Fahrenheit
451
...is n: the action of a censor esp. in stopping the transmission or publication of matter considered objectionable. That is, of course, according to the guys over at Merriam-Webster.
The theme of Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 can be seen from several different viewpoints. Bradbury's novel primarily gives an anti-censorship message. Bradbury understood censorship to be a natural projection of an extremely tolerant society. The society envisioned by Bradbury in Fahrenheit 451 is often compared to Huxley's Brave New World, according to the researchers at novelguide.com. Though both works certainly have an anti-government theme, that is not the core idea of Bradbury's novel.
More importantly, Fahrenheit 451 has an anti-apathy, anti-dependence, and anti-television message. People in this novel are afraid of themselves. They fear the thought of knowing, which leads them to depend on others to think for them. Since they are not thinking for themselves, they need something to occupy their time. This is where television comes in. Television, in turn, leads to whole host of problems: violence, depression, and even suicide.
In Fahrenheit 451, owning and reading books is illegal. The members of this society focus only on entertainment, immediate gratification, and speeding through life. If books are found by the firemen, the books are burned and their owner is arrested. If the owner refuses to abandon the books, he or she often dies, burning along with them. People with interests outside of technology and entertainment, such as Clarisse, are viewed as strange, and possible threats.
Guy Montag lived in a futuristic American city where it was his job, as a fireman, to burn books. According to sparksnotes.com, "the people in this society did not read books, enjoy nature, spend time by themselves, think independently, or have meaningful conversations....
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