Similarities Between Frankenstein And Fahrenheit 451

Appearance vs. Reality in Frankenstein and Fahrenheit 451

“What we perceive is not the truth. What appears there is not reality.” The idea of appearance vs. reality is seen in everyday lives, including religion, relationships, and school studies. Appearance vs. reality lets our minds see things differently than how they appear through perception. Choosing to ignore ideas beyond appearance and what can be seen can cause the truth, or what is beyond appearance, to become distorted leading to negative consequences. In the book Frankenstein by Mary Shelley and Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, people, things, and even ideas are perceived in different ways and the truth is ignored. Although some may believe disregarding reality leads to simplicity
The reason people live their simple lives is because they believe simpleness will bring them happiness. With simplicity, there are no problems, arguments, or any social hierarchy based on intelligence. Everyone lives happy and simple lives and they don’t question it because they don’t know any better. Disregarding reality, or ignoring the truth, caused the people of the society in Fahrenheit 451 to be able to live happy lives with little to no negative consequences. On the other hand, if the truth is ignored, undesired or tragic consequences will inevitably occur. In the book Frankenstein, Victor Frankenstein is able to resurrect a monster that turns out to be a horrifying and hideous creature. Victor had shuttered in fear and terror at the sight of the creature he had created. Describing his encounter with the monster for the very first time, "I beheld the wretch- the miserable monster whom I created" (Shelley 44). By describing the monster as a ‘wretch’ and a ‘miserable monster’, Victor illustrates his feelings of guilt and anger while believing that this creature was insignificant. The monster's appearance, which Victor described as wretched, leads many to believe
In the book Fahrenheit 451 the firefighters don’t put out fires, they start them. They do this to fight ideas and to keep their society safe from disruptive influences because books can lead to rebellions. But is the society safe if they don’t know the truth? The fireman's responsibility is to burn books, and therefore destroy knowledge. Through these actions, the firemen promote ignorance to maintain the sameness of society. When Montag and the other firemen heard the alarm for another fire to be started they raced to the location, which was an old woman’s house full of books. Not wanting to give up her books she died in the fire that was burning her house to ashes, including the books she so desperately would not give up. The passion this woman had for books sparked ideas of doubt in the firemen and why they are burning books in Montag’s head that did not cross him before. Montag thought to himself, “There must be something in books, something we can’t imagine, to make a woman stay in a burning house; there must be something there. You don’t stay for nothing” (48) The ignorance of the truth that the people living in the society are in fact not living in reality at all, but instead in a government oppressed society where knowledge from books is harmful, eventually causes the society implode on itself and collapse. The naive and ignorant actions of the firefighters who didn't know the