Personally I do not find Ray Bradbury that inspiring. Maybe it's because I don't get the bigger meaning of his books but I just don't get why people get so worked up over his books. Fahrenheit 451 and The Pedestrian were the only books of his that I have read and I do not plan on reading more any time soon.I guess they could be inspiring but I don't see it. I thought he could have made his books a little more exciting I mean I was falling asleep in class and had a hard time concentrating. Sorry to all the Ray fans out there.

Hi Sunshine64, and welcome to the board. Thanks for your honesty, and I'm sorry you don't get Bradbury. All I can suggest is that you try a few more of his short stories, as you may find there is something there that works for you. (Fahrenheit 451 and The Pedestrian are quite similar in style and setting. Maybe you would find a different style and setting interesting.)

I would recommend that you find the short stories called "The Crowd" and "The Lake", and possibly "Skeleton". If they don't work for you either, then Bradbury's not for you. You can find out where to locate these stories on my website (link below), and going to the Short Story Finder.

"80581" = the number of posts to date on this board since its inception. (I've been on hand for all).
1 TOTALLY "not in favor of Mr. B!"

0.000012368430817182224%
That a pretty good ratio, all things considered!

RE: "I just don't get why people get so worked up over his books. Fahrenheit 451 and The Pedestrian were the only books of his that I have read and I do not plan on reading more any time soon.I guess they could be inspiring but I don't see it. I thought he could have made his books a little more exciting I mean I was falling asleep in class and had a hard time concentrating....

-----------------------
Pink Floyd ~ The Wall
We don't need no education.
We don't need no thought control
No dark sarcasm in the classroom
Teachers leave them kids alone
Hey! Teachers! Leave them kids alone!
All in all it's just another brick in the wall.
All in all you're just another brick in the wall.

(The "teacher" in me took over...oops!)

quote:

Originally posted by fjp451:
"80581" = the number of posts to date on this board since its inception. (I've been on hand for all).
1 TOTALLY "not in favor of Mr. B!"

0.000012368430817182224%
That a pretty good ratio, all things considered!

Not counting a few so crudely worded they immediately disappeared.

I'm not quite sure I understand the connection between "The Wall" and Sunshine64's post. Are you attempting to show this student that she will become nothing more than another brick in the wall if she doesn't succumb to her education? Please help me understand your thought process.

Yes, Dandy! We sure had some raucous entries for that spell long ago. Strange! The old vanishing act taken into consideration, still some amazing results from all corners of the world.

I must say, these recent posts from student readers are a bit disconcerting! As an English teacher who taught over two hundred of his titles (in all genres and with kids for the most part captivated), I wonder what is going on ~ or maybe I already know. One needs to have an appreciation for the allusions, the author's metaphoric style, and the ultimate ironies that unfold. You can not simply push the buttons or slide a finger on the screen. That may be our dilemma.

Though tonight our younger son (13) took from my RB library a copy of F451 for reading on his own in study hall at school. As well he grabbed an edition of Illustrated Man to read before "lights out" in his room. He did this of his own accord. I am sure many questions will be forthcoming as he discovers Montag's relentless conflicts. And we'll very likely hear some drowsy utterances as he becomes terrified by the moving of those illustrations in his imagination!

It's really not that difficult! Just ask Albert Brock!

BYW, I am doing a three evening lit course at a nearby college. 24 have been slated for the RB readings, discussions, and short film viewings. There's still hope....think "To the Chicago Abyss!"

quote:

Originally posted by fjp451:
I must say, these recent posts from student readers are a bit disconcerting! As an English teacher who taught over two hundred of his titles (in all genres and with kids for the most part captivated), I wonder what is going on ~ or maybe I already know. One needs to have an appreciation for the allusions, the author's metaphoric style, and the ultimate ironies that unfold. You can not simply push the buttons or slide a finger on the screen. That may be our dilemma.

Yes, I have been completely taken aback--not by students simply not doing the reading and asking for answers--as everyone gets lazy and pressed for time sometimes--but at those who did the reading and claimed to not understand a word of it. I think you are onto something as far as the cause--too many Peters and Wendys used to the machines painting the pictures for them. Would the graphic novel versions help in these cases?

