Context:
Upon my return to Sentinel Secondary later this month, I will have the opportunity to lead a novel study of Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 with two English 11 classes. In preparation for this unit, I plan to embark on an inquiry project that will give me insight into and knowledge about historical and modern cases of censorship – a theme that features prominently in the novel. I will use what I learn to enhance the study of the novel for my students by increasing my ability to answer their questions and finding connections I can make for students between Fahrenheit 451 and their own lives.
Research Question:
To state my proposed area of research more precisely, I plan to embark on this inquiry with the following two questions in mind: “what parallels can be drawn between the censorship in Ray Bradbury’s fictional world in Fahrenheit 451 and historical and modern instances of censorship?” and, “does having a better understanding of historical and modern censorship enhance the study of a highly censored fictional world?” Knowing the answers to these questions will help me improve students’ understanding and enjoyment of the novel and – I think – enable me to provide a richer, more meaningful experience for my grade 11s this spring.
Note: As a supplementary source of information, I will review literary criticisms of Bradbury that delve into his extensive use of symbolism and figurative language. This could lead to a discussion with students about methods that have been used to publish subversive material in totalitarian regimes, and a continuation of discussion on a text they’re already connecting to Fahrenheit 451: Plato’s Allegory of the Cave.
Resources to be consulted:
Baez, Fernando. A Universal History of the Destruction of Books. New York: Atlas, 2008.
“Bannings and Burnings in History.” Freedom to Read. Canada Council for the Arts. 2009. Web. 5 Jan. 2013.
Canada Council for the Arts. Challenged Books and Magazines List, February 2012. 2009. PDF. 5 Jan. 2013. <http://www.freedomtoread.ca/docs/challenged_books_and_magazines_february_2012.pdf>
Finklestein, David and Alistair McCleery. An Introduction to Book History. New York: Routledge, 2005.
Kreider, Tim. “Uncle Ray’s Dystopia.” The New York Times 8 June 2012. Web. <http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/08/opinion/uncle-rays-dystopia.html>
Swaim, Don. Interview with Ray Bradbury. May 1992. MP3. <http://www.wiredforbooks.org/raybradbury/>
White, Harry. Anatomy of Censorship: Why the Censors Have it Wrong. Maryland: University Press of America, 1997.