Fahrenheit 451 Theme Analysis
Ms. Scanlan
English II PAP
Prominent Themes of Fahrenheit 451 In Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451, “A book is a loaded gun in the house next door. Burn it,” censorship is king, and complacency rather than individualism is promoted (36). Thus, Ray Bradbury gives emphasis to the themes of identity, technology, and false happiness in Fahrenheit 451. At first glance Fahrenheit 451 seems one-sided, the main character seems 2D and unchangeable with fixed viewpoints, but as authors Moss and Whitson note, “[the] crisis of identity is at the core… the main character learns from mentors and sees his own identity along the way”(73). This rollercoaster of self-examination within the protagonist lends a hand into the theme of identity as something that …show more content…
A society of false happiness is met with censorship which bans objectionable materials which limits free thought effectively leaving people in a state where ignorance is bliss. The firemen in Fahrenheit 451 promote ignorance in an effort to keep society content (Beete and Nizmeyer, Ed., 51).Bradbury uses this to get across that, in an effort to keep everybody happy, censorship has banned material that “minority groups” find offensive (Reid, 60). Although this serves to keep a group from becoming angry it hardly makes them happy, for in what way can denying entertainment to others give anybody happiness. Therefore Bradbury creates a society in a false sense of happiness by making them simply unable to get upset, where in fact Bradbury suggest that by sheltering minds from objectionable material secludes them from any ideas or philosophies that can truly bring one happiness. In Fahrenheit 451, the main character shatters the veil of happiness by simply pointing out critical faults with his wife’s friends (Bradbury 41). Using character dialogue Bradbury has shown the theme of false happiness by showing the ease in shattering the people’s “happiness.” The lack of free thought that came about from censorship also disables the ability for any deviant ideas to cause unhappiness in the general populace, so in fact ignorance is bliss (Beete and Nizmeyer, Ed.,
English II PAP
Prominent Themes of Fahrenheit 451 In Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451, “A book is a loaded gun in the house next door. Burn it,” censorship is king, and complacency rather than individualism is promoted (36). Thus, Ray Bradbury gives emphasis to the themes of identity, technology, and false happiness in Fahrenheit 451. At first glance Fahrenheit 451 seems one-sided, the main character seems 2D and unchangeable with fixed viewpoints, but as authors Moss and Whitson note, “[the] crisis of identity is at the core… the main character learns from mentors and sees his own identity along the way”(73). This rollercoaster of self-examination within the protagonist lends a hand into the theme of identity as something that …show more content…
A society of false happiness is met with censorship which bans objectionable materials which limits free thought effectively leaving people in a state where ignorance is bliss. The firemen in Fahrenheit 451 promote ignorance in an effort to keep society content (Beete and Nizmeyer, Ed., 51).Bradbury uses this to get across that, in an effort to keep everybody happy, censorship has banned material that “minority groups” find offensive (Reid, 60). Although this serves to keep a group from becoming angry it hardly makes them happy, for in what way can denying entertainment to others give anybody happiness. Therefore Bradbury creates a society in a false sense of happiness by making them simply unable to get upset, where in fact Bradbury suggest that by sheltering minds from objectionable material secludes them from any ideas or philosophies that can truly bring one happiness. In Fahrenheit 451, the main character shatters the veil of happiness by simply pointing out critical faults with his wife’s friends (Bradbury 41). Using character dialogue Bradbury has shown the theme of false happiness by showing the ease in shattering the people’s “happiness.” The lack of free thought that came about from censorship also disables the ability for any deviant ideas to cause unhappiness in the general populace, so in fact ignorance is bliss (Beete and Nizmeyer, Ed.,