FAHRENHEIT 451 - RAY BRADBURY

Fahrenheit 451, dystopian novel, first published in 1953, that is regarded as

perhaps the greatest work by American author Ray Bradbury and has been praised for its stance against censorship and its defense of literature as necessary both to the humanity of individuals and to civilization.

A film adaptation written and directed by Francois Truffaut and starring Oskar

Werner and Julie Christie was released in 1966.

Also there was another film adaptation directed by Ramin Bahrani and starring Michael B. Jordan, Michael Shannon, Sofia Boutella, and Lilly Singh was released in 2018 for HBO.

The title page of the book explains the title as follows: Fahrenheit 451—The temperature at which book paper catches fire and burns.... On inquiring about the temperature at which paper would catch fire, Bradbury had been told that 451 °F (233 °C) was the auto-ignition temperature of paper.In various studies, scientists have placed the auto-ignition temperature at a range of temperatures between 424 and 475 °F (218 and 246 °C), depending on the type of paper.

Ray Bradbury's prediction was that at the current context usage of Book in paper form will cease to exist and electronic devices will substitute the paper book.

The smartphone, Tablets and Kindle have changed our daily routine.

The electronic gadgets like Apple iPad, Amazon Kindle and other E-books are

largely in use now.

Ray Bradbury, (born Aug. 22, 1920, Waukegan, Ill., U.S.—died June 5, 2012, Los Angeles, Calif.). U.S. author Bradbury is best known for highly imaginative science-fiction stories and novels that blend social criticism with an awareness of the hazards of runaway technology. The Martian Chronicles (1950; television miniseries, 1980) is considered a science-fiction classic. His other short-story collections include The Illustrated Man (1951; film, 1969), The October Country (1955), I Sing the Body Electric! (1969; teleplay, 1981), and Quicker Than the Eye (1996). Among his novels are Fahrenheit 451 (1953; film, 1966); Dandelion Wine (1957; film, 1997) and its sequel, Farewell Summer (2006); and Death Is a Lonely Business (1985).

Fahrenheit 451’s arguments in favour of literature and critical thinking and against

censorship and blind conformity have continued to resonate since the book’s first

appearance, and it has been adapted into films—including Franƈois Truffaut’s 1966

classic—plays, and a graphic novel. Match to Flame: The Fictional Paths to

Fahrenheit 451 (2006) is a collection of Bradbury’s earlier writings on similar

themes, the most notable of which was the novella “The Fireman,” published in

1951 in the magazine "Galaxy Science Fiction".

The modern electronic gadgets that would replace book paper are Apple iPad,

Amazon Kindle, Tablets, E-Books etc.

A new version of Apple iPad had been released on 26th October, 2022.

Amazon Kindle is a series of e-readers designed and marketed by Amazon.

Amazon Kindle devices enable users to browse, buy, download and read e-books,

newspapers, magazines and other digital media via wireless networking to the

Kindle Store.

Several E-Books are available now which would have more readers than the

print paper(pulp) in future. It was not so many years ago Black & White TV, CD,

VCD etc. was in use. Digital media is fast growing and gaining

momentum with patrons. E-readers are sky-rocketing more than ever before.

The digital / electronic revolution is definitely happening in a fast phased manner.

One can re-collect that the Smart TV, Laptop Computer, Hi-Tech Mobiles

and other small and large inventions how quickly changed our lives.

The benefits of Electronics media :

Speedy transmission: It requires only a few seconds to communicate through

electronic media because it supports quick transmission. Wide coverage: The

world has become a global village and communication around the globe requires

only a second. Low cost: Electronic communication saves time and money.

In the 21st century we will witness a sea change of digital media which will catapult

to the sky. By saying that I am not exaggerating the trend-setter which we have

already witnessed.

The primary electronic media sources familiar to the general public are video

recordings, audio recordings, multimedia presentations, slide presentations,

CD-ROM and online content.

Electronic media refers to all means of sharing information, except the print media,

such as radio, television, internet etc. It is a media that can be shared on

electronic devices for the audience viewing and can be broadcasted to the

wider population.

Fahrenheit 451 - (The Book) -

The story takes place in an unspecified city in a distant future. The protagonist, Guy

Montag, is a fireman whose job is to burn down houses in which books have been

discovered. After leaving work one day, he meets Clarisse, a teen-aged girl who

enjoys nature and asks if he is happy. At home, he finds that his wife, Mildred, has

swallowed a bottle of sleeping pills in a suicide attempt. After he calls for help, two

men arrive and revive her. The next morning, she behaves as though nothing

happened and watches as usual the programs on the television screens that make

up three of the parlour walls. Montag and the cheerful Clarisse begin talking

regularly, until one day she is not outside waiting for him; he eventually learns that

she was killed by a speeding car. Later, when the firemen are sent to burn down

the house of an elderly woman, Montag takes her Bible—an act that he thinks his

hand has undertaken on its own—and the woman chooses to die with her books.