That is precisely why son #2 asked for a copy of F451 last night. He has read the graphic several times but now wants to know the whole story, page for page. He is an eighth grader.

Ironically, a "Bradbury Moment" rushes upon me! (I'll be right back...)
This is he, then 11yrs. old, (with Mrs. P) in '09 at the Glendale Bookstore(M&I) for RB's celebration: http://www.recordnet.com/apps/...0304&Template=photos *Photo#4 -reading a just signed RB F451 graphic novel.

So, Dandy, you may be on to something. Graphic novels are huge in today's youth market. Let's just hope they continue to put the words on the page with the pictures!

Butch, "Classics Illustrated" comics were often the "gateway drug" leading many of us 1950's youth into the Hard Stuff of real novels!


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classics_Illustrated

Absolutely, Ol' Pard! I can remember traveling back and forward in time by reading so many of these wonderful CI pieces of literature. You are correct, they sure did open the avenues and spark the interests. I really like to read of the inspiration young readers get, as expressed by "dandelion's prodigy" in a recent post! Great!

No longer in the classroom, I can only hope the torch is being carefully handled for passing along to light the way, rather than for the other use a flame may serve!

How are you doing, Friend!? Always enjoyable to share your keen thoughts when I mosey into town and find them tacked here at the old hitchin' post. I hope all is well as 2012 meanders its way into our lives...

Per Br II's reference ~ Here is a similar "bookmark" from a lit. lesson I happened to save:
fficial&prmd=imvns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&ei=tQIfT7mxOoHb0QHU7c0F&ved=0CCEQsAQ&biw=1124&bih=662" target="_blank">http://www.google.com/search?q...sAQ&biw=1124&bih=662

Recently i have read "Fahrenheit 451" and "The Pedestrian." I honestly have never been more confused in my life, which is strange because i read A LOT of books. I don't know what it is about these books, they just bore me. And even though it's kind of cool how he predicted the future in Fahrenheit 451, i still didn't find it very entertaining at all.

I remember "The Pedestrian" not being my favorite as a kid. I kind of scoffed at it, thinking, "Now he's really stretching." Was I surprised later on to learn this story was based on an actual occurrence in Ray Bradbury's life!

I just thought that "The Pedestrian" was a rather depressing book and it really didn't interest me at all. I understand the point he is trying to get acrossed, which is that pretty soon we are going to be completely isolated from the rest of the world. And i can actually see this happening, but i dont exactly feel the need to read and/or write about it. I also understand that these books weren't written recently which makes me wonder what made him think about it this way. It's not that i completely hated reading his books, it's just that i didnt completely understand half the things he was trying to say, which confused me a lot and made it really hard to keep reading.

Personally I feel that Mr. Bradbury is a good author. It is your opinion if you like or dislike him. Also, I feel as though none of us here have the right to judge him as a writer. Everyone writes differently and thats what makes reading so great. Finnally, Sunshine should be not critized if she feels that way. There is no reason to get so defensive about someones opinion.

On the other hand, I can see how his writing of Fahrenheit 451 can be difficult to understand because it was written in a different period of time. I am also a highschool student ,and I can see how a book written decades ago could be hard to comprehend. If I do say I love the technology aspect of the book though.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: VeryProvocative,

This is to Dandelion about how you asked if images would help us understand. It seemed as many of us were more confused by Fahrenhiet 451. I really do not think images would help. We watched the movie shorty after reading the book (yes, movies are very much different and we picked out the differences) but the movie didn't help at all. Even on the parts that were the same. Mostly all I got from this book was about how books are important, but didn't get much more. Yeah, I really didn't want to read the book, but just because I didn't want to read doesn't mean that I think he is a terrible author. Images don't always help though. As Bradbury is trying to portray, technology isn't always the answer.

Basically what I am trying to do is answer your question. Would images help.. no. I really don't think so. By the way, you are quite famous in our class. You're quite the topic at times!