...Guy Montag from Fahrenheit 451 deals with conflict in his society. In the book, the theme is ignorance against knowledge. Guy’s society gains ignorance through the media and his society’s way of controlling its people. Since Guy and the rest of the people in his society are exposed only to what is “normal”, they don’t get the chance to gain knowledge. Guy gains knowledge through Clarisse and Faber because they open up Guy’s viewpoints. However, when Guy tries to educate others it doesn’t always go smooth because of the society’s insistence that their society shouldn’t be changed. In the story, Guy himself shows his ignorance in the book by showing his possessed joy of burning books. Guy Montag tells about his joy for his job, “ It was a pleasure to burn. It was a special pleasure to see things eaten, to see things blackened and changed.’’(pg.1)(paragraph 1) Guy himself shows ignorance by doing his job, which is burning...
Words: 500 - Pages: 2
...“ ‘Millie? …’ he whispered. ‘What?’ ‘I didn’t mean to startle you. What I want to know is…’ ‘Well?’ ‘When did we meet? And where?’ ” (42-43) A corrupted society by today’s standards, filled with blank faces and absent minds. Information censored to the liking of a degenerate government. The lives of the people were all vacant hotel rooms, except for the one man who checked in, Guy Montag. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury elucidates the fact that a lack of knowledge leads to ignorance; this is discovered when the characters in the book who are exposed to knowledge see large growth in their observance and overall understanding of life. In part one of the novel, Guy Montag is characterized with nescience. Bradbury points this out on page 9 of...
Words: 285 - Pages: 2
...Ignorance has lead to some of the world’s most devastating events in history; the Holocaust, World War I, and the Twin Tower attack on the eleventh of September 2001. Consequently, Fahrenheit 451, written by Ray Bradbury has multiple examples of destruction and how it was caused because of a uniform society. The society in Fahrenheit 451 is constructing itself to lead to a horrific event because citizens are having ignorance towards books and individually as well as ideas. Therefore, individuality is worth fighting for otherwise, the ignorance will lead to prejudice and destruction, which is currently shown in several characters, demonstrating the importance of individuality. Individuality impacts innovation, maintains our identity it’s vital...
Words: 810 - Pages: 4
...Knowledge vs. Ignorance In fahrenheit 451 struggle revolves around the tension between knowledge and ignorance. Firemen destroy knowledge of all forms, books in perticlar. This doesn’t stop Montag though. He is given many struggles because he wants to learn. I feel like this is somewhat relevant to nowadays society. We faced with those who want to be knowledged but majority has turned to substance and have become consumed in it. Society in fahrenheit 451 is very similar to today’s society. The education system is at a falling point and ignorance is growing. What though should become more important substance or knowledge and growing to a person. Ignorance vs. knowledge is a very apparent theme in the Book “Fahrenheit 451". It is expressed subtly throughout the novel enough to make it apperent that the author, Ray Bradbury, wants you to understand the importance. The theme is expressed by characters of both sides, ignorant and knowledged. "Number one, as I said, quality of information. Number two: leisure to digest it. Number three: the right to carry out actions based on what we learn from the interaction in the first two." (81, part 2). This quotes is from later in the book, but it states how Faber used knowledge to his advantage compared to the rest of society. Many more quotes occur from Faber like this. He truley expresses his love and passion of the importance of knowledge in the book. To start what exactly is ignorance and knowledge? Who shows the two sides and how?...
Words: 1145 - Pages: 5
...“Robert Reilly claims that the novel is "a frightening picture of how the products of science can destroy persons and human values" (67), but this is an unfortunate simplification” (McGiveron). This quote brings up another overlaying theme in Fahrenheit 451 which is the dehumanization of the populace in the novel. The people in this book no longer care about anything whether it be their children, war, death, or the problems in the world around them. This is because the less they had to think the more they stopped to care and they gradually stopped caring about anything at all. Death, war, famine, and pain are all just words to them and mean nothing because they no longer understand the gravity of these concepts and it is all because...
