Fahrenheit 451 Analytical Essay

“Why don’t you just kill yourself?” I hear these words harshly uttered in hallways. “ Drink bleach.” I see these words wickedly typed on social media. “You’re ugly.” I face these words jokingly said to my face. Four-thousand, four-hundred young people die each year in the United States because of malicious remarks that are barked from the mouths of those who are insecure themselves. Welcome to the vicious cycle of bullying and the insensitivity of the human species. However, this occurrence isn’t exactly new, as Ray Bradbury, author of Fahrenheit 451, spoke of a corrupted society where life wasn’t valued. Fingers are pointed at irrelevant issues that are blamed for the downfall of our society, but the only place we must look is at ourselves

and our growing instinct to feel no remorse for our actions towards others.
In Fahrenheit 451, readers are introduced to a range of characters who assume the role of good and bad guys.

Out of all the selfish scenes written in the book, there is one that truly defines the awful reality. The protagonist, Montag, enters into a woman’s house to carry out his job of “fireman”. While burning the books, the owner of the home refuses to leave. Montag begs for the woman to evacuate the structure, but his boss Beatty says, “We’re due back at the House. Besides, these fanatics always try suicide; the pattern’s familiar”(pg. 39, Bradbury). At this point, he commands his team to leave the lady to burn with her books. To let a woman burn alive shows how cold and heartless the character of Beatty could be, which is only just of reflection of that society as a whole. The book goes on to describe countless events of citizens who are eager to expose each other for the sole purpose of feeling superior and the blatant pleasure of power over others. The reader may even be able to explain the evilness exhibited as a game to most characters, with an example being a group of teenagers that try to kill Montag with their car as a means of having fun. Bradbury has no trouble in illustrating his sick society, perhaps because readers can so easily relate the aloofness to their own

lives.
Google.com, being the magnificent tool that it is, can supply 154,000,000 results for a search. However, that is 154,000,000 results too many for such a solemn matter: teen suicide. Taking a closer look at the devastating cases, it is easy to find a pattern that may have driven these teens to take their own lives. Bullying is a sensitive subject towards many, as its victims suffer deeply. Who would inflict such derogatory acts to gain the title of bully? This can be answered by a real life scenario of pathetic insensitivity. Eighteen year old Michelle Carter was charged with involuntary manslaughter earlier this year for such a tragic reason.“From at least July 6 to July 12, 2014, Carter assisted Conrad's suicide by counseling him to overcome his doubts, devising a plan to run a combustion engine within his truck in order to poison him with carbon monoxide, and by directing him to go back in his truck after he exited it, when he became frightened that the plan was working”(Brown). As you can see, a bully can come in any shape or form; usually a peer, a friend, or a lover. Michelle Carter was a wolf in sheep’s clothing, appearing to be Conrads’ sincere girlfriend. Michelle lacks many attributes: empathy, logic, sensitivity, and sadly, she is joined by millions of others.
Insensitivity is evident as a vile theme in almost everything. Yet, miraculously, the earth is bursting with conscious, caring people who contribute positively to their environment. These are the people who take a stand against the everyday norm that has developed in our culture. These are the people who look past the flaws in a person. These are the people who look beyond themselves. These are the people who are much like Montag in Fahrenheit 451, boldly rebelling to help, protect, and love those around him. On the other hand, the villain, who cowers in the face of compassion, demands a selfish world that ignores the duty of being humane. We can see this displayed in politics, especially more recent. The Syrian refugees that are fleeing their country have found asylum in the United States. “4.3 million Syrians are refugees, and 6.6 million are displaced within Syria; half are children” (World Vision Staff). These people are crying out for help as they face desperate situations. Donald Trump, who is a Republican front-runner in the presidential race claims “If I win, they’re going back”(Keene). His attitude towards any foreign person is a prime representation of what is corrupt in our society. Trump can identify as a bully. The ridiculous fact that people agree with his hate towards others can serve as a lesson to all of us: to show mercy and restore humanity by not being like that.
Juan Ramon Jimenez served as inspiration for Fahrenheit 451 as a quote of his was used for the epigraph. “When they give you lined paper, write the other way.” It is simple to slip into a mindset where all we care about is ourselves. Rise above these worthless tendencies and show consideration to the universe. If that means stopping bullies from telling others to kill themselves, choosing love over war, or helping those who are defenseless, remember that your small step of courage outshines all the wicked insensitivity in both the real world and fiction.