The Theme Of Ignorance In Fahrenheit 451

Ray Bradbury wrote his novel, Fahrenheit 451, in a time of general happiness in the United States. With the recent end of World War 2, the 1950s brought joy to the nation. Rations had ended, houses were more affordable, soldiers had returned from war, and television became widespread. Beyond that, however, the Cold War began, leaving Americans fearful of a nuclear war, and The Civil Rights Movement took off. Bradbury sensed this tension and the themes of his novel reflect his opinions on the issues that arose in this time period. Guy Montag lives in a society in which books are banned, which forces people to live in ignorance. This brings out a prominent theme of knowledge versus ignorance. Montag refuses to continue living like the rest of his society; he doesn’t want to spend his life watching television on screens as big as walls and spending time with a make-believe family. He rejects the social concepts that others
He uses metaphors like “So it was the hand that started it all . . . His hands had been infected, and soon it would be his arms,” in order to convey that knowledge is superior to ignorance. In this passage, Montag has just stolen his first book, and refers to his new knowledge as a contagious disease, and one that will grow stronger within him. Bradbury’s style is also evident in the way he discusses the driving habits of citizens. Speeding cars are a recurring theme in Fahrenheit 451. It is a speeding car that kills Clarisse, and also a speeding car that injures Montag during his escape. The fast speeds represent the lack of patience that is caused by censorship and ignorance. Citizens no longer have time to relax and drive slowly and safely because they are so eager to return to their “families”. They are so used to instant, mindless gratification when they turn on a screen that they can no longer enjoy simple