Summary Of Ray Bradbury's 'Fahrenheit 451'

But, books were illegal in this day and age, so he must keep the city protected. While watching the senior burn with her books, he learned that these books are so important to some people- there has to be something special about these books. As a result of this, he stole some of her books and took them to his home to read. This example proves that the old lady develops Guy Montag’s character considering he went from being fearful and weary about owning books, to becoming curious and wanting to learn the importance and significance of books. He begins to become intrigued, going against the law and putting his job- and life- at risk.

Bradbury writes “He stood entranced, not unlike a night moth, stunned by the illumination, and then drawn toward it.” With this simile, the man is now transfixed by a bright light and unable to move. This is a major shift in the setting and feel because the reader now feels an anxious or agitated feeling instead of the previous calm and content feeling. This simile leaves the reader wondering who is behind this transfixing light and what will that person do with the protagonist. Bradbury uses this suspense and wondering to allow the reader to really feel what the protagonist is

It was everyone else, and me. She was the first person in a good many years I’ve really liked. She was the first person I can remember who looked straight at me as if I counted. (68.)” I think that this quote means that Montag and Mildred don’t have a lot in common and he liked Clarisse better. I also think that it showed that Clarisse is different from others. Through Clarisse, Montag has learned things about himself that he didn’t know.

This study examines the issue of freedom of information in the story of literary oppression found in Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. Bradbury presents the oppression of an authoritarian state that does not allow its citizens to reads books. Guy Montag is initially a servant of the state that requires him to locate and persecute members of the community that still collect books. In various cases, Bradbury defines the rights of certain citizens to rebel against Guy and the other “book burners”, which suggest liberation from tyranny and the freedom of information. Guy also becomes convenient that the policy to destroy books is a threat to civilization, and the rebellion allows him to change his views and to rebel against the government. More importantly, Clarisse’s role in inspiring Guy to revolt becomes a major catalyst for freeing the society from banning books that are deemed a threat to the social order. In essence, an analysis of freedom of information will be examined in this study of literary oppression found in Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451.

This experience made me more marvel at the nature of the wind, than it made me cunning in the knowledge of the wind: but thereby I learned perfectly that it is no marvel at all though men in a wind lose their length in shooting, seeing so many ways the wind is so variable in blowing.

​In a world where everything surrounding one is so different and so similar in the exact same time… Imagine a society where everything an individual can mentally and physically do is under the power of the government. Self-difference does not exist. In a futuristic setting of the novel ‘Fahrenheit 451’ written by Ray Bradbury, and the short story ‘Harrison Bergeron’ written by Kurt Vonnegut are both two very eventful and interesting readings that will keep one’s mind running on about the outlook on futuristic life and the governments strict needs and wants throughout a society. These two stories can be compared and contrasted by the strict outlook on the governments control, demand and want over a society, the close relation the two main characters from both stories portray and the similar theme demonstrating loss of individuality.

Bradbury included characters to act ignorant in order to enhance his theme of knowledge versus ignorance. The government controls everyone, keeping people locked in their illiteracy by precise manipulation from advanced technology. For instance, every night, Mildred listens to her seashell radio. Mildred becomes unaware, and one night she takes an overdose of pills and does not remember doing so. Moreover, Mildred watches the TVs in the living room and finds the programs fascinating, even though she learns nothing. This is what the government wants, as everyone in society becomes distracted by technology, they will not have time to read or write. Further, at the beginning of the novel, Montag is ignorant of the fact that his actions have consequences. For example, he states, “It was a pleasure to burn. It was a special pleasure to see things eaten, to see things blackened and changed” (Bradbury 1). At this time, Montag enjoys watching books burn, and he especially enjoys burning the books himself. Nevertheless, Montag only enjoyed burning books because he did not realize how they actually contain worthwhile information. Hence, this shows how the government is able to hide the information in books from everyone in society. The advanced technology not only results in unawareness, but also in behavioral changes.

