Fahrenheit 451 Analysis

10. Follow Montag's ideological progression. Where does it truly begin and what are the most important instances that spur its growth? Use specific examples from the text in your argument.

Montag's ideology changes in a big way over the course of the book Fahrenheit 451. In the beginning of the book, Montag likes his job as a fireman, and agrees with the policies that go with it. " He wanted above all, like the old joke, to shove a marshmallow on a stick in the furnace, while the flapping pigeon-winged books died on the porch and lawn of the house." (3). Then, he meets a girl named Clarisse McClellan, who thinks a lot differently than almost everyone else Montag has met. Clarisse asks Montag a question that really gets Montag to think about his life how it is. " Then she seemed to remember something and came back to look at him with wonder and curiosity 'Are you happy?' she said." (10). This question leads to Montag questioning everything that he believes in. " 'God, it's gotten big on me. I don't know what it is. I'm so damned unhappy, I'm so mad, and I don't know why. I feel like I'm putting on weight. I feel fat. I feel like I've been saving up a lot of things, and don't know what. I might even start reading books.' " (64).
 After reading these books, he feels that he has to make sure that they are preserved. He thinks of people that may be able to help him, and he thinks of an old man that he met in the park. " Montag went to his bedroom closet and flipped through his file-wallet to the heading: FUTURE INVESTIGATIONS (?). Fabers' name was there. He hadn't turned it in and he hadn't erased it." (75). He meets the old man, and he gives Montag a communication system to put in his ear so that Faber can stay safe in his home and still help Montag. Montag then tries to trick Beatty, the fire captain, by giving him only one book. It is not illegal for a fireman to take one book, so Montag thinks that as long as he turns one in, he will be off the hook. However, Beatty discovers him, and takes action against Montag's book collection. " 'Why,' said Montag slowly, 'we've stopped in front of my house' " (110). Then, because Beatty will destroy the books, and find Faber, Montag makes a big decision. " And then he (Beatty) was a shrieking blaze, a jumping, sprawling gibbering mannikin, no longer human or known, all writhing flame on the lawn as Montag shot one continuous pulse of liquid fire on him" (119). Montag goes from being completely happy with burning books, to killing Beatty to protect them. His views regarding books greatly changed over the course of the book.

TU Tuesday- Local

Article: http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Lawbeat-Capital-Region-crime-doesn-t-take-a-3593209.php

I read an article that said that "Schenectady County had the state's highest rate of index crimes, which cover murders, rapes, robberies, aggravated assaults, burglaries, larcenies and stolen cars." This is very serious, because these are crimes that are very threatening to the people living in these areas. These numbers get scarier when you compare them to areas known for the crime. " To put that in perspective, all three local counties showed higher crime rates than the Bronx (2,524.9), Brooklyn (2,345.6), Queens (1,779) and Staten Island (1,444.4)." These areas are notorious for their crime rates, and the fact that local counties have more crime than those areas is a very scary fact. However, the news isn't all negative for areas near where we live. "Saratoga County had the state's eighth-lowest index crime rate (1,393.1), 12th-lowest property crime rate (1,333.7), fifth lowest violent crime rate (59.4) and sixth-lowest violent gun crime rate (3.6)." It is nice to see that while we have some crime filled areas close by us, that there are still counties in the Capital region that know the right thing to do. While the number of crimes in areas like Albany and Schenectady may be scary, they are not the highest crime rate. "In both those categories, topping the list was Erie County, which includes Buffalo. Erie had a violent crime rate of 455.1 and violent gun crime rate of 125.1. Monroe County (93.2) was second in violent gun crimes." While we live by some crime filled areas, there are many different places that are worse, like Erie County near Buffalo.

5. I appreciate the military because…

I appreciate the military because…

they protect our country everyday, so that we can keep our rights and our customs. They sacrifice their lives, and spend time away from home, away from their families, so that America can remain the way it is. They fight for what is right, and protect the ideas and beliefs of America. I appreciate the military because I would not be able to live the way I do today if they did not fight for our rights. Their families sacrifice just as much, because while serving in the military, they are away from home, and away from their kids, but it is important for them to serve their country. I appreciate the military, because they make so many sacrifices for America.

What is Crippling Us?

