...Statement of Intent: Independent Study Project: Fahrenheit 451 My tentative topic for this ISP will be Ray Bradbury’s use delusion of truth, the desire of ignorance and the fear of freeing oneself from propaganda to express society’s desire for perfect happiness- no matter the cost- in Fahrenheit 451. In this dystopian novel, Bradbury uses Clarisse and her odd family to foreshadow some of Guy Montag’s doubt in himself, his family and his daily life. Clarisse’s role in the novel is made clearer as Montag begins searching for the truth as she is seen as a guiding light to give Guy hope for a better future where he is happy. Given the government dictated culture they live in, the danger and fear of finding the knowledge that Montag is paid to destroy, there is no doubt that Bradbury is using the dystopian society’s unconscious desire to live a lie, the yearn to not know more and the consequences of finding out the truth in order to highlight society’s solution for happiness: delusion. In this Independent Study Project I will attempt to showcase that seeking out the truth in a government enforced web of lies is unwanted, fear inducing and dangerous. To prove this, I will connect the laws, crimes, those who commit and their consequences with those who ignore the truth and act content with their deluded lives. In doing so, I hope to demonstrate that as Guy Montag figures out the truth, he realizes how much the government dictates the culture he lives in In the paper, I will consider...
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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...
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...Tyriq Coleman E2 Honors Begovich In Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury, the use of archetypes contributes to the overall strength of the novel. During when the various times the “light vs dark” archetypes are utilized and when the archetypical death and rebirth occurs to convey the extent of which the novel is strengthened by archetypes. In Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 the light vs dark archetype helps show to what extent archetypes are used to strengthen the novel when Montag is conversing with Clarisse after Mildred began reading her script. The author states “He felt his body divide itself into a hotness and a coldness, a softness and a hardness, a trembling and a not trembling, the two halves grinding one upon another.”{Bradbury 21}. In this passage Bradbury is showing that inside Montag the light and dark are warring against each other. As light vs dark are opposites the author uses opposites to show the relationship between the two, for example the comparison between cold and hot, the cold represents the dark as darkness is inherently cold as light provides heat. The two parts grinding against each other show to the light and dark at war, as they at odds at one other. Since they cannot coexist the light and dark in this situation refer to the Montag, in that they are his struggle to free himself from the ignorance that is his societal beliefs. The author also states when Clarisse and Montag walk to her house, "When they reached her house all its lights were blazing" (Bradbury...
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...“Robert Reilly claims that the novel is "a frightening picture of how the products of science can destroy persons and human values" (67), but this is an unfortunate simplification” (McGiveron). This quote brings up another overlaying theme in Fahrenheit 451 which is the dehumanization of the populace in the novel. The people in this book no longer care about anything whether it be their children, war, death, or the problems in the world around them. This is because the less they had to think the more they stopped to care and they gradually stopped caring about anything at all. Death, war, famine, and pain are all just words to them and mean nothing because they no longer understand the gravity of these concepts and it is all because...
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...One of the worlds greatest literary figures, William Shakespeare, voiced the truth about desired knowledge by saying that “ignorance is the curse of God; knowledge is the wing wherewith we fly to heaven”. One must presume that Ray Bradbury, Author of Fahrenheit 451, learned from this. Ray Bradbury’s distopian novel shares a similar representations towards knowledge. In the novel the protagonist, Guy Montag, becomes aware of the fact that he is living in a world were knowledge and individuality is lost. People tolerate and abide by the rules and limitations specified by the government. There is nothing except for books in this society to cause people to wonder about how valuable and important knowledge and identity are. Guy Montag is a fireman whose job is to search for books and burn them. Most of the people in Fahrenheit 451 are convinced that books are a waste of time and are useless. Montag also believes this up until a change of...
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...Many novels often possess several types of characters to make the book extravagant and exciting. The outcast, a character who stands out from the majority of others described in the text. The outcast in a story is usually portrayed as a threat of society to the surrounding community. The outcast will often become the hero or heroine as the novel progresses. In Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451, MT Andersons feed and William Shakespeare Othello, each outcast displayed their importance to the novel not only as an outcast but also for there mighty heroic acts throughout the texts listed. Othello from William Shakespeare's othello stands out from the community he lives in for many reasons. Othello is a moor who is seen different because of his skin colour causing him to be the main outcast of the play yet he is in a very high position of his culture and people do not like him for this reason. He is a general and commander and eventually governor of Cyprus. This shows characteristics such as independence, strength and bravery are all present in othellos lifestyle. These aspects ultimately define him as the heroic figure in the play....
