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Dystopian Society In Fahrenheit 451 By Ray Bradbury

Decent Essays

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury takes the reader to a dystopian society where firemen do more harm than good. The setting takes place in a large United States city in the year 2053. The story has a futuristic and dark tone which makes the reader wonder what the future holds. Has the government become so corrupt that it has the power to control everything? Ray Bradbury tells a story of what happens to society when the government controls people and replaces happiness with distractions.
The characters in Fahrenheit 451 make the story come to life. Guy Montag is the main character and goes through the biggest change. Montag is a thirty year old firemen who thinks he is content with his life. Montag loves burning books and comments, “ …show more content…

Another important event is when Montag reveals he has been hiding books in the ventilator. His decision to tell his wife, Mildred, changes the plot and shows that Montag is willing to risk everything for true happiness. Montag is determined to read the books and find a way to save them, but Mildred becomes so upset that she eventually calls in an alarm and runs away. This leads to the third and most life changing event in Fahrenheit 451. Montag is forced to kill his boss, Beatty, in order to save Faber. As a result, Montag is forced to go on the run. The government uses a Mechanical Hound, helicopters, and the community to catch him. Montag makes his way to the river and is guided to safety by firelight. He is amazed that fire can be used for warmth and light instead of destruction. While on the run, he meets a group of hobos who accept him. The men watch as their city crumbles, and Montag learns that he has an important part in remembering and rebuilding a better society.
Although there are many conflicts in Fahrenheit 451, the main conflict is man versus society. Many forces act upon Montag and keep him from being the person he wants to be. For example, the government uses their control to keep people from success and happiness. They control people with parlor walls, seashell earbuds, and fast moving cars. Beatty explains that people live “for pleasure, for titillation. And you must admit our culture provides plenty

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