Ray Bradbury: One on One with Sam Weller
Curriculum: Discussion, Project and Essay Topic Ideas
Ray Bradbury biographer Sam Weller talks with interviewer Brenda Madden
about his literary idol and why Bradbury's work continues to resonate with
readers. This program is divided into a brief introduction and two
interviews. Its entire running time is 29:14.
Ray Bradbury: One on One with Sam Weller
http://www.hectv.org/watch/maryville-talks-books/maryville-talks-booksone-on-one-with-sam-weller/21576/
Program Overview
Introduction: From 0:00 to 2:05
Sam Weller Presents-Ray Bradbury. Narrated by Brenda Madden, a photo
montage highlights events of Ray Bradbury’s early life and first connection
with Mr. Sam Weller.
Interview 1: From 2:05 to 15:37
In Interview 1, Mr. Weller describes the beginning of his friendship with Ray
Bradbury and offers biographical insight. Twenty years ago, as junior Chicago
Tribune journalist, Weller pitched and won the opportunity to profile the life
of Waukegan, Illinois, native Ray Bradbury as an 80 th birthday tribute. Over
thousands of hours of interviews Sam Weller and Ray Bradbury established a
relationship of trust and openness. Bradbury was a very honest man; called
as he saw it. Beyond getting the story, Weller gained a friend whom he
respected for his creativity, versatility, personal generosity, and passion for
life.
According to Weller, Bradbury vigorously loved life. A month and a half
before his passing at 91 in 2012, Sam Weller asked if his friend was afraid to
die. No, Mr. Bradbury answered, he was “afraid to not to live” feeling he
couldn’t accomplish what he wanted to in four lives.
Weller appreciates so much about the subject of his three biographies: He
respects Bradbury for blurring the boundaries of writing. People think of
Bradbury as a science fiction writer, but Mr. Weller tells us that Bradbury
wrote across genres to write in a variety of structures, even working in
detective fiction. And, although this interview is related to Maryville
University’s current Maryville Reads around Fahrenheit 451, Mr. Weller
offered that Bradbury’s strong suit was the short story.
Actually, Fahrenheit 451 started as a short 25,000 word novella called The
Fireman written to address several current areas of concern: First, America
had just survived Hitler’s tyranny, and Bradbury was deeply affected by
Hitler’s philosophies and strategies. Also, he was increasingly troubled by
the infringement of American civil liberties prompted by Senator McCarthy’s
House Un-American Activities Committee. Finally, and, according to Weller,
most importantly, he wanted to celebrate his love of books. He strongly
valued literature and libraries in our society. Fahrenheit 451 was Bradbury
exploring what would happen in a society if books were taken away from us.
Bradbury fell in love with the library because he felt was a “free destination
and amusement park of the imagination.” Bradbury wrote Fahrenheit 451 in
a library basement on a rented typewriter in 9 days.
Weller respected Bradbury for wanting to fully live. He said that Bradbury
existed to create; Bradbury even felt his children were “his novels”. And, he
respected Bradbury for his creativity; never shying from a project beyond his
comfort zone, Bradbury valued challenge and imagination.
Sam Weller notes that although Fahrenheit 451 is prophetic in predicting
things like the rise of technology and the shadow of Big Brother in the Post
9/11 world, Bradbury was surprised by its future correctness; if anything, he
was a technophobe. Weller liked that Bradbury never tired of being
appreciated for his creative efforts and the impact he effected on people’s
lives. He received 300 fan letters a week and answered each personally.
Interview 2: From 16:27 to 22:28
Interview 2 is preceded by a brief photo montage describing Bradbury’s
adult family, professional and public life narrated by Brenda Madden. She
describes his fierce disagreement with the House Un- American Activities
Committee, saying he took a strong public stand against it and helped many
fellow black-listed screenwriters. Fearless, he stood up and spoke out about
what he felt were un-American behaviors. Ironically, a great aunt eight times
removed had been tried in the Salem Witch Trials.
In interview 2, Ms. Madden asks Mr. Weller about his three biographies and
the specific focus of each. He also describes a fourth book he edited
containing a collection of short stories written by notable authors in
“celebration of Bradbury.” Mr. Weller makes a special point of describing
the heartbreaking razing of Bradbury’s lifelong home in Los Angeles, the
location of so many events and records and papers related to his idol’s life
body of work. Philosophically, Mr. Weller salves his sadness suggesting the
loss of the home and its possessions should help us ponder “what deserves
saving.”
ALERT-Another topic discussion for a few moments were Ray Bradbury’s
extramarital affairs. Mr. Weller discusses these prompted by his
reflection that he explores tough subjects in his second Bradbury
biography. Mr. Bradbury’s openness about these “love affairs,” as he
called them surprised Mr. Weller.
This discussion starts at 20.00 and ends at 29.14
In describing the various biographies, he revisits his respect of Bradbury ’s
boundless creativity. Although the short story was his favorite medium, he
worked across many, including film, television, and architecture. He
designed the signature Epcot ball, Planet Earth. He made no distinction; it
was all creativity to him; ideas came to him quickly, and he was happiest in
bringing them to light.
Finally, Weller was impressed by Bradbury’s humility. He liked that his work
impacted lives but had no need of publicity. He greatly valued his fans and
handwrote responses to the 300 letters he received weekly. Weller
describes the thrill that doesn’t fade when a fan shows him a handwritten
Bradbury note; Weller feels the magic of the man when he touches the
letters that his hero wrote.
