Fahrenheit 451 Theme Analysis

Happiness is what everyone wants, so it is not uncommon to for people to lie to themselves and others that they are happy. In the novel Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, almost all of society is putting on the facade of being happy; often using technology to maintain such a big lie. In Fahrenheit 451, Bradbury conveys the themes of unhappiness and technology through the use of elements like motifs, symbolism, and archetypes. Throughout the novel, the audience can see the use of elements such as motifs and symbolism to convey a theme of technology. A motif being a dominant idea in an artistic or literary composition. Certain sequences in the novel show how technology manipulates nature and animals in cruel ways. In this universe, when an insect
Motifs being figures or ideas that have a symbolic significance that contribute to the theme. One of the major motifs is the influence of nature. Nature can be used to describe pure happiness, or something that’s to be feared. This idea of nature throughout the book shows how it can be manipulated into something that is almost extraordinarily evil, this can be shown when Beatty explains fire as lovely, and how drawn he is to it, but also how it’s a, “‘real beauty [that] destroys responsibility and consequences,’’ and when a problem arises, and it “‘gets too burdensome, then [the problems go] into the furnace…’” Which explains how even the simplest of things, like fire, are used as a bad influence on society, and how it’s manipulated to be beneficial in a negative way, by just burning up problems, rather than solving them (59). However, the influence of nature can also leave a positive impact on the characters and society; still being capable of bringing happiness to the masses. This can be shown when Clarisse talks about rain. She says, “I’m still crazy. The rain feels good. I love to walk in it.” And then Montag replies with, “I don’t think I’d like that,” Even after he says he wouldn’t like it, she says, “You might if you tried,” and proceeds to say that, “Rain even tastes good,” (8). It offers the reader to see the nature side of things, and it’s impact on Montag. Clarisse challenges him with the talk of nature and rain, because he simply never had someone who had done so before.The way nature influences society and the world either gives the people in it happiness or unhappiness, due to the way nature can be violent, or beautiful. It’s all in the wall it is used. For Clarisse, it brings her happiness, while for Beatty, it brings him unhappiness and despair. Nature represents everything that Montag is taught not to be, happy.