Words: 725 - Pages: 3
...to think, humans often get curious and as a result, they speculate about what the future could bring given the way society is at their here and now. One book that focuses on this speculation of the future is Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury. Fahrenheit 451 takes place in a dystopian future through the eyes of Guy Montag, where firemen burn books rather than stop fires and society is obsessed with television. A prevalent theme in Fahrenheit 451 is how society as a whole is blind to the truth behind our surroundings. How humans live rejecting enlightenment in favor of the bliss that ignorance grants us, most clearly expressed by the burning of books (the rejection of knowledge) and society’s obsession with television...
Words: 778 - Pages: 4
...poem a theme where taking the risks in our lives is what the best choice is. Stafford's proves that taking risks is the best choice in eliminating censorship. He does this by using literary device to emphasize a tone of disappointment towards it. Stafford uses many literary language which causes him to develop the meaning on what the meaning of books mean. The very first stanza helps with describing what books are like and what they represent and mean in our world. In the next stanza, Stafford uses a metaphor to emphasis the negative aspects in our society and how they are like the books being burned, “more disturbing than book ashes are whole libraries that no one got around to writing----desolate towns, miles of unthought in cities, and the terrorized countryside where wild dogs.” (Stafford) Additionally in the very last stanza, “so I’ve burned books....
Words: 512 - Pages: 3
...Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 is a criticism of how society in the future could be. Although the novel was first published in 1951, many of the ideas Bradbury proposes are beginning to become true within today’s society. Bradbury touches upon issues such as censorship, technology, and what society holds as valuable. These issues all appear in today’s society because of the media. One of the biggest themes in Fahrenheit 451 is censorship. This theme is shown throughout the book by the firemen. In this book, the firemen stand as leaders and public figures within the society. The firemen are constantly trying to burn all material items that help the masses gain knowledge. Beatty states, “If you don’t want a man unhappy politically, don't give him two sides to a question to worry him; give him one. Better yet, give him none. Let him forget there is such a thing as war” (Bradbury 58). This quote shows how keen the firemen are on censoring the public from any ideas or beliefs that may challenge the status quo. The firemen are concerned that if the public is exposed to the ideas proposed in these books, and hear the other side of the story, that they will stray from the common belief system that was established for the society. Fortunately, in today’s America, censorship...
Words: 1007 - Pages: 5
...Ashes of the Future Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury was written in 1950, however it takes place far into the future, even beyond 2014. In this future society, television and radio essentially control the world, and literature is virtually becoming extinct. Firefighters's jobs are to start fires, not put them out. Their mission is to burn all books and the houses they're found in. Guy Montag is one of these firefighters, who is numb to the effects of book burning. He finds joy in the fires and goes about his duties every day, burning books, coming home to his wife, Mildred, who is addicted to her television "family" and sleeping pills. His world is loud and busy, but essentially empty. Eventually, Montag meets his neighbor Clarisse, who is unlike everyone else in that she notices the details in life and the nature all around her, and values the old way of life, including books. Once Montag starts talking to her, he starts to see the flaws in this modern society and wonders what books really contain. This curiosity is heightened even more when he witnesses an old woman die with her books in her house fire because she refused to leave them. Montag begins to collect and read books, which ultimately...
Words: 671 - Pages: 3
...“the incineration of knowledge and wisdom” Fahrenheit 451 Kati Hernandez 10/28/14 AP English 12 Period 1 Three Questions 1. When the story starts, what are the forces acting on Montag? 2. Why would Montag read the poem “Dover Beach,” by Matthew Arnold to Mildred and her friends and how is it significant to the novel? 3. Once Montag becomes an insubordinate, why does the government capture an innocent man instead of tracking down Montag? Literary Criticism Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 follows the protagonist Guy Montag, a fireman living in a dystopic society where books are illegal and burnt if found. Instead of reading citizens watch copious amounts of television . Conversations with pedestrians are unheard of until Montag meets Clarisse, “seventeen and insane”(Bradbury 7). She asks multiple questions about his life, one question which changes his outlook on his entire life, “Are you happy?”(Bradbury 10). After his conversation with Clarisse, Montag is conflicted with his job, his disposition, and his desire for knowledge and wisdom. Using a variety of literary elements throughout Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury emphasizes that wisdom and knowledge are acquired through experience and critical thinking. Bradbury uses allegory and alliteration to develop the idea that the censorship and the distractions of society leads to the gradual decay of knowledge. While on the subway, Montag remembers his childhood memory of himself sitting on a yellow...
