What would the world look like if everyone felt alive but not living? In “Fahrenheit 451” by Ray Bradbury, Guy Montag struggles to find his own individuality. Everyone in Montag’s society is made equal. The city as a whole strives for happiness and therefore hates to debate. Because books can cause a wide variety of emotions, the society bans and burns all books. In “Fahrenheit 451”, the culture is filled with destructive technology and impersonal relationships, Montag experiences a huge change in personality while Mildred does not, and Bradbury communicates how destructive technology can be and how to find individual happiness. Firstly, the society consists of impersonal relationships and destructive technology. Almost all people in the
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In the beginning, Montag is a man who conforms to society. He believes anything people tell him. Montag also refuses to debate issues in order to keep his so-called “happiness”. While talking to Clarisse, Montag demonstrates his refusal to question unproven facts: “No. Houses have always been fireproof, take my word for it” (Bradbury 7). Beatty tells Montag firemen only start fires. Montag’s response to Clarisse shows how he is naïve. He simply believes Beatty’s statement and shuts down Clarisse when she suggests a different fact. Montag’s opposition to Clarisse’s thought shows how the society acts overall. The society as a whole neither questions nor thinks deeply about a certain topic. They stray away from debating issues because the thought of disturbing the happiness is undesirable. By not agreeing with Clarisse, Montag proves how in the beginning he conforms to whatever the society considers normal. In the end of the novel, Montag awakens and starts to question everything. Whenever Montag asks a question, people vaguely answer the question. His questions are sometimes even left unanswered. The vague or unanswered questions make Montag upset. When Montag cannot figure out how to analyze the books, he demonstrates frustration: “Maybe the books can get us half out of the cave. They just might stop us from making the same damn insane mistakes” (Bradbury 70). …show more content…
Bradbury believes technology creates a sense of being alive but not living. He believes technology takes away from our personal relationships: “‘Come on, let’s be cheery, you turn the ‘family’ on now. Go ahead. Let’s laugh and be happy, now, stop crying, we’ll have a party!’” (Bradbury 97). In the story, interactive televisions substitute anyone who can have a real conversation. Their televisions create a sense of the happiness they strive to have. Although the people believe they are happy, the televisions are a cover-up to how they are actually feeling. The televisions create a sense of isolation and make people forget about anything going on around them. The televisions let people ignore feelings other than happiness because they are so keen on feeling involved in their virtual family. Bradbury communicates how today’s society should stray away from becoming technology-dependent. He exemplifies what could happen to our society if we become attached to our devices. Bradbury wants people to know how valuable our personal relationships are to growth and individual happiness. If society does not encompass creative individuals, the people will become mirror images of the technology-dependent citizens of the novel. Bradbury wants people to be aware of how technology can create robot-like people who are all the same and do not feel emotions. He wants everyone to have the
In the beginning, Montag is a man who conforms to society. He believes anything people tell him. Montag also refuses to debate issues in order to keep his so-called “happiness”. While talking to Clarisse, Montag demonstrates his refusal to question unproven facts: “No. Houses have always been fireproof, take my word for it” (Bradbury 7). Beatty tells Montag firemen only start fires. Montag’s response to Clarisse shows how he is naïve. He simply believes Beatty’s statement and shuts down Clarisse when she suggests a different fact. Montag’s opposition to Clarisse’s thought shows how the society acts overall. The society as a whole neither questions nor thinks deeply about a certain topic. They stray away from debating issues because the thought of disturbing the happiness is undesirable. By not agreeing with Clarisse, Montag proves how in the beginning he conforms to whatever the society considers normal. In the end of the novel, Montag awakens and starts to question everything. Whenever Montag asks a question, people vaguely answer the question. His questions are sometimes even left unanswered. The vague or unanswered questions make Montag upset. When Montag cannot figure out how to analyze the books, he demonstrates frustration: “Maybe the books can get us half out of the cave. They just might stop us from making the same damn insane mistakes” (Bradbury 70). …show more content…
Bradbury believes technology creates a sense of being alive but not living. He believes technology takes away from our personal relationships: “‘Come on, let’s be cheery, you turn the ‘family’ on now. Go ahead. Let’s laugh and be happy, now, stop crying, we’ll have a party!’” (Bradbury 97). In the story, interactive televisions substitute anyone who can have a real conversation. Their televisions create a sense of the happiness they strive to have. Although the people believe they are happy, the televisions are a cover-up to how they are actually feeling. The televisions create a sense of isolation and make people forget about anything going on around them. The televisions let people ignore feelings other than happiness because they are so keen on feeling involved in their virtual family. Bradbury communicates how today’s society should stray away from becoming technology-dependent. He exemplifies what could happen to our society if we become attached to our devices. Bradbury wants people to know how valuable our personal relationships are to growth and individual happiness. If society does not encompass creative individuals, the people will become mirror images of the technology-dependent citizens of the novel. Bradbury wants people to be aware of how technology can create robot-like people who are all the same and do not feel emotions. He wants everyone to have the