Table of Contents

Introduction 9

Chronology 11

Chapter 1 Background on Ray Bradbury

1 The Life of Ray Bradbury Gary K. Wolfe 15

With his eyes set on the past and themes highlighting ordinary life, Ray Bradbury is a truly unique science-fiction writer.

2 Ray Bradbury's Childhood and Ancestors Sam Weller 26

Ray Bradbury's idyllic hometown, colorful ancestors, and vast imagination have contributed to his extraordinary storytelling skills.

3 An Interview with Ray Bradbury Ray Bradbury John Geirland 33

Ray Bradbury's hopes for the future include the end of highways and the reemergence of cities like Paris.

Chapter 2 Fahrenheit 451 and Censorship

1 The Timeliness of Ray Bradbury's Criticism of Censorship Edward E. Eller 40

Fahrenheit 451's protests against censorship and conformity were a direct reflection of the time in which it was written.

2 The Dictatorship of American Censorship Erika Gottlieb 48

In Fahrenheit 451 Ray Bradbury points out that the masses can bring about dictatorships in societies.

3 The Cold War and Fahrenheit 451 Kevin Hoskinson 58

Although the Cold War halted progress and damaged society, works such as Fahrenheit 451 possibly helped to prevent a prolonged and more extreme era of mistrust.

4 Access to Books Is Important Charles P. Hamblen 72

By reading about censorship, students who do not easily identify with books can learn to recognize the importance of access to them.

5 Mock Book Burning Elicits Strong Feelings Robert Gardner 77

When students burned books as a classroom activity, reactions were mixed between excitement and disapproval.

6 Consumerism Makes Conformity Easy David Seed 82

Mass censorship is possible in Fahrenheit 451's society because consumerism had already erased history, uniqueness, and individuals.

7 A Mistake in Fahrenheit 451 Echoes Bradbury's Themes Joseph F. Brown 92

Ray Bradbury's appeal to readers to use their critical thinking skills regarding literature should include appeals to critically review Fahrenheit 451.

8 Fahrenheit 451 Comes Close to Describing the Future David T. Wright 97

The future used to be viewed as a time of clean cities and robot-controlled cars. But of all such visions, Ray Bradbury's prediction of censorship and destruction comes closest to the truth.

9 Fahrenheit 451 Teaches That Censorship Is Counterproductive Rodney A. Smolla 108

In Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury reminds readers that even if you can kill a book, you cannot kill its ideas.

Chapter 3 Contemporary Perspectives on Censorship

1 A Contemporary Book Banning Illuminates the Dangers of Censorship Fenice B. Boyd Nancy M. Bailey 116

Censorship is a very dangerous thing, but not all people see the harm in it. It prevents the learning of important lessons through dealing with uncomfortable topics.

2 School Censorship of Off-Campus Speech Julie Hilden 127

Public schools should not have the right to suspend students for their speech or actions off school property unless the action is a disruption to the school.

3 The Censoring of Students Amelia McDonell-Parry 133

High school students often disagree with administrators about what is and is not offensive, especially regarding what is appropriate to say and wear in school. Courts' opinions on this are mixed.

4 Censorship Is Sometimes Necessary Amelia Jimenez 139

When writing for high school newspapers, students sometimes must be censored. Censorship prevents the publication of offensive content and prepares youth to live in a politically correct society.

5 Governments Should Not Try to Censor the Internet Fons Tuinstra 142

The authoritarian governments of countries including China, Kenya, and Iran have attempted widespread Internet censorship. It is impossible to contain information now that it is generated by countless people and no longer controlled by a small group of media organizations.

For Further Discussion 147

For Further Reading 149

Bibliography 150

Index 154