Montag is someone who is shy and keeps his thoughts to himself, but thinks many things. He shows that he is distracted instead of being happy throughout the book. At the time, he was walking home from work and was looking at Clarisse. Clarisse is a girl who would roam the streets and was also Montag's neighbor. She walks over to Guy and they start to have a conversation while walking to their houses. They discussing if talking about to see if Montag is really happy or if he was lying. She keeps questioning him. Bradbury explains “He was not happy. He was not happy. He said the words to himself. He recognized this as true state affairs. He wore his happiness like a mask and the girl had run across the lawn with the mask and the way

The average person in our society spends 7-8 hours a day(The Washington Post) using technology; that is stuff like television, video games, surfing the web, etc. Let that set in; that’s a long time. Our society procrastinates also is constantly distracted by technology like no other. We are practically glued to technology; before we become slaves of technology we must change that. The theme of technology in Fahrenheit 451 informs us that the overuse of technology makes people lazy/procrastinate, that technology will overpower people’s lives, and technology takes away from people’s education.

A 30 year-old firefighter, Guy Montag, burns houses instead of saving them. “ He knew that when he returned to the firehouse, he might wink at himself, a minstrel man, burnt-cooked, in the mirror” (2). Montag is a rebellious character that thinks highly of himself. His neighbor is named Clarisse McClellan. She is a charming and intelligent girl. “ Bet I know something you don’t. There’s dew on the grass in the morning” (7). Clarisse absorbs nature and knows more than Montag. Mildred is Montag's wife. She is addicted to pills and she’s stuck in media. “ Two pale moonstones buried in a creek of clear water over which the life of the world ran… her face was like a snow-covered island upon which rain might fall, but it felt no rain… her not caring whether it came or went” (11). When she overdoses it seems that she is careless, thoughtless, and completely empty minded. Mildred isn't unhappy with her life because she attempts things that cause

In the moment, the first thing that came to his mind was yes. But after some thought, he realizes he is not. That was not Clarisse’s last question, she was still curious about Montag. She explained to him that if you rub a dandelion under your chin, and its yellow, that means you are in love. Montag’s chin did not change yellow. “I am, very much in love!” he tried to conjure a face to fir the words, but there was no face. (Bradbury 22). Right then Montag realizes that he was never really in love with his wife Mildred. As Clarisse and Montag are walking, she begins pointing out small things that Montag had never paid any attention to. “Have you ever smelt old leaves? Don’t they smell like cinnamon?” she asked, (Bradbury 29). Just this one simple thing represents all the moments in life that Montag doesn’t appreciate. At this time, he realizes he has been missing so much in life so far. In closing, Clarisse made Montag look at his life in a whole new way.

Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 is a display of how humans are relying more and more on technology for entertainment at the price of their ability for intellectual development. It is a novel about technological dystopia, often compared to other novels such as, George Orwell’s 1984 and Asimov Ender’s Game. Although today’s technology has not quite caught up with Bradbury’s expectations, the threat of having his vision of a dystrophic society is very realistic. He sees a futuristic society in which this submission of thought is highly valued. In Fahrenheit 451, Bradbury displays a futuristic utopian society where "the people did not read books, enjoy nature, spend time by themselves, think independently, or have meaningful conversations" (Mogen, Pg. 111).

Have you ever done something that you got away with, but for only a short period of time? The main character, Guy Montag, in Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 hides books in his house. In this society, it is against the rules to have books anywhere. Montag gets books, shows them to his wife, Mildred; and even reads them to her friends. Mildred turns in Montag and the alarm goes off. When the alarm went off the firemen came to Montag’s house, which led to Mildred leaving, Montag killing Beatty, and the mechanical hound.

Clarisse McClellan symbolizes clarity and inquisitiveness in Fahrenheit 451. Throughout the Hearth and the Salamander, her innocence, curiosity, and adoration of nature stirs Montag’s inner belief that something is very wrong. “He felt his body divide itself into hotness and coldness, a softness and a hardness, a trembling and a not trembling, the two halves grinding upon the other.”(page 21) After his conversation with Clarisse, Montag loses his sense of self. He does not know whether to continue being a typical individual in a damaged, unhappy world, or to acknowledge his inner belief that something is wrong. This is a society where suicide is common, love is nonexistent, and books are prohibited, therefore knowledge, thinking, and happiness

Clarisse’s role in this novel is very important. She brings out the real Montag. She makes Montag question his life. Without her, Montag would probably be dead now. I also don’t think she’s dead. I think her parents moved because Clarisse didn’t fit in. Beatty’s role is also very important. He shows Montag that he also read books and is still a fireman.