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...A Society Without Progression Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury is a book about a dystopian society where books are burned and thoughts are censored. The society in Fahrenheit 451 is qualified as dystopian, as everything about it is unpleasant and bad. In the story, the main character, Guy Montag, realizes that the society he is living in is being controlled by censorship and ignorance, preventing people from having their own thoughts or ideas. Throughout the story, Bradbury uses many different literary elements and topics to show his view on society and how it can change. The author compares books to imperfection and weapons, and portrays Montag and society as unhappy and ignorant to demonstrate a theme. In Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury uses metaphors...
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...“the incineration of knowledge and wisdom” Fahrenheit 451 Kati Hernandez 10/28/14 AP English 12 Period 1 Three Questions 1. When the story starts, what are the forces acting on Montag? 2. Why would Montag read the poem “Dover Beach,” by Matthew Arnold to Mildred and her friends and how is it significant to the novel? 3. Once Montag becomes an insubordinate, why does the government capture an innocent man instead of tracking down Montag? Literary Criticism Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 follows the protagonist Guy Montag, a fireman living in a dystopic society where books are illegal and burnt if found. Instead of reading citizens watch copious amounts of television . Conversations with pedestrians are unheard of until Montag meets Clarisse, “seventeen and insane”(Bradbury 7). She asks multiple questions about his life, one question which changes his outlook on his entire life, “Are you happy?”(Bradbury 10). After his conversation with Clarisse, Montag is conflicted with his job, his disposition, and his desire for knowledge and wisdom. Using a variety of literary elements throughout Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury emphasizes that wisdom and knowledge are acquired through experience and critical thinking. Bradbury uses allegory and alliteration to develop the idea that the censorship and the distractions of society leads to the gradual decay of knowledge. While on the subway, Montag remembers his childhood memory of himself sitting on a yellow...
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...Is Fahrenheit 451 related to ancient works of literature? Certainly Ray Bradbury based this best selling novel heavily on Plato’s Allegory of the Cave. Parallels can be drawn between many of the characters in the two literary works. Montag has an especially strong connection to Plato’s Allegory, in that he is very similar to the hero. Montag is related to the hero in that he wants to help others out of the cave, resists returning to the cave, and is ridiculed and even persecuted for being out of the cave. When Montag comes up with the idea of sharing his books with Mildred’s friends, he attempts to guide others out of the cave like the hero. The night before Beatty confronts him for possessing books, Montag says this to Faber, talking about...
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...Fahrenheit 451: A Story of Severe Censorship Ray Bradbury’s novel, Fahrenheit 451, describes a futuristic world which embraces extreme censorship. The story envelopes around Guy Montag, a fireman, who ends up learning more than what he’s supposed to. He is caught for having a book in a society in which firemen burn books. Montag, having no other option, ends up a fugitive on the run. He meets a man named Faber, who helps him avoid the law. Fahrenheit 451 shows the danger of censorship or lack of, but reveals how freedom of the press is important and necessary to resist such danger. There can be great danger in too much censorship. This idea can be found in government, especially, as well as through newscasts. People try to censor ideas that...
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...are several dilemmas in the futuristic society of Ray Bradbury’s novel, Fahrenheit 451. Relationship seems to be missing their true essence, and actions seem worthless and done carelessly. In other words, everything is meaningless. Because of his conflict with society, Guy Montag undergoes a number of trials that ultimately make him understand the value of knowledge, nature and human interactions. At 17, Clarisse McClellan is aloof, and without any close friends. Although she may be viewed as an outcast by her peers and overall community, Clarisse holds strongly to her own unique ideology, which Montag finds intriguing. Her radical questions, such as “ Have you ever tasted rain?”, (Bradbury p.21) and “Are you happy?” (Bradbury p.7) , open Montag’s eyes to his own feelings about life. He then begins to ask questions about his society, and reflect on his own life. Another challenge which causes Montag’s internal conflict to rise, is seeing a woman burn in a fire, by choice. During a firefighter assignment, Montag and the rest of his crew come to a house with an attic filled with books, and one very strong, determined lady. After setting the attic into flames, the crew informs the lady to leave. However the lady refuses to listen, not making any signs of departure. Betty, montag's boss, then begins to count down while Montag stands near,...
