(Due Thurs 5/15)
Ethnographer:_______________________________________
From Botox to Selfies: What Do We Value Today?
Guy Montag, our “hero” from Fahrenheit 451 is considered an “Anti-Hero”, a lit device of postmodern literature. Some say the “Anti-Hero” is indicative of our time today, but perhaps that is
an overgeneralization. And that’s where you come in.
The character’s faults and beliefs may, indeed, reflect American society today, but how do we
know what popular society values? Consider this, grasshopper, look to the mass media. Look to
the current trends going on in today’s media by examining the most popular elements of the
following media:
● Twitter Trends
● TV Ratings
● Movie Grossings
● Songs on Charts
● Video Game Sales
● Top News Stories
● Highest Selling Products
These are some of the ways that you may prove what we value, but they are not the only ones. If
you would like to look somewhere else to prove an idea’s popularity, please see me for approval.
What are 3 values?
(ex. Youthful looks)
1.
2.
3.
How do the media findings support this? (find at least two forms of support for each)
(ex. $100 million cosmetic sales, greater than charity given to African refugees, and only
1 band/singer in the top 10 songs is older than 30 years old)
1.
2.
3.
(Due Thurs 5/15)
Ethnographer:_______________________________________
Are they parallels to an anti-hero? Do they reveal a society he or she might live in?
(ex. The anti-hero does not share these traits because he is a questioner, but it parallels
the society in which he lives because this obsession is indicative of a self-absorbed
culture)
1.
2.
3.
When you are done, answer this final question:
Based on the beginning pages of the novel, was Ray Bradbury in his prediction of the
future? (2-3 sentences)