Fahrenheit 451
Bethany Edwards
Censorship or Knowledge
Ray Bradbury’s novel, Fahrenheit 451 is a good example of censorship and restriction and the results of what can happen because of this. Ray Bradbury predicts in his novel that the future is without literature -- everything from newspapers to novels to the Bible. This novel is about a world that is so structured and censored that even a common fireman exist not to fight fires, for all buildings are fireproof, but instead to burn books. Books are made to be thought of as evil and anyone caught with books hidden in their home is forced out of it while the firemen force their way in and turn the house into an inferno. Fahrenheit 451 is a horrific account of what could happen in an all too close future when society carries "political correctness" to its extreme. Set in the 24th century, Ray Bradbury tells a story of the protagonist, Guy Montag. At first, Montag takes pleasure in his profession as a fireman, burning illegally owned books and the homes of their owners. However, Montag soon begins to question the value of his profession and, in turn, his life. He begins to wonder why some people are willing to sacrifice their lives to keep their books. In a society where censorship and restrictions are in force, always a few people will resist this control and seek to find the answers. Montag becomes one of these people as he begins to question “why” reading books are wrong. Many people and events in Montags surroundings eventually lead him to make a complete metamorphosis. He goes from hating books to loving them. He changes from a stolid character, unaware of the activities in his surroundings, to a person conscious of everything, enlightened by the new world he is exposed to. In Fahrenheit 451, Bradbury uses three choric figures to shape the character of Montag. They are his next door neighbor Clarisse, Professor Faber, and the chief of police, Captain Beatty.
Clarisse is the young teenage girl who moves in with
Censorship or Knowledge
Ray Bradbury’s novel, Fahrenheit 451 is a good example of censorship and restriction and the results of what can happen because of this. Ray Bradbury predicts in his novel that the future is without literature -- everything from newspapers to novels to the Bible. This novel is about a world that is so structured and censored that even a common fireman exist not to fight fires, for all buildings are fireproof, but instead to burn books. Books are made to be thought of as evil and anyone caught with books hidden in their home is forced out of it while the firemen force their way in and turn the house into an inferno. Fahrenheit 451 is a horrific account of what could happen in an all too close future when society carries "political correctness" to its extreme. Set in the 24th century, Ray Bradbury tells a story of the protagonist, Guy Montag. At first, Montag takes pleasure in his profession as a fireman, burning illegally owned books and the homes of their owners. However, Montag soon begins to question the value of his profession and, in turn, his life. He begins to wonder why some people are willing to sacrifice their lives to keep their books. In a society where censorship and restrictions are in force, always a few people will resist this control and seek to find the answers. Montag becomes one of these people as he begins to question “why” reading books are wrong. Many people and events in Montags surroundings eventually lead him to make a complete metamorphosis. He goes from hating books to loving them. He changes from a stolid character, unaware of the activities in his surroundings, to a person conscious of everything, enlightened by the new world he is exposed to. In Fahrenheit 451, Bradbury uses three choric figures to shape the character of Montag. They are his next door neighbor Clarisse, Professor Faber, and the chief of police, Captain Beatty.
Clarisse is the young teenage girl who moves in with