."
- Page 84: "Number one, as I said: quality of information. Number two: leisure to digest it. And number three: the right to carry out actions based on what we learn from the interaction of the first two."
- Page 86: "Don't ask for guarantees. And don't look to be saved in any one thing, person, machine, or library. Do your own bit of saving, and if you drown, at least die knowing you were headed for the shore."
- Page 103: "He would be Montag-plus-Faber, fire plus water, and, then, one day, after everything had mixed and simmered and worked away in silence, there would be neither fire nor water, but wine. Out of two separate and opposite things, a third."
Up next: Burning Bright. Oooh. I wonder if they'll burn down Montag's house. Let's see, okay?
Friday, July 16, 2010
The Hearth and the Salamander Really Isn't A Good Title
I’ve been putting this off way too long. I actually finished part one, “The Hearth and the Salamander” about a week ago, and… I failed. Here’s my uh, reaction I guess?
So I'm a third done of the novel so far. Some of my most pressing questions have been answered (Why do they burn books, more on that later) and the story is starting to come into itself. I'm not going to say I like it just yet, but it's growing on me. Not the most exciting read by a long shot, but it definitely gives the reader something to... ponder.
Can I just say how awesome Clarisse McClellan is? She should be the definition of a foil character. She makes everything else seem dim and pale in comparison to her inner strength, creativity, imagination and beauty. She reminds me a bit of Luna Lovegood from Harry Potter - considered "oddballs" and looked down upon for their unconventional thoughts and behavior - and Laura Ingalls from Little House on the Prairie - always speaking up and getting into mischief. If she is as dead as Mildred claims she is, I will definitely be disappointed. As it is, I feel there is something fishy about her "death" and am holding out hope that she'll pop in announcing that she visited her great-grandmother or something.
Moving onto more important matters: the future. I don't like it. If what Ray Bradbury is suggesting actually comes true, I know I will definitely be one of those kids who ends up dead from all the fighting that teenagers apparently do. I'm weird enough as it is, and like Clarisse, I'd probably have a big "X" over my forehead before long. Hey, it's not my fault I like to daydream. It's their fault for not wanting to join me.
Moving on to even more important matters: why they burn books. I can't say I'm surprised with their logic; it even makes sense in some situations. You see in everywhere: People in charge don't want an uprising/rebellion, so they take away the tools necessary for one and create a false world where everything seems perfect so they (common folks) don't have a need for questioning authority. I'm not saying it's right, but I do believe that the people who run Montag's world originally started the book burning to try to make their people happy. Knowledge is said to be power, and sometimes certain people are better off without power. There is a reason that we, as a people, don't know state and government secrets. It lets us lead our lives without worrying about them. But to take away all knowledge (power) is like a slap to our intelligence. We can't be trusted with information, so we get nothing at all. It's no wonder the people who populate Montag's world are brainless bobble-heads.
Random thoughts whilst reading:
- Mildred is a boring character. I hope she does something redeeming or leaves/dies. So far, she's added nothing to the plot besides try and kill herself.
- Billboards are 200 feet long?!? Cool.
- Significance of the Hound please? I still don't know entirely what's going on with that... thing.
- If books are forbidden, how do people read? Why teach them to read if they aren't allowed books? So they can know when it's a red light? What fancy new product to buy? Something just isn't adding up here.
- Why is everyone so clueless? I mean, I know times have changed, but you'd think there would be more people like Clarisse. And more people who notice normal, everyday things like dew on the grass or the moon's shadows and whatnot. It's not exactly rocket science, people.
- Why does Ray Bradbury use so many oxymorons? (ie, "The Mechanical Hound slept but did not sleep, lived but did not live..." [page 24]). It's. So. Confusing.
- I liked the Benjamin Franklin = First Fireman reference. Ironically (and that's what I assume the author was going for), Mr. Franklin encouraged they start a fire-fighting club in Philadelphia like they had in Boston. To prevent fires, not start them. But then again, you knew that right?
- I knew there was something weird about that air conditioner! It didn't make sense for Guy to rant and go on about it if it was just an ordinary one. But full of illicit books? Not what I had in mind. I applaud him for his courage, or actually, his naivete. He's not exactly heroic, is he? He takes books even though he knows it's wrong (according to society and the law), but he doesn't do anything with them. So, he's not courageous. He's more like a child who can't help himself. He wants to read, he wants to know what's inside the covers of the forbidden books, but he's too scared to. I'm glad he's finally doing something about that fear.
- Guy Montag is going to start a rebellion. I can feel it.