Words: 2422 - Pages: 10
...A Society Without Progression Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury is a book about a dystopian society where books are burned and thoughts are censored. The society in Fahrenheit 451 is qualified as dystopian, as everything about it is unpleasant and bad. In the story, the main character, Guy Montag, realizes that the society he is living in is being controlled by censorship and ignorance, preventing people from having their own thoughts or ideas. Throughout the story, Bradbury uses many different literary elements and topics to show his view on society and how it can change. The author compares books to imperfection and weapons, and portrays Montag and society as unhappy and ignorant to demonstrate a theme. In Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury uses metaphors...
Words: 1283 - Pages: 6
...and received my first phone. I started to read less often, and this had a slight impact on school. Although I was still a smart kid, my peers began to catch up to me, and I suddenly wasn’t so advanced academically. The book Fahrenheit 451 acts as an appropriate comparison for the importance of books and knowledge, and can be connected to the evolution of my reading habits. The novel describes a world where owning and reading books is illegal. The protagonist, Guy Montag, begins to question the reasons behind the law against books, and the novel details his adventures. This novel is relevant because reading has become less important for people, especially...
Words: 618 - Pages: 3
...Part One-Fahrenheit 451 Literary Significance Note Key Events: Since the incident with the burning of the house and the woman, Montag did not feel well the next day. Montag was trying to talk to Mildred about what happened and she couldn't care less. “She was nothing to me; she shouldn't have had books.” Pg 51 Montag tries to tell Mildred that he wants to quit his job but Mildred wasn't supporting him on the decision. Captain Beatty comes over to check up on Montag and gives the background history about why everyone stopped reading books. Mildred was fixing Montag's bed and almost found the book he was trying to hide under his pillow. He refused to let Mildred make his bed. After Captain Beatty leaves, Montag shows Mildred all the books he has been trying to hide. Mildred was shocked at first but convinces her to help him see if what Beatty was...
Words: 607 - Pages: 3
...“Since 1977, 1,320 innocent people from the United States have been executed after having time in jail, with a 4.1 percent error or 1 in every 25” (National Geographic). This idea directly correlates with the themes shown in the novel Fahrenheit 451 and the film Pleasantville. Montag in Fahrenheit 451 is torn by his personal emotions toward what he believes in and the need maintain the current state of deception. Not telling the truth about the past history can make the people living there more oppressed. Similarly, David and Jennifer in the 1998 film Pleasantville expose new revolutionary ideas to a perfect “pleasant” world, which not only disrupts the order, it allows for people being true to themselves and show individuality. These are only some of the many examples where lying turns into a serious matter which can potentially destroy your life or someone else’s. Although telling lies can spare feelings for a designated amount of time, being brutally honest causes less harm and allows relationships...
Words: 1652 - Pages: 7
...Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 and Hilda Doolittle’s The Walls Do Not Fall share similar themes as Anthem. Fahrenheit 451 is set in a future time where books are not allowed, and are to be burned by the dreaded firefighters. The main character, Guy Montag, struggles with the idea of destroying books taking away knowledge. He is so intrigued by books that he tells this to his distraught wife: “There must be something in books, things we can’t imagine, to make a woman stay in a burning house; there must be something there…” (Bradbury, p.51). The leaders in his society control their citizens by the withholding of knowledge as well. That is how Montag runs away from his town in search of more knowledge and to save his life. Hilda Doolittle also valued books and knowledge very highly, as evident in her poem The Walls...
Words: 867 - Pages: 4