In the article I read by John Taylor Gatto, he argues that organized school is not necessary for children to learn. " Do we really need school? 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? And if so, for what? Don't hide behind reading, writing, and arithmetic as a rationale, because 2 million happy homeschoolers have surely put that banal justification to rest." (Gatto). I disagree with this statement, because in my case, my parents work full time. I don't have a way to learn at home, so school is a way to gain knowledge. While I agree it is not the most entertaining part of my day, I still need to go learn things that I will need to know for college, and my future. Gatto also argues that schools should divide kids into different groups, for different criteria. " Modern, industrialized, compulsory schooling was to make a sort of surgical incision into the prospective unity of these underclasses. Divide children by subject, by age-grading, by constant rankings on tests, and by many other more subtle means, and it was unlikely that the ignorant mass of mankind, separated in childhood, would ever reintegrate into a dangerous whole." ( Gatto). I believe that schools in our area divide kids into the best extent possible. With regents, honors, and AP options for each class, the children in schools are divided into groups where everyone is close academically. Dividing the school system to a great extent would force school to become much more stressful for students, and it would just make life worse for students. Gatto wants to improve society, but his plan is going to lead to more stress, and a less active society. In the Ray Bradbury book Fahrenheit 451, he shows how he believes society is moving toward a world where written word is forbidden. " All the minor minor minorities with their navels to be kept clean. Authors, full of evil thoughts, lock up your typewriters." (Bradbury, 57). This line is saying that all minorities must be kept happy, and the only way to do that, and make sure nothing bad is said about them, is to stop authors' messages in books from getting out to the public. Bradbury also makes a comment, like Gatto, on the direction that school is moving. " ' School is shortened, discipline relaxed, philosophies, histories, languages dropped, English and spelling gradually gradually neglected, finally almost completely ignored. Life is immediate, the job counts, pleasure lies all about after work." ( Bradbury, 55). Bradbury also thinks that school is becoming more relaxed, and that discipline is no longer important in present society. I also disagree with Bradbury, because I think it is important for stress in life to be controlled. School is very competitive as it is, because you need good grades to get into a respected college and get a well paying job. While it makes for an entertaining story, I don't think many of the points in Fahrenheit 451 are relevant to today's society. 

Tried and True

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

If I had ten copies of myself, I would make each focus on a different aspect of my life. Many would focus on doing school work, like going to school during the day, and doing the homework. I would have one for each class of the day, so that each one is an expert on what they are working on. The next would focus on sports, that way, they can develop skills much faster because that is all that they are focusing on. I could have many different copies work on different sports, so that I have skills in many different sports. Another would be used for house work. The rest of the copies would be used to go places for me, for events that I do not want to go to. That way, I have all free time to hang out with my friends.

TU Tuesday Commencement Speech

Speech: http://news.stanford.edu/news/2005/june15/jobs-061505.html

Book: http://www.amazon.com/Outliers-Story-Success-Malcolm-Gladwell/dp/0316017922

The speech I chose was Steve Jobs' commencement speech to Stanford University. He talks about how he was successful, and what factors led him to the path he took. "have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary." I agree that it is very important to go with your gut, and do what you really think is the right option for you, because when you over think things, you may not be happy with the result. You also have to have an intention to be successful. "Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.". You have to go after what you want, but you have to stay yourself, and that is what Steve Jobs is saying with this quote.

In a complex or difficult situation, it is easy to just give up, but people who really want to be successful will keep trying to make it work." Don't lose faith. I'm convinced that the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did. You've got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work." Doing what you love, and enjoy doing, will help you be happy in your future. You have to like it, and also be very skilled at it to make a future out of it. Another story that explains the path to success is Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell. In his book, he talks about what work needs to make you happy and also prosperous. " Those three things - autonomy, complexity, and a connection between effort and reward - are, most people will agree, the three qualities that work has to have if it is to be satisfying." I find that this is true in a lot of cases. If you enjoy doing it, and it continues to challenge you, then it will make you happy in the future.

Steve Jobs says that you can't have a clear view of the results of your decisions, but you have to pick the right options for you. "you can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something — your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life." Trusting in yourself, and your instincts, will lead you down the path to success. You have to trust in yourself, and your decisions, that the end result will be what you want it to be. Belief in yourself is one of the most important things to have in order to be successful.

34 What I Spend Money On

Usually, when I spend my money, I have saved it up for a long time, in order to get something expensive. I have saved up for things like the Ipod touch, a new baseball glove, and other fun things, usually related to technology or sports. Now, I am saving up for a car, because unlike my other two brothers, I do not have a car waiting for me when I get my license. I will more than likely end up buying a used car, but whatever I can get will be great.