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Fahrenheit 451 Censorship Essay

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Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 is a criticism of how society in the future could be. Although the novel was first published in 1951, many of the ideas Bradbury proposes are beginning to become true within today’s society. Bradbury touches upon issues such as censorship, technology, and what society holds as valuable. These issues all appear in today’s society because of the media.
One of the biggest themes in Fahrenheit 451 is censorship. This theme is shown throughout the book by the firemen. In this book, the firemen stand as leaders and public figures within the society. The firemen are constantly trying to burn all material items that help the masses gain knowledge. Beatty states, “If you don’t want a man unhappy politically, don't give him two sides to a question to worry him; give him one. Better yet, give him none. Let him forget there is such a thing as war” (Bradbury 58). This quote shows how keen the firemen are on censoring the public from any ideas or beliefs that may challenge the status quo. The firemen are concerned that if the public is exposed to the ideas proposed in these books, and hear the other side of the story, that they will stray from the common belief system that was established for the society.
Fortunately, in today’s America, censorship …show more content…
Throughout the book, Montag is struggling to express his feelings because of the lack of communication between him, his wife, and the rest of society. “Nobody Listens any more. I can't talk to the walls because they’re yelling at me. I can't talk to my wife; she listens to the walls. I just want someone to hear what I have to say. And maybe if I talk long enough it’ make sense” (Bradbury 78). This quote displays Montag’s frustration with technology. He blames the walls in people's parlors for the deterioration of human interaction. This shows the negative effects that technology can have on a

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