Gattaca and Fahrenheit 451 Essay

Over a period of time sci-fi authors and composers have presented their texts and films using cautionary tales of our soon to be dystopic society. They use informing techniques to instil the fear of a futuristic dystopic society into the minds of readers and viewers. These authors and composers also bring forth the concepts of conformity, mind-control and censorship. The novel, Fahrenheit 451, written by Ray Bradbury, and the film Gattaca, composed by Andrew Niccol, were not only stimulated to act as cautionary tales but were also influenced by events occurring at the time such as McCarthyism, the post WW2 duration, and the start of eugenics.
Fahrenheit 451, is a sci-fi novel that informs the reader of the potential damaging capabilities of technology and mass media. Bradbury also expresses his concerns that individual interactions with others will become shallow, insincere, and devoid of any emotion. This is portrayed through Mildred and the way she is consistently focused into the parlor walls and her technology which makes her unaware of her surroundings. Her lack of emotional presence is presented by the way Montag walks into the room and initially describes it as “not empty” then “indeed empty”. The use of this paradox is to emphasise to the reader that although Mildred is physically present, her emotional existence is absent. Further into the novel, the reader understands that Mildred’s attempt at suicide alludes the fact that she is in great pain and that her obsession with technology is an escape from confronting the emptiness of her life. Her unawareness of her own suicide attempt signifies that although she is alive she lacks the ability to truly live.
Fahrenheit 451 does not only demonstrate that these scientific developments trap people and deprive them from their sense of freedom and happiness, but also that these developments brainwash society to be loyal to governing powers and be put under strict government control which brings forth the