Fahrenheit 451: A Dystopia of Censorship
In Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, the society of Guy Montag’s world was built on the destruction of an educated world, an attempt to end envy and the feeling of inferiority among humanity. By burning books, the people of the past hoped to end the constant battle of competitive intellect, representing a social step backwards by erasing the problem. This decision creates a community in which “flowers are trying to live on flowers, instead of growing on good rain and black loam” (Bradbury 79). Montag’s world is not built on substantial sources of intellectualism and creativity. Instead, Guy exists in a broken society structured on artificial bases created by the people themselves. The instances of rebellion …show more content…
Through exposure to intellect from his stolen literature, Guy’s mind begins to resist conformity, leading to self-destruction from repressed emotions. For instance, Montag begins reading the poem “Dover Beach” to his wife Mildred and her friends, fully aware of the chaos it will cause, yet unable to stop once he begins. Montag snaps under the pressure of keeping this secret and his true self developing underneath the crushing weight of the overbearing world he lives in. When reading this, one may believe an event like this could encourage others to believe outbursts that mortify and embarrass others through shocking information to be a positive action. This could possibly lead readers to believe that if they take something they believe to be true and portray it in an aggressive manner, it could be the right thing to do in the name of rebellion. However, Montag’s outburst is done in the name of literature and self-expression, two very important aspects his society lacks. His breakdown is entirely understandable in the extreme situation he is in, unlike our newly developed society that provides us with the very rights Montag is fighting for. The perception of Montag’s instinct could scare some into censoring this book due to the fear of something like this happening due to inspiration. Although this is possible, the acceptance and encouragement of Montag’s motivations make an …show more content…
By censoring this novel, students would not be able to expose themselves to an alternate universe in which rights often taken for granted were taken from the people. Despite the threat of intellectual interpretation of this novel through real applications or rebellions, the brilliant literary contribution Ray Bradbury wrote has provided an amazing alternative to show the world just how bad it could be. Students who read this novel foster their appreciation for literature and the right of free expression, something that deserves recognition. Banning this book due to Faber’s outline and Montag’s outburst completely misses the point of the book by ignoring its vital contribution. Fahrenheit 451’s encouragement of education and creativity gave society an unforgettable portrayal of disaster that will continue to be used within the education system for many years due to its groundbreaking literary perception of a world that lacks what our world
In Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, the society of Guy Montag’s world was built on the destruction of an educated world, an attempt to end envy and the feeling of inferiority among humanity. By burning books, the people of the past hoped to end the constant battle of competitive intellect, representing a social step backwards by erasing the problem. This decision creates a community in which “flowers are trying to live on flowers, instead of growing on good rain and black loam” (Bradbury 79). Montag’s world is not built on substantial sources of intellectualism and creativity. Instead, Guy exists in a broken society structured on artificial bases created by the people themselves. The instances of rebellion …show more content…
Through exposure to intellect from his stolen literature, Guy’s mind begins to resist conformity, leading to self-destruction from repressed emotions. For instance, Montag begins reading the poem “Dover Beach” to his wife Mildred and her friends, fully aware of the chaos it will cause, yet unable to stop once he begins. Montag snaps under the pressure of keeping this secret and his true self developing underneath the crushing weight of the overbearing world he lives in. When reading this, one may believe an event like this could encourage others to believe outbursts that mortify and embarrass others through shocking information to be a positive action. This could possibly lead readers to believe that if they take something they believe to be true and portray it in an aggressive manner, it could be the right thing to do in the name of rebellion. However, Montag’s outburst is done in the name of literature and self-expression, two very important aspects his society lacks. His breakdown is entirely understandable in the extreme situation he is in, unlike our newly developed society that provides us with the very rights Montag is fighting for. The perception of Montag’s instinct could scare some into censoring this book due to the fear of something like this happening due to inspiration. Although this is possible, the acceptance and encouragement of Montag’s motivations make an …show more content…
By censoring this novel, students would not be able to expose themselves to an alternate universe in which rights often taken for granted were taken from the people. Despite the threat of intellectual interpretation of this novel through real applications or rebellions, the brilliant literary contribution Ray Bradbury wrote has provided an amazing alternative to show the world just how bad it could be. Students who read this novel foster their appreciation for literature and the right of free expression, something that deserves recognition. Banning this book due to Faber’s outline and Montag’s outburst completely misses the point of the book by ignoring its vital contribution. Fahrenheit 451’s encouragement of education and creativity gave society an unforgettable portrayal of disaster that will continue to be used within the education system for many years due to its groundbreaking literary perception of a world that lacks what our world