Fahrenheit 451 