Compare and Contrast Essay

Have we become so dependent on technology today that it has destroyed our relationships? This essay will shed some light on the similarities and differences to the story of Fahrenheit 451 and our culture today. For instance, face to face communication has become less important in our world where devices are used frequently to make contact. We are also still able to write and read books, but could eventually become more like Bradbury’s classic if our dependence on technology continues to grow. In Fahrenheit 451, the characters have relationships with technology instead of each other; however, people today often get too fond of technology as well.

In today’s society, the main way to communicate is through technology, just like in Fahrenheit 451. This is apparent throughout the novel, where technology has become the primary means of communication. Montag specifically mentions this in the book, “and in her ears the little seashells, the thimble radios tamped tight, and an electronic ocean of sound, of music and talk and music and talk coming in on the shore of her unsleeping mind” (Bradbury page 12). There is also less face to face communication, which is evident in the amount of time that Mildred spends watching television in the parlor and listening to the radio. The book also highlights this with Montag’s thought, “wasn’t there an old joke about a wife that talked so much on the phone that her desperate husband ran out to the nearest store and telephoned her to ask what was for dinner?” (Bradbury page 42). This is similar to today’s society where social media and the excessive use of smart phones and texting have become a main form of communication. We find ourselves in a world where most teenagers are more comfortable wearing headphones and listening to music than they are with having a conversation with others.