Illustrated Man

The Illustrated ManBy: Ray Bradbury Author HighlightsRay Bradbury was born in Waukegan, Illinois on August 22, 1920Bradbury's reputation as a leading science fiction writer occurred in 1950 with The Martian Chronicles. The book describes man's attempt to colonize Mars

Bradbury is a Dystopian WriterGenres of literature that explore social and political structures

Utopian fiction is the creation of an ideal world

Dystopian fiction is the opposite: creation of a nightmare worldDystopian writing in The Illustrated ManHe points out the troubles with technology

Did you ever imagine that technology could be seen as a negative aspect of society?

How does technology assist society?

In what ways can technology be harmful?Dystopian writing in The Illustrated ManExamines the world from a distance

Negative point of view

Very cautious upon mans ability to rely on modern conveniences

Historical Context1950s- Whats happening in the world?

Space RaceUnited States and the Soviet Union were engaged in a heated competition1957 when the Soviet Union launched the first artificial satellite, Sputnik.USA and Soviet Union both wanted to prove scientific superiority and to show their military strength.Cold WarThe Cold War began after World War Two.

The Space Race grew out of the Cold War

Democratic vs. Communist society

The main countries were the United States and the Soviet Union.

Science in SchoolsPush for Science and MathScience fairs evolvedPrograms and course of studies centered around math and science

Influx of Technology

Facts about this decade(1950)Population: 151,684,000 (U.S. Dept. of Commerce, Bureau of the Census)*Unemployed: 3,288,000Life expectancy: Women 71.1, men 65.6Car Sales: 6,665,800Average Salary: $2,992Labor Force male/female: 5/2Cost of a loaf of bread: $0.14Bomb shelter plans, like the government pamphlet You Can Survive, become widely available

Decade at a Glance1951 - Transcontinental television begins with a speech by Pres. Truman

1954 - Racial segregation is ruled unconstitutional in public schools by the U.S. Supreme Court.

1959 - Alaska and Hawaii become the forty-ninth and fiftieth states.Welcome Television!During the 1950s, television became the dominant mass media Less reliance on print and radio news

In the early fifties, the number of hours young people watched TV steadily increased

What was portrayed on television became accepted as normal

TV continued1954, black and white broadcasts became color broadcasts

Families no longer listened to radio and discussed world events

Entertained not Engaged

Developments from TV EraTV DinnersTV GuidesTV TraysNew way of life

Shows of the time

Party LineParty line (also multiparty line or Shared Service Line) is an arrangement in which two or more customers are connected directly to the same local loop.

Prior to World War II in the United States, party lines were the primary way residential subscribers acquired local phone service

Life in a 360 Degree ViewThe Veldt- First story in The Illustrated Man

Life is viewed in a 360* theater.

Who has been to Disney?

The Plot of the Short Stories A young man meets an Illustrated Man, whose tattoos are filled with the power to tell stories and see the future.

Despite the Illustrated Man's warnings, he looks at the tattoos, which tells him eighteen stories

1st story The VeldtScience FictionNot considered legitimate literature at the time Ray Bradbury first started publishing his books

A setting in the future, in alternative timelines, or in a historical past that contradicts known facts of history

Science fiction is largely based on writing rationally about alternate possibilitiesFinal Thoughts/Questions?