Fahrenheit 451 Essay

Fahrenheit 451

The extraordinary experience of reading the novel Fahrenheit 451, written by Ray

Bradbury, is that although it was written in 1953 the author predicted a vivid description

of the way things are in America today.   The colorful characters in this book represent

different examples of American culture and how this culture is addicted to electronic

media means of communication and has a lack of self control.   This fictional story

projects almost sixty years into the future.

The time period of this story is not clearly specified in the novel but it could easily

be assumed that the story takes place during the new millennium.   There are references

to terrible crimes, nuclear weapons, political correctness, and even reality television.

There is a unique sense of addressing social ignorance that controlled literature.   Any

independent thoughts were written off as mental illness.   And for the most part, general

society believes what they hear; which is a clear description of current times.

The story revolves around a fireman and his wife, Guy and Mildred Montag, who

are not very intelligent people.   Guy only believes what he hears and Mildred is a coach

potato that only wants to watch her TV shows.   This couple never posed the question

“Why?” to society.   Guy suddenly realizes that his life has a certain void and begins fill

the void with reading the books that society has made mandatory to burn.   At the same

time he attempts to strengthen his relationship and communication with his wife.

Guy meets his new seventeen year old neighbor Clarisse McClellan, who is the

complete opposite of his wife.   She’s energetic and outgoing.   Clarisse is an

independent thinker that shares her perspectives and fuels thought for Guy.   Soon after

meeting Clarisse, Guy finds his wife has overdosed on sleeping pills and is forced to call

medical help.   Because Guy has been sheltered a bit from society, the...