The Importance Of Censorship In Fahrenheit 451 By Ray Bradbury

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“Censorship is the tool of those who have the need to hide actualities from themselves and others. Their fear is only their inability to face what is real. Somewhere in their upbringing they were shielded against the total facts of our experience. They were only taught to look one way when many ways exist.” Charles Bukowski, an American author, unintentionally explains perfectly the customs of the people, influenced by the government, in relation to Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury; he does this by explaining the habits of people who are naive and intellectually vacuous. Bradbury elucidates to readers the idea of what might come about if citizens slowly stop expanding their knowledge and begin letting the government have all authority. Through Fahrenheit 451 's dynamic character change, the significance of imagination and the intellectual confidence of knowledge rather than a blithe attitude and love for entertainment becomes apparent. Montag’s interaction with social outcasts and insouciant conformists implies that Fahrenheit 451 is anticensorship. Individuality, it separates the creative thinkers from the simple-minded society. …show more content…
Clarisse is a very audacious person; Montag hasn’t ever met someone so jovial. “I like to smell things and look at things, and sometimes stay up all night, walking, and watch the sunrise.”(Bradbury 7) no one in this society takes the time to observe the surroundings anymore, but unlike them Clarisse sees the beauty in life. She reveals Mother Nature to Montag, who actually takes the time to see it and how it blooms into so much more than just admiring the scenery. “When I said something about the moon, you looked at the moon, last night. The others would never do that. The others would walk off and leave me talking.”(23) Clarisse points out to Montag that maybe he is different, that he actually sees the wonder and pulchritude in living. She clarifies to him that he takes the time to listen, look, and acknowledge what she speaks to him. Clarisse’s creative thoughts help Montag to in fact change his perception of the society in Fahrenheit 451. Futuristic fast cars, television, and radio all occupy the general public, but what about real conversations, thinking for yourself, emotions, and how about history? Leisure activity has taken up the entire population’s time “Yet somehow we think we can grow feeding on flowers and fireworks, without completing the cycle back to reality.”(83) Faber, by comparing flowers to the society, states that the society’s foundation is unstable because the people are not facing the veracity of existence. His philosophy of books “Number one, as I said: quality of information. Number two: leisure to digest it. And number three: the right to carry out actions based on what we learn from interaction of the first two.” (84, 85) gave Faber the comprehension to absorb the information in it. From learning this, Montag discovers that the information in the books portray humanity in such a manner that the government doesn’t want anyone to distinguish. “Doesn’t everyone look nice! / Everyone looks swell. / Isn’t this show wonderful?”(93) Mildred and her friend continually compliment each other on appearance not once going into detail on their façade; they all live carefree with no worries. The ladies came in with “martinis in their hands”(93) and they watched shows in the ‘parlor’. Even under a vicious stare from Montag, the women still were “lighting cigarettes, blowing smoke,

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