Fahrenheit 451 was a futuristic novel written by Ray Bradbury in the 1950s. In this new society the government rules and citizens are expected to obey the rules. Guy Montag, the main character, is your average man: a firefighter who is living happily, or so he thought, with his wife, Mildred, and follows the rules set in place by the government. He was average until a girl, Clarisse, helped him understand the value of knowledge therefore, allowing him to see the truth of society. The characters of Mildred and Clarisse serve as foils to one another in Bradbury’s novel thus symbolizing the dark and isolated aspects of the dystopian society, via Mildred, versus the light and incorporated aspects of society via Clarisse both sparking a sense of curiosity in Montag.…
He starts to question why books are illegal if they hold what happened in the past. That is why Montag does the most unorthodox thing in his society, he begins reading books and starts understanding the importance they hold. This new forward thinking, not only separates himself with the rest of society, but also leads Montag to strive for a place that embraces different people and beliefs that drive form books. Montag starts a rebellion and leaves his home to be a part of something that is working on spreading the importance of book and the messages in them. He, and with others, try to rebuild things in a better…
Jack Dee once said, “ I have a longing for ritual, something I could cling to, a routine to make me feel well and contented. I hoped that reading Bible commentaries and theological critiques would nudge me closer to some kind of absolute that I could hold up as a torch to light my way.” This quotation means that the yearning for reading a book such as the Bible is a good feeling. Reading the Bible helps one understand and learn more about the past, and have a better perspective in life. This quotation relates to the novel Fahrenheit 451 written by Ray Bradbury because it explains the importance books are towards society, and the meaning of life. The novel Fahrenheit 451 talks about American society where all types of books aren't allowed in…
Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 is a novel about a materialistic society that has forgotten social interaction with each other. This materialistic society is where Bradbury believed society today is headed. The materialistic society in Fahrenheit 451 created through Bradbury’s cynic views of society. His views of society are over-exaggerated in contrast with today’s events, especially in the areas of censorship and media mediocrity.…
Individuality is the uniqueness of a person, it’s the particular things the distinguishes us from another person. It can be their personality, or it can be what they like to do. An example in Fahrenheit 451 is their neighborhood. Not all of the residents are the exact same. Take Clarisse and Mildred for example.…
When I finished reading this book, I realized that it was nothing like I assumed it would be. To summarize it into one word, I would say it was fascinating. Now many might wonder, why would I use the word fascinating? When you think about the society that Montag lives in, obviously it seems a little extreme to us but is it really so farfetched? The author came up with the idea of this book because there was once a time that book burning was happening more frequently in America. The title of the book, Fahrenheit 451, refers to the temperature at which books ignite, which I did not realize before reading the book. “Burning books—and in the past, their authors as well—that espouse hated ideas is perhaps the oldest form of censorship” (2).…
Individualism is something that has been present in every community around the world. The idea of individualism helps our societies function properly. If everyone was the same, and if uniqueness was not present, civilizations would begin to crumble. In Fahrenheit 451, society has been controlled so everyone’s identity is the same. A theme that can be found in the novel, Fahrenheit 451, is that society shapes and affects the individuality of many people, which can be seen through Mildred’s selfishness, Faber’s cowardice, and Captain Beatty’s unawareness towards the world around him.…
Is it possible to go from someone who conforms, to becoming a full on individual? Is it safer for people to stick to their community’s ideas, beliefs and morals, or is it nice to have parts of them that make them stand out? In Fahrenheit 451, there are characters that stick to following the crowd, while Montag believes that having a little individuality can only benefit him. The author, Ray Bradbury reveals the theme that despite the fact that every character shows some form of conformity, Montag breaks out of the ordinary to become an individual.…