Montag begins to have doubts about his mission, and the next day he stays home

from work.

Firehouse leader Captain Beatty goes to Montag in order to convince him that the fireman’s job is important. He explains that people began to lose interest in reading after the advent of television and that objections to some passages in books by interest groups and minorities led to censorship. Eventually it was felt that books and learning in general created inequality and unhappiness, and so books were banned. After Beatty leaves, Montag reveals to Mildred that he has hidden several books in the house. They begin reading, but he finds the books hard to understand, and Mildred prefers TV.

Montag remembers that he has the phone number and address of a retired English professor, Faber. Thinking that he may have the last printed copy of the Bible, Montag heads to Faber’s home while trying to memorize passages from the work. Montag asks Faber to teach him to understand books, and Faber agrees. When Montag arrives home, Mildred is watching TV with two friends, one of whom announces that her husband has been drafted to fight in the current war. Montag attempts to engage the women in conversation about their lives and politics. When he begins reading aloud from a poetry collection, one of Mildred’s friends begins crying, while the other is angered, saying that this is why books are banned.

The next day at work, Montag and the other firemen go out on a call, and it turns out that it is Montag’s house that is to be burned down. Montag is informed that Mildred was the one who reported him, and she leaves in a taxi without talking to her husband. After Captain Beatty orders Montag to burn the house down, he obeys and then turns the flamethrower on Beatty, killing him. He flees to Faber’s home, and the retired professor tells him that he can escape by following railroad lines to the countryside. Montag evades the intensive manhunt and later encounters a group of men sitting around a bonfire. Their leader, Granger, tells him that each of them has memorized a book in hopes of using the knowledge to rebuild society. They then watch as bombs destroy the city. Afterward the men head back to the city to begin the task of starting civilization anew....... THE END.

I am an ardent book lover. I have read thousands of books in my teens and proud of my home library with collector's issue of books. However, our lives and future lies in the technology which is transforming our daily routine.

With the clock ticking 7.30 am, we used to get the milk packets and daily

newspapers delivered at our doorsteps. Such was the scenario until the

technological disruptions, internet and smartphone penetrations.

The major growth drivers behind the ever-expanding digital media are

accessibility and affordability of the internet,
penetration of reader-friendly devices like smartphone, tablets, kindle etc,
the convenience of the readers, in the sense that the readers can read it anywhere anytime
and the rising gadget obsession to some extent.

Will electronic media replace print media?

The print media is walking rather gingerly in recent times with readers shifting towards the digital media. Ebooks, epapers, online news platforms,

Kindle etc. are gaining momentum without a shadow of a doubt. But can they replace the traditional print media? The answer is NO.

When the print talks, the brain remember. That's the power of print. In addition to 70% higher recall, according to neuroscience research it's proven that print content is 21% easier to understand and more memorable than digital media. That's why print content connects with our brain more efficiently and effectively.

The Internet and smartphone penetration has boosted digital media.

Whereas the print media thrives on authenticity, tangibility

and harnessing emotional connection to the readers.

Mass media :

Mass media refers to a diverse array of media technologies that reach a large audience via mass communication. The technologies through which this communication takes place include a variety of outlets. Broadcast media transmit information electronically via media such as films, radio, recorded music, or television.

MAGZTER :

Magzter is the world's largest digital newsstand with 5000+ magazines and newspapers in its catalogue. Read them anytime and anywhere on iPad, Kindle, Smartphone or Laptop computer.

I am a subscriber of Magzter which cost just Rs.399 per month in India. ,

The international book fairs and literary meets organized annually in various parts of the country will hint at the aforementioned answer.The print Internet and smartphone penetration has boosted digital media. Whereas the primedia thrives on authenticity, tangibility and harnessing emotional connectio

Mass Media :

Mass media refers to a diverse array of media technologies tharealargaudience via mass communication. The technologies through which this communication takes place include a variety of outlets. Broadcast media transmit information electronically via media such as films, radio, recorded music, or television.

I am a subscriber of "MAGZTER" magazine which is a cross-platform, self-service, global digital newsstand with thousands of magazines and newspapers from 5,000+ publishers. It costs just Rs.399/- for one month subscription.