Pages I've bookmarked whilst reading:
- Page 44: "And he remembered thinking then that if she died, he was certain he wouldn't cry. For it would be the dying of an unknown, a street face, a newspaper image, and it was suddenly so very wrong that he had begun to cry, not at death but at the thought of not crying at death..."
- Page 58: "We must all be alike. Not everyone born free and equal, as the Constitution says, but everyone made equal. Each man the image of every other; then all are happy, for there are no mountains to make them cower, to judge themselves against."
Things I plan on keeping in mind when reading part two:
- Please tell me they go through with reading the books. If they don't, that will be a major letdown.
- I wonder if they'll read anything real (ie, something we know. Like a classic.) or if Ray Bradbury will make a bunch of books up. I'm leaning on the first.
- Is Mildred going to stay? Or is she jumping out of there the first chance she gets? And if she leaves... will she tell?
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Thoughts To Think On
When I came up with the idea to do a "prequel" type of thing (aka write a quick analysis on what I think the book will be about) I admit, I cheated. See, I've already read about fifteen pages, but I still have no idea what's really going on. So, without further ado, here's my pre-reading reaction.
I'm firmly against censorship of books and literature. As a heavy reader since childhood, I revel in the written world. Trying to imagine a place where I was forbidden to pick up a copy of whatever I fancy reading at a certain time is unimaginable. As a writer, I can't help but imagine the feelings that would come with, "Someone decided your novel was inappropriate/offensive/bad in some way or another and they decided that people can't read it." If you put all that work into something, enough that you're proud of it and want others to read it, it would totally suck to find out that's not possible. Who are we to say what others can and cannot read? Or write? Books and literature should be open for everyone. It's one thing if a parent thinks something is unsuitable for their young children to read, but it's another to outright ban or censor a book. Plus, it usually has the opposite effect than desired. When people find out they cannot do something, they want to do it that much more. Enough with this banning and censoring babbling; I think you get my point.
Futuristic things have always fascinated me. Perhaps it is the idea of the unknown, the great what-if. When I was around ten, I played this game. Everyday, I would think of a time in my near future. Next week during an exam, so-and-so's birthday party on Saturday, the impending release from school. I'd picture myself then and there, and who I would be. Would I be different? What would, what could happen between then and now? And when I actually got to those events, I was usually disappointed. The "future" I thought for myself had little to do with what actually happened on those given days. But nonetheless, I love the idea of the future. My favorite genre of books and movies and television is without a doubt science-fiction. I love stuff that has a way of showing one way that things could happen in the days to come.
Besides the futuristic setting and basis on banning/censoring books, I'm not sure what else this novel plans to be about. I'm betting on some interesting relationships between characters, some serious drama, perhaps a rebellion/battle. I'm interested to keep reading, and I will.
As for the layout of this thing, I plan on having three posts for each part of the book. I'll have a reflection post for when I finish; look back on the story. So until then, why don't you pull out your copy of Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury? Read along with me. I dare you to.
I'm firmly against censorship of books and literature. As a heavy reader since childhood, I revel in the written world. Trying to imagine a place where I was forbidden to pick up a copy of whatever I fancy reading at a certain time is unimaginable. As a writer, I can't help but imagine the feelings that would come with, "Someone decided your novel was inappropriate/offensive/bad in some way or another and they decided that people can't read it." If you put all that work into something, enough that you're proud of it and want others to read it, it would totally suck to find out that's not possible. Who are we to say what others can and cannot read? Or write? Books and literature should be open for everyone. It's one thing if a parent thinks something is unsuitable for their young children to read, but it's another to outright ban or censor a book. Plus, it usually has the opposite effect than desired. When people find out they cannot do something, they want to do it that much more. Enough with this banning and censoring babbling; I think you get my point.
Futuristic things have always fascinated me. Perhaps it is the idea of the unknown, the great what-if. When I was around ten, I played this game. Everyday, I would think of a time in my near future. Next week during an exam, so-and-so's birthday party on Saturday, the impending release from school. I'd picture myself then and there, and who I would be. Would I be different? What would, what could happen between then and now? And when I actually got to those events, I was usually disappointed. The "future" I thought for myself had little to do with what actually happened on those given days. But nonetheless, I love the idea of the future. My favorite genre of books and movies and television is without a doubt science-fiction. I love stuff that has a way of showing one way that things could happen in the days to come.
Besides the futuristic setting and basis on banning/censoring books, I'm not sure what else this novel plans to be about. I'm betting on some interesting relationships between characters, some serious drama, perhaps a rebellion/battle. I'm interested to keep reading, and I will.
As for the layout of this thing, I plan on having three posts for each part of the book. I'll have a reflection post for when I finish; look back on the story. So until then, why don't you pull out your copy of Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury? Read along with me. I dare you to.
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