Family/Friend/Co-worker/Acquaintance Interviews
In the novel, Fahrenheit 451, the characters live in a world where people don't really talk to each other. They stare at TVs or if they do talk, they say the same things to each other. They talk about cars or the weather or if they had seen a certain show on TV the night before. In this world, people don't have meaningful conversations. As Clarisse McClellan put it, "No one has time any more for anyone else" (21).
Whether or not we engage in deep, thoughtful conversations in our own lives today is probably up for debate. It also varies from person to person and family to family. Without a doubt though, we could all engage in more meaningful conversations more often. With that conviction, as we read this novel, we are going to engage in some meaningful dialogue over topics we probably wouldn't discuss otherwise.
Below are the answers my participants gave.
Whether or not we engage in deep, thoughtful conversations in our own lives today is probably up for debate. It also varies from person to person and family to family. Without a doubt though, we could all engage in more meaningful conversations more often. With that conviction, as we read this novel, we are going to engage in some meaningful dialogue over topics we probably wouldn't discuss otherwise.
Below are the answers my participants gave.
Interview #1: Reading
An Interview with Gene Storer
When did you learn to read? How did you learn/who taught you?
- I learned to read in first grade. I learned from my mother and first grade teacher, Mrs. Larsson. She had short blonde hair and really pretty eyes. She was really stern but when she smiled, you'd never believe she was someone who could get angry.
- There was never really a moment when I thought, "Oh I can read now." B's and D's--I didn't get those for awhile. Reading was really hard for me. I remember in kindergarten we recorded these stories. My mom got so frustrated with me because I couldn't say, "birch brooms". We had to record it over and over again until I got it right. Looking back, that was probably one of the biggest struggles in my life.
- King Bidgood's in the Bathtub. It wasn't because of the story though. There's a picture in the book where there's a bunch of ships having a battle in a bathtub, like hundreds of intricate ships with sails and men fighting. I remember thinking that would be the coolest bath time ever.
- The Last Lecture. It makes you think about death and how hard it is when you have people who love you and depend on you. He talks about leaving the house and his wife for long periods of time because he couldn't live life thinking, "What if I die today?" He had to think about time in a whole new way. He and his wife fought a lot about whether or not to do the lecture because it would take up so much time.
- I love reading. It's relaxing. It's a lot more powerful than a movie because you're creating your own images. The people in the book become really real. When I finished the Millennium series, I was almost sad. Those people aren't in your life anymore and it's almost like a loneliness. You almost think, where did they go?
- You're a better reader than I am.
- [Must repeat the question]
- Find the time for it and always take notes. Like if it's hard to keep characters straight, write a little blibbit in a notebook about them. I have to do that a lot.
Interview #2: Happiness
An Interview with Joshua Moreno
Are you happy and content with your life as it is right now? Why or why not? What would you change about your life if you could?
What makes you most happy in the world? What about that makes you happy?
- Yea. I am actually. This is probably one of the happiest times of my life. I'm doing something I really enjoy, which is teaching. I'm constantly challenged, but I realize that more than ever I have a greater sense of independence. I live alone and can afford a lifestyle I couldn't afford a year ago. I'm also more mindful of my health.
- If I could change anything...I wish I had a better relationship with my father.
What makes you most happy in the world? What about that makes you happy?
- Probably my own art when I'm making it. As I'm doing it, I get in the zone after I've been working on it for an extended period of time. It's like meditating. It's the closest thing I've ever had to a religious experience.
Interview #3: Technology
An Interview with...
- What pieces of technology do you use every day? What do you use them for?
- Do you think those pieces of technology are making your life better or worse? Why?