- The document provides context and discussion around Ray Bradbury's short story "Bright Phoenix" including key details about the story and allusions it contains. - It discusses how "Bright Phoenix" served as an early inspiration for Bradbury's famous novel Fahrenheit 451, which explores themes of censorship, conformity and a dystopian future where books are outlawed. - Several examples of allusions from "Bright Phoenix" are analyzed, such as references to famous poems and speeches, as well as discussion of figurative language devices like metaphor and imagery.

1. Welcome to Class9/16Take your warm-up notebooksDon’t forget to grab the handouts

2. Warm UpPlease take 5 minutes to describe what the world would be like without books (this includes e-books).You should write for the entire time provided

3. Intro to Ray BradburyAmerican fantasy, horror, science fiction, and mystery writer. Best known for Fahrenheit 451Sets novel and many short stories in dystopian societiesDystopia: a society (usually under the rule of a controlling government), where everything “goes wrong”Usually disguised as a utopia, only worsening the situation

4. “Bright Phoenix”Rich short story written in 1947Set in the futureBook burning with the purpose to controlFull of allusionsFigure of speech that makes reference to a person, place or event, or another literary work/passageIe: Kanye West’s “Through the Wire”

5. Can you identify an allusion?If you could feel how my face felt you would know how Mace feltThank God I ain'ttoo cool for the safe beltI swear to God drive two on the sueI got lawyer for the case to keep what’s in my safe; safeMy dawgs couldn't tell if II look like Tom Cruise on Vanilla Sky, it was televisedAll they heard was that I was in an accident like GEICOThey thought I was burnt up like Pepsi did MichaelI must gotta angelCause look how death missed his a**Unbreakable, would you thought they called me Mr. GlassLook back on my life like the ghost of Christmas pastToys R Us where I used to spend that Christmas cash

6. Fahrenheit 451“Bright Phoenix” was just the first building block of the final product. F451 was completed in 1953Cold war fearsConformity Bradbury argues that neither are truly about censorship, but about TV replacing books and the danger of such a societyOne that forgets to think for itselfRemember: These were written in the late 40s and early 50s! No cellphones, internet (facebook, email, twitter, etc)

7. Allusions in “Bright Phoenix”“Come live with me and be my love; and we will all the pleasure prove.” Opening lines of “The Passionate Shepherd to His Love” by Christopher MarloweOne of the most well-known love poems in the English languageMany famous poets have written poems in response to this one. The first was Walter Raleigh’s “The Nymph’s Reply to the Shepherd”

8. Figurative LanguageMetaphor: direct comparison between unlike thingsSimile: comparison between unlike things using “like” or “as”Imagery: words and phrases that evoke any of the five senses (sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch)

9. “Call me Ishmael”Most famous/memorable opening lines in American literature (from Herman Melville’s Moby Dick)Ishmael is also a prominent religious figure in Islam, Judaism, and ChristianityIt also sounds like he is using an alias because he does not say “my name is”, he simply says to call him…

10. “Tiger! Tiger! Burning bright… In the forests of the night” “The Tyger” by William Blake (from Songs of Experience)Idea that what creates beauty can also create “evil”

11. “Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness” From “To Autumn” by John KeatsRegarded as one of the most perfect short poems in the English languagePoem is filled with imageryAbout enjoying nature while on a walkMessage of the importance of artistic creation

12. “The Allegory of the Cave”Story about controlling people by limiting their knowledge and playing on their fear

13. “Four score… and seven years – ” “translates” to 87 years ago which at that time, made it 1776, AKA the American Revolution, in which the US, broke away from British rule to begin the process of becoming the United States of America

14. The Gettysburg AddressMost quoted speech in American historyAddresses human equality (allusion to the Declaration of Independence)Idea of a “new birth of freedom” and the rise of a “government of the people, by the people, for the people” that “shall not perish from the earth”

15. Edgar Allan PoeFamous authorKnown for his short stories and poems Generally dark, mysterious, and with several images/symbols of, and allusions to death

16. Sigmund FreudAustrian neurologist (dealing with the brain)Founder of psychoanalysis (analyzing the psyche, AKA deeper thoughts, unconscious)Interpreted dreams

17. Great Minds!ShakespeareEinsteinPlatoSocratesIsaiah

18. Interesting IronyJonathan Barnes, the Chief Censor, shares his name with two men: a philosopher and an authorBoth were too young to have embarked in their profession when Bradbury wrote “Bright Phoenix”