What Is Reflected In Fahrenheit 451

Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 is a book based on a dystopian future in which books are banned and firemen start fires instead of ending them. The book’s main character, Montag, spends a lot of his time reflecting on his life and on the society he lives in. The society Bradbury depicts in Fahrenheit 451 is one that is in dire need of reflection and change. Throughout the book Bradbury uses mirrors and even Clarisse as symbols of society’s need for reflection. In reflecting upon itself, society can better itself and become the “ideal” society it was always meant to be. Before any new society can be formed after the explosion, Bradbury tells his audience that society must first notice its mistakes and then fix them. Just as a person can see their reflection in a mirror, society too can figuratively look at itself into a mirror and change for the better. From the beginning of the book, it is noticeable that Montag is not very happy with the life he is living. Early on in the story Montag meets a strange young woman named Clarisse McClellan. Clarisse is different from everyone else. Unlike most people, Clarisse actually thought about things and questioned why life was the way it was. Consequently, Clarisse makes Montag think and reflect on his own life. In the book, …show more content…
Through all his different symbols, Ray Bradbury does a good job at making note of how society must reflect on itself in order to thrive. Mirrors are obviously a great symbol of reflection in the book. As proven in this paper, mirrors are not the only symbol of reflection. Characters like Clarisse and Mildred also play a part in keeping up this theme of reflection. In conclusion, Bradbury does an excellent job of stressing an ongoing demand for reflection and change in order for Montag and everyone else to be truly happy in