Themes In Fahrenheit 451

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No Hunger for Knowledge In the science fiction classic Fahrenheit 451 written by the renowned author Ray Bradbury, many themes are displayed throughout the novel. The book depicts a story about a futuristic world that forbids people from reading. The main character Montag is a fireman. In the future a firefighter’s job was not to extinguish fires, but to actually start them. They wanted all books in existence to be burnt, to keep the public from reading and gaining knowledge to originate their own thoughts. All the firemen wear the number "451" on their uniforms because that is the temperature at which {draw:frame} book paper burns. At first, Montag takes great pleasure in his profession. However, Montag soon begins to question the…show more content…
This would not have been possible without the help of Miss Clarisse. “You’re not like the others. No one has time any more for anyone else. You’re one of the few who put up with me. That’s why I think it’s so strange you’re a fireman. It just doesn’t seem right for you, somehow” (Bradbury 23-4; pt. 1). The society seems to be so absorbed by meaningless amusement that they rely on it like an addictive drug. Too much mindless entertainment is very relevant it today’s world. A new study suggests teenagers who watch several hours of television a day do worse at school and are less likely to graduate than their peers. Therefore, too much television may result in academic failure. Fire chief Beatty tells Montag to see if his stolen books contain anything worthwhile and then burn them. Overwhelmed by the task of reading, Montag looks to his wife for help and support, but she prefers television to her husband’s company and cannot understand why he would want to risk reading books. He remembers that he once met a retired English professor named Faber sitting in the park, and he decided that this man might be able to help him understand what he reads. He visits Faber who agrees to help Montag with his reading. “Nobody listens anymore. I can’t talk to the walls because they’re yelling at me. I can’t talk to my wife; she listens to…show more content…
Entertainment is a necessity in our world just as it is in the novel. Technology is taking over these people’s society, but they are too blind to see what is happening. This is true in our culture as well. Most people cannot live without their cell phones, iPods, laptops, video games, and huge flat screen televisions. Altogether, Guy Montag’s change in heart towards books is a blessing. He realizes that his society lacked a hunger for knowledge and wants to do something about it. The true theme in the novel, “Too much mindless entertainment,” proves it is necessary for any society to have the knowledge of the past, which is recorded in books. It can prevent man from making the same mistakes as in the

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