Plato's Allegory In Fahrenheit 451 By Ray Bradbury
Complete consciousness, a mind state people have yet to achieve in our world, let alone this book's world. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury explores this topic. Plato’s allegory of the cave; a timeless classic of humanity’s faults. Escaping the cave always begins as a prisoner and either ends becoming one of them or achieving a state of developing consciousness; by asking oneself the simple question “am I happy?”
In 1839 as an African American you began a slave and either bought your way out or stayed on the same path as the millions before you. Montag, a prisoner to the shackles of society; begins his journey as a fireman. He stood there with a “Smile still gripped by his face muscles, in the dark”(Bradbury, 2) he breathed in the Kerosene. Montag loved burning with a passion, it was all he desired; “It was a pleasure to burn”(Bradbury, 1) people’s books because it was “the right thing to do”. Who ever said that it was correct to burn books. It is never established who, but we know why ‘they’ do it. All that it is know is Montag is a Fireman who works for a hierarchy agenda and not his own.To control the masses from ever thinking; to …show more content…
stay in auto pilot and only know what they are allowed to know. To keep them as a prisoner in this dark and cold cave. Montag as a prisoner sounds preposterous, he loved what he did and always completed. While that could be true, he is still unable to think by himself as showed throughout the first few pages of the book. Who in their right mind would think to burn the very thing that gives us knowledge and power.
Either to go through a tough time but in the end know the truth. Or rather be in an auto pilot like mode with no control. Montag chose the first option, but he almost did the wrong thing, or the right thing. When he first meets Clarisse she says “Are you happy”(Bradbury 7). Which of course, Montag is, who could he not be. Montag has a passion, a good job and a great wife who loves him. But, it is at this point that Montag changes inside. What is happiness; happiness by definition means a mental or emotional state of well-being defined by positive or pleasant emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy. Happy mental states may also reflect judgements by a person about their overall well-being. Montag seems happy but really is not. He could have easily brushed off the matter and Clarisse all together, but he does not do such a thing. The question is why; why did Montag dwell on the question that he certainly knows the answer to? Montag ended up dwelling on the question and answering it. I am not happy. Half way through the journey of self righteousness he is left with a choice. Beaty, a controlling manipulative man began has as someone who Montag could look up too. In the end though Beatty ended up almost changing Montag’s mind back to the “good side”. “ Speech away. What’ll it be this time? Why don’t you belch Shakespeare at me, you fumbling snob?”(Bradbury 113). Beatty is almost trying to intimidate Montag into thinking that this reading life isn’t meant for him. To get him back onto Beatty’s side and back into auto pilot mode. At that point Montag could have went back to his old self that he very much despises. Despite possible death Montag prevails and chooses what is right for him. He decides that a unsafe but free life is better than a save mind controlling life. He chooses to leave the cave rather than stay within the rock that’s kept him safe all these years.
Questions, they are asked everyday, but it only takes a single question to change anything.
Why am I doing what i’m doing. Montag of all people asks himself that question. With a little or should i say a lot of help from Clarisse. Clarisse is honestly single handedly changed the whole course of this entire book. By posing the question “are you happy” to Montag changed him. It changed Montage by allowing him to ask himself questions about his life. He ultimately realizes that no, I am not happy. Or is he, the argument could be made that Montag is just a man with a mental problem. He loves book, he must be killed. The thing is that the people saying that in the book are being controlled by the media and Government. They do not really know what's happening. Monkey see monkey do is a classic saying that would describe this book
perfectly.
Escaping the cave always begins as a prisoner and either ends becoming one of them or achieving a state of developing consciousness; by asking oneself the simple question “am I happy?”. In the end Montag escapes the cave, but to where. A mystical land where books can be read when ever and wherever. It is not established what exactly happens once the bomb is dropped. Did Montag escape, have we. No one really knows anything, we’ll only know “when we reach the city”-Ray Bradbury 1951.
.
In 1839 as an African American you began a slave and either bought your way out or stayed on the same path as the millions before you. Montag, a prisoner to the shackles of society; begins his journey as a fireman. He stood there with a “Smile still gripped by his face muscles, in the dark”(Bradbury, 2) he breathed in the Kerosene. Montag loved burning with a passion, it was all he desired; “It was a pleasure to burn”(Bradbury, 1) people’s books because it was “the right thing to do”. Who ever said that it was correct to burn books. It is never established who, but we know why ‘they’ do it. All that it is know is Montag is a Fireman who works for a hierarchy agenda and not his own.To control the masses from ever thinking; to …show more content…
stay in auto pilot and only know what they are allowed to know. To keep them as a prisoner in this dark and cold cave. Montag as a prisoner sounds preposterous, he loved what he did and always completed. While that could be true, he is still unable to think by himself as showed throughout the first few pages of the book. Who in their right mind would think to burn the very thing that gives us knowledge and power.
Either to go through a tough time but in the end know the truth. Or rather be in an auto pilot like mode with no control. Montag chose the first option, but he almost did the wrong thing, or the right thing. When he first meets Clarisse she says “Are you happy”(Bradbury 7). Which of course, Montag is, who could he not be. Montag has a passion, a good job and a great wife who loves him. But, it is at this point that Montag changes inside. What is happiness; happiness by definition means a mental or emotional state of well-being defined by positive or pleasant emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy. Happy mental states may also reflect judgements by a person about their overall well-being. Montag seems happy but really is not. He could have easily brushed off the matter and Clarisse all together, but he does not do such a thing. The question is why; why did Montag dwell on the question that he certainly knows the answer to? Montag ended up dwelling on the question and answering it. I am not happy. Half way through the journey of self righteousness he is left with a choice. Beaty, a controlling manipulative man began has as someone who Montag could look up too. In the end though Beatty ended up almost changing Montag’s mind back to the “good side”. “ Speech away. What’ll it be this time? Why don’t you belch Shakespeare at me, you fumbling snob?”(Bradbury 113). Beatty is almost trying to intimidate Montag into thinking that this reading life isn’t meant for him. To get him back onto Beatty’s side and back into auto pilot mode. At that point Montag could have went back to his old self that he very much despises. Despite possible death Montag prevails and chooses what is right for him. He decides that a unsafe but free life is better than a save mind controlling life. He chooses to leave the cave rather than stay within the rock that’s kept him safe all these years.
Questions, they are asked everyday, but it only takes a single question to change anything.
Why am I doing what i’m doing. Montag of all people asks himself that question. With a little or should i say a lot of help from Clarisse. Clarisse is honestly single handedly changed the whole course of this entire book. By posing the question “are you happy” to Montag changed him. It changed Montage by allowing him to ask himself questions about his life. He ultimately realizes that no, I am not happy. Or is he, the argument could be made that Montag is just a man with a mental problem. He loves book, he must be killed. The thing is that the people saying that in the book are being controlled by the media and Government. They do not really know what's happening. Monkey see monkey do is a classic saying that would describe this book
perfectly.
Escaping the cave always begins as a prisoner and either ends becoming one of them or achieving a state of developing consciousness; by asking oneself the simple question “am I happy?”. In the end Montag escapes the cave, but to where. A mystical land where books can be read when ever and wherever. It is not established what exactly happens once the bomb is dropped. Did Montag escape, have we. No one really knows anything, we’ll only know “when we reach the city”-Ray Bradbury 1951.
.