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...In Ray Bradbury's book "Fahrenheit 451" People fantasize over the fact that if you read books you are bad, have done wrong to your culture, and you should be burned along with your home. It also symbolizes many things and everything in this book shows significance. "There must be something in the books, something we can't imagine, to make a woman stay in a burning house; there must be something there. You don't stay for nothing." This got montag curious to where he started to wonder, are books really this important? What are in these books that someone would even burn with them? Yes they were obviously very important! Still he didn't have the knowledge to not have this fixed mind set about books until he got told "stuff your eyes with wonder,...
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...Within the book Fahrenheit 451, written by Ray Bradbury, the characters, along with their individual conflicts and developments, help paint the big picture of the story; censorship. A word that many associate with blackout of profanity on TV, or even obscene scenes within movies that are aired on TV, however, by definition, censorship means: the practice of officially examining books, movies, etc., and suppressing unacceptable parts. Take careful note of the word unacceptable “parts”. While within this particular story line the government does suppress many knowledge-based objects and actions, the various characters show different depths of censorship, or their lack of, and how it shapes, affects them as people. Through the eyes of Guy Montag, a fireman that takes great pleasure in his job, readers witness the depth of censorship lying within. The “firemen” that are depicted in Bradbury’s novel start the fires. Men like Montag are issued flamethrowers to consume entire libraries in a gulf of flames, clearly displaying how thoroughly books are censored, up to the point of burning every single one of them. Not only do firemen represent the willingness of mindlessly censoring objects they have not a clue about, but Montag is representative of the percentage within this group (society as a whole) that enjoys the act...
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...Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 and Hilda Doolittle’s The Walls Do Not Fall share similar themes as Anthem. Fahrenheit 451 is set in a future time where books are not allowed, and are to be burned by the dreaded firefighters. The main character, Guy Montag, struggles with the idea of destroying books taking away knowledge. He is so intrigued by books that he tells this to his distraught wife: “There must be something in books, things we can’t imagine, to make a woman stay in a burning house; there must be something there…” (Bradbury, p.51). The leaders in his society control their citizens by the withholding of knowledge as well. That is how Montag runs away from his town in search of more knowledge and to save his life. Hilda Doolittle also valued books and knowledge very highly, as evident in her poem The Walls Do Not Fall. The author stayed in Europe when it was being bombed to see how things unfolded. She said, “…if you do not even understand what words say, how can you expect to pass judgement on what words conceal?” (Doolittle, [8]). Ayn Rand was worried that we would forget what is really important in life. Ray Bradbury feared our books being taken away. Hilda Doolittle was afraid of us leaving books and knowledge...
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...Fahrenheit 451 A Cautionary Tale (there may be grammar and or spelling mistakes.) By: Class: English 3 Honors Teacher: Fahrenheit 451 is a novel set in a futuristic America focused on a “fireman” named Montag Montag. In this world firemen like Montag set the blazes rather than extinguish them. Books are banned and if they were found in your house your home was burned with the books in it. As a result of owning a book you would languish for the rest of your days in a government facility. Montag had no problems with his job after all who wouldn’t love getting paid to burn things? Then one day they got a call about a woman who had a whole library of books in her house. When they arrived to do their job only one thing was wrong. The police hadn’t taken the woman away yet. It is here the story begins, with a woman who refuses to leave even as they are dousing her home with kerosene. When they try to remove her she reveals a kitchen match in her hand scaring them out of the house, she then lights the match committing suicide. Shaken by this incident no one talks on the ride back to the station. On his way home Montag runs into his new neighbor, seventeen year old Clarisse McClellan. A chatty, young girl who opens his eyes to the world of nature and not being one of societies stooges. After this meeting Montag returns home to find his wife overdosed on sleeping pills and promptly calls for help. Instead of paramedics he gets two technicians who are nothing more than plumbers...
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