When asked what one thing he wanted his audience to remember about
Bradbury, he cited Bradbury’s mantra, “Jump off the cliff and build your
wings on the way down.” Mr. Weller went on to explain what he thought
Bradbury meant by that life advice and how it related to Bradbury’s life of
jumping into various endeavors and achieving in them.
Discussion, Project and Essay Topic Ideas
Sam Weller’s interview, although timely in that Ray Bradbury’s novel
Fahrenheit 451 was just selected for this year’s Maryville Reads, does not
center on that novel. Mr. Weller’s comments are applicable to whatever
Bradbury literature that might be studied in the classroom. As such, the
following topic ideas can be applied to Fahrenheit 451, another singular
Bradbury work, or Bradbury literature in general. So, in the following topic
idea suggestions, if a particular work is mentioned, please consider as broad
a range of Bradbury’s body of work as applies in your classroom.
1. Sam Weller identifies Ray Bradbury’s work as “literature of the
fantastic.” Literature of the fantastic, he explains, contains highly
imaginative concepts and magical realism. That said, Mr. Weller
continues to emphasize his belief that through all of Ray Bradbury’s
work, science fiction and otherwise, Bradbury “reflects on what it
means to be human in contemporary times.” Bradbury, Weller
says, wrote about the here and now but utilized the fantastic to
reflect upon the human condition and what it meant to be a human
being.
a. Perhaps start with a discussion of what, according to the
students, it means to be human? Although we are all different,
what essential qualities and characteristics do we all share? In
history or in your concept of a general future society, have or
will such essential human qualities remain the same?
b. Based on your reading of F, what essential human
characteristics do various characters contain? What does it
mean to be human in F? Do various essential human
characteristics serve the main characters well, or does
possessing and demonstrating them create conflict and strife?
c. How does a particular Ray Bradbury work answer the question,
“What does it mean to be human?” Do you, as a student, agree
with Ray Bradbury identification of the essence of humanity?
d. What do you think is Ray Bradbury’s general concept of what it
means to be human? How does his assessment compare with
yours?
2. Mr. Weller shares that ironically, Ray Bradbury was a technophobe:
He didn’t own a computer; he didn’t travel by plane: and he didn’t
even have a drivers’ license. Where, in his literature, does his
dislike/fear of technology hinted at, demonstrated, and/or suggested?
3. Why, according to Mr. Weller, does Fahrenheit 451, a 60 year old
novel, still resonate? Do you agree or disagree? Will Fahrenheit 451
continue to be relevant? In what type society, would Fahrenheit 451
lose appeal?
4. Mr. Weller suggests that Fahrenheit 451 might have been Bradbury’s
effort to help readers consider what life would be like without books.
What do you think is Bradbury’s suggested answer to his own
question? How does your response compare with his?
5. Mr. Weller shared advice that Ray Bradbury gave to budding writers:
Choose ten things you love and write about them. What are five
things you love about Fahrenheit 451? Which of those favorite things
could be convincingly and appealingly described within a speech or
essay about Fahrenheit 451? Which of those topics could be expanded
into a speech or essay not related to a Bradbury work? What of those
topics could be the basis of a creative writing project?
6. When Mr. Weller asked Mr. Bradbury if he was afraid to die, he
answered that he was “afraid not to live.” What do you think he
meant by that? If someone is afraid “not to live,” how does that
motivation relate to a life of creating art to comment on what it means
to be human?
7. Mr. Weller cites Bradbury’s mantra, “Jump off the cliff and build your
wings on the way down.” What do you think this advice means
generally? Do you think it is reckless advice or advice that could only
work in unique situations or is it advice that is applicable widely? How
do Bradbury’s literary characters exemplify this life philosophy?
8. Mr. Weller is seriously saddened by the destruction of the “hallowed
ground” of Mr. Bradbury’s Los Angeles home and possessions.
Philosophically, Mr. Weller suggests that such loss should prompt us to
consider what is worth saving? That consideration invites re sponse
beyond Ray Bradbury.
Consider viewing Liquid Light: Hidden Treasures-Saved from the
Holocaust. This documentary showcases the testimonies of five
Holocaust survivors describing which possessions their families hastily
hid and transported out of their war torn home countries in the as
their personal safety was quickly becoming seriously threatened. This
program also considers what, in the face of grave personal danger, is
worth saving. Curricular materials will be found connected to that
program.
Liquid Light: Hidden Treasures-Saved from the Holocaust
http://www.hectv.org/watch/liquid-light/hidden-treasures/
9. As Mr. Weller was describing the three biographies he had written , he
mentioned editing an anthology, Shadow Show. Shadow Show is a
collection of short stories by various authors “written in celebration of
Bradbury.” These stories, according to Weller, create a kind of “party”
in Bradbury’s honor. With that in mind, ideas for reports and essays
abound:
a. Compare two stories from the anthology in light of Bradbury’s
themes, philosophies, style.
b. Compare a short story of the anthology to a Bradbury short
story. In what way is the anthology short story a celebration? In
what way does it mirror or suggest a Bradbury story?
c. Compare a short story of the anthology to an aspect of
Fahrenheit 451. In what way is the anthology short story a
celebration?
Curriculum created and Resource links published in 2016
Diane Tinucci
Resources
Maryville Reads
http://libguides.maryville.edu/MaryvilleReads
The Fahrenheit 451 Maryville Reads page
http://libguides.maryville.edu/fahrenheit451
Ray Bradbury Website
http://www.raybradbury.com/
Sam Weller Wikipedia biography
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Weller_(journalist)