People dread the unfamiliar because they do not like change and in this society they have created a life where you never have to push yourself; instead happy to be just mediocre. This society has no individualism and lacks the desire to progress to be better which is the key to a successful life. With their inability of individuality everything can seem bland and constant. Mildred was asked by Guy Montag about the ‘Parlor’ right after he showed her all the books he kept. “Does the white clown love you? No answer… does your ‘family’ love you, love you very much, love you with all their heart and soul” (Bradbury 73). This is a major change in her life and she is at a crossroads of internal conflict of what is real and not real. She was overloaded with non-real information from the ‘Parlor’ and Guy reveals to her the reality of books. Mildred feels conflicted because society has programmed her that books are bad and illegal. In conclusion, Fahrenheit 451 is a thought provoking book that demonstrates the internal struggle of people not becoming programmed and to become an individual with their own thoughts and ideas. Each generation has a starting bar of success from the previous generation’s and people should take pride in one's generation to advance the society and raise the bar and…
Fahrenheit 451 is a novel written by Ray Bradbury exploring the effects of a simplistic society devoid of free thinking and reliant on cheap satisfactions. The story follows a fireman whose job is to burn books and put an end to the sharing of knowledge. The novel reveals the psyche of many of its characters, and also the author. Psychoanalytic theory was created by Sigmund Freud, a famous Austrian psychologist. It is a theory used to explain human behaviour. Psychoanalytic theory states that the id, the ego, and the superego make up the human personality. The id represents the instinctual drive for instant satisfactions. The job of the ego is to fulfill the demands of the id in a safe and socially acceptable way while also considering the ideals of the super ego. The super ego is comprised of the idealistic goals and ideal self one wishes to accomplish. It strives for perfection and morality. In addition, Freud used defence mechanisms such as repression to explain how people cope with difficult emotions. Sigmund Freud’s theories and ideologies can be used to analyse people and literature in order to uncover secrets about the psyche.…
In short, when Montag meets Clarisse, his world begins to change. She leads him to begin to think about everything. In the beginning, Montag just goes with the flow and doesn’t question anything. But as the book goes on, his curiosity expands. He collects books and begins to read. Montag begins to question his line of work and the connection he has with his wife. In the end, Montag ends up in a better state of mind, and is willing to help others learn what Clarisse taught…
Although many may strive to develop a utopian society, this ideal is only an unattainable dream that can never become reality; a wish that can never be brought to life. As many aim for this unrealistic ideal, many utopian societies first appear as is; a perfect society with a flawless government and harmonious people- at least on the surface. But when we are provided with a closer look at this supposed utopian society, it is revealed that, at some point in time, this society slowly began to spiral downwards. It would soon develop into a dystopian society where social values and standards have become greatly distorted and skewed. When applying the themes in this book to our current society, comparisons can be drawn in areas such as technology, social interactions and education in both societies.…
Not knowing things is sometimes an award, but it can also be a curse. The same idea is applied to the book Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury where the government often hides the truth from the people. They do this to keep everyone happy since they think if you do not know about something, you do not have to worry about it. Some people can accept this standard of living, but others feel as if they are missing something like the main character Guy Montag felt as he learned more about books. Montag developed throughout the story to overcome the statement Ignorance is Bliss by the help of many characters but mainly Beatty, Clarisse, and Faber.…
In summation, Montag personifies the Hero’s Journey monomyth, as manifested by the journey he embarks on and the insight he attains. Specifically, by the end of the novel, Montag molds into a courageous, passionate, and determined character. Montag’s threshold of adventure begins with his realization of the evils his previous society had been committing and the dire need for transformation in both the world and himself. After overcoming a multitude of complications, Montag is able to obtain a sense of fulfillment, and accordingly restore his society. All in all, Montag’s desire to change the world allowed for a transformation within him, and thus a hero was born. After all, in the end, it is a hero “who finds the strength to persevere and endure…
When Montag meets Clarisse he realizes there is something different about her. Clarisse's personality is something Montag has never seen before. After going on a walk with Clarisse, Montag has many thoughts. On page 9 it says, “ What incredible power of identification the girl had; she was like the eager watcher of a marionette show, anticipating each flicker of an eyelid, each gesture of his hand, each flick of a finger, the moment before it began. How long had they walked together? Three minutes? Five? Yet how large that time seemed now. How immense a figure she was on the stage before him; what a shadow she threw on the wall with her slender body!” Montag thinks this in his head when he gets home from the walk with Clarisse. This is the very beginning of Montag’s realization that there is more to life than what his society is telling him.…