Fahrenheit 451 And Standing Women Essay

The authors of Fahrenheit 451 and Standing Women both write about a government that seeks to control the way people act and think, which forces these people not to use their minds. Ray Bradbury writes about a man, Montag, who ends up testing the society he lives in since he realizes the importance of knowledge communicated in books. In Yasutaka Tsutsui’s story, he expresses his thoughts of a futuristic society that does not tolerate people expressing their opinions or going against the government. While both stories focus on rebellion against the law, Montag in Fahrenheit 451 realizes the importance of reading and knowledge while the society in Standing Woman is unable to express themselves with their thoughts.

Bradbury and Tsutsui show that people of these societies rebel against the law to make a statement through their voice. Bradbury writes, “Then he began to read in a low, stumbling voice that grew firmer as he progressed from line to line,” (96). In this quote Montag is reading the poem Dover Beach to Mildred and

her two friends. He is rebelling against the law by reading the poem and hiding books in his home. Similarly, in Standing Woman the protagonist wife’s, Michiko voices her own thought on the government. “She complained that prices were high at a housewives’ get-together. If that had been all, fine, but she criticized the government, too” (7). Through jealously, a women, who was also at the housewives’ get-together, turned her into the government. She was a manpillar, soon to be mantree. Both stories show how characters are protesting against the government through voice, Montag through reading a poem and Michiko through speaking her opinion.
Many people protested against the society in which they lived by the actions they carry out. In both Fahrenheit 451 and Standing Women the main characters rebel against the law to prove the point they believe is right. In Fahrenheit 451, Montag rebelled against the law by keeping books in his home. Bradbury writes, “Then he…reached far back inside…and took out a book. Without looking at it he dropped it to the floor. He…took out two books…and dropped the two books on the floor” (62-63). Yasutaka Tsutsui shows that Michiko’s husband rebelled many times just to be able to talk and take care of his wife. “Last night I even thought I should bring you an umbrella” (9). He wanted to take care of her by bring her food when she was hungry or an umbrella when it rains. As much as Michiko appreciates the care that her husband shows to her she knows that her husband will be in trouble if he completes any of these actions. She tells him to avoid bringing her anything or visiting her at all. Bradbury and Tsutsui both have the characters rebel with tasks that they plan to do, Montag who hides books in his home and the protagonist who is trying to care for his wife.
In both Fahrenheit 451 and Standing Woman the government treats people who act against the laws extremely poorly by enforcing harsh punishments.

In Fahrenheit 451 they burn the books and someones home if they find books in a persons home.“‘We burned an old women with her books.’…‘We burned a thousand books. We burned a women’” (47). In this situation they also burn a women who won’t leave her house without the books. The women knows the value of learning and experiencing life through these books. Tsutsui writes, “Anyone who’s made into a manpillar soon becomes expressionless. ‘Even I think I’ve gotten pretty plantlike. Not only in how I feel things, but in the way I think, too.’” This quote is expressing how humanity is taken away from a person by the government controlling them. The government is giving the people who protest against the laws harsh punishments. People are either not able to have question things in life or have their own

opinions.
In both of these stories the main characters rebel against the government whether it was by their words or actions. Even though the characters knew what could happen to them they still tested society which caused a dramatic change in their lives. If these characters did not express themselves to the people around them then they would not have shown their inner strength and judgement on how the government was controlling their society.