Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Douglas Bradbury

Ray Douglas Bradbury was one of the most distinguished science fiction writers of the last century. Having been penniless during the Depression, Bradbury did not attend college but instead spent countless hours in the library teaching himself everything he believed he would have been taught by a professor (Norman “Obituary: Ray Bradbury…”). Before long, this noble autodidact was writing for mass market publications developing a style of fantasy science fiction writing that would serve as a model for future acolytes such as Steven King and Steven Spielberg (“Bradbury’s prose style…”). In the 1950s, a year in which anti-communist hysteria was most prevalent, Bradbury began to develop an irrational fear of censorship. (Norman “Obituary: Ray Bradbury…”). Bradbury infuses his writings with man vs. society conflicts and despotic characterization which accurately depict his ambivalence towards technology that stems from his fear of these advances eventually leading to the suppression of independent thought, thus suppression of the individual. These elements, found primarily in his first novel, Fahrenheit 451, not only impacted the sci-fi genre, but also made an impact on many readers worldwide gaining Bradbury much admiration in the literary realm.
Bradbury’s Influences/ Beliefs
Bradbury has been deemed an inspiration by many science fiction writers/ filmmakers yet who would Bradbury himself say is his muse (Damien “A sci-fi giant…”)? In an interview by Dave Davies, Bradbury announced that the works of Shakespeare and the Bible he was raised on were what influenced him the most, although a flashback to Bradbury’s earlier years conveys a different story (“Ray Bradbury: It’s Lack…”). At the age of nine, Bradbury fell victim to bullying by...

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Works Cited
“Bradbury’s prose style helped raise credibility of science fiction.” Southland Times, The 13 June 2012: 09. Newspaper Source Plus. Web. 13 Feb 2014.
Bradbury, Ray. Fahrenheit 451. Ballentine Books, 1953. Print.
Damien, Murphy. “A sci-fi giant who wrote the future.” Sydney Morning Herald, The 09 June 2012: 12. Newspaper Source Plus. Web. 13 Feb. 2014.
Lovelace, Richard. To Althea, From Prison. Poetry Foundation . Web. 24 Feb. 2014.
Norman, Tony. “Obituary: Ray Bradbury / His science fiction captured America’s imagination.” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (PA) 03 July 2012: Newspaper Source Plus. Web. 13 Feb. 2014
Patai, Daphne. "Ray Bradbury and the Assault on Free Thought." Past, Present, Future 50 (2012): Ebsco. Web. 13 Feb. 2012.
“Ray Bradbury: ‘It’s Lack That Gives Us Inspiration’.” Fresh Air (NPR) (2012): Newspaper Source Plus. Web. 13 Feb. 2014.