Sunday, April 6, 2008
Mass Media--Is it taking control?
In context with the story, Bradbury really emphasizes the fact that media is the center of life. People center their lives around the TV. In part III people rely on the TV to tell them more news reportings about Montag's missing. When Mrs. Phelps is hearing Montag read poetry she is surprised and says "I thought that all special training these days was done by film" (97). Mrs Phelps has been trained to believe that only film can portray stories. Books themselves have been seen as a back door for unimaginable thinking. Is this type of thing occurring in our world?Looking at most high school students, they all love TV, wearing brand labeled clothing, and consistently using their cell phones. I notice that many people seem to be connected only by media. If media disappeared would our world be dull? What do you guys think? Do you agree or disagree with any of the statements I made? Why?
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I agree. I believe the modern world is very preoccupied with media. They need to watch tv or text on their cell phones. They need distraction so they won't have to think about what's important. Instead of contributing to society, all they do is consume. This is also true of F451's culture. A quote on page 150 relates to this: "Welcome back from the dead" (150). This is what Granger says to Montag. It means he survived the Hound chasing him, and it also means he is back to living people, people who have culture and depth. The majority of the people in F451, the ones he was with before, didn't do anything. They were very shallow and pathetic. They only watched tv. They voted for the best-looking president instead of the most qualified one. (Which I think happens today sometimes) They also don't care about their children. Mrs. Bowles says: "I put up with [my children] when the come home 3 days a month; it's not bad at all. You heave them into the 'parlor' and turn the switch. It's like washing clothes. [...]They'd just as soon kick as kiss me. Thank God I can kick back!" (96)
Instead of spending time with her children and building a relationship with them, she puts them in the parlor and has them watch tv. Then she compares that to doing laundry. They don't respect or love each other. And she's glad she's able to "kick back." What kind of person treats her children like that?
The people in F451 don't have lasting or genuine relationships, and they don't care if someone dies. Mrs. Phelps says "Pete and I always said, no tears, nothing like that. It's our third marriage each and we're independent. Be independent, we always said. He said, if I get killed off, you just go right ahead and don't cry, but get married again, and don't think of me" (95). Mrs. Phelps is on her third marriage. Relationships aren't meaningful to most of the people in F451. If her husband dies in war, she shouldn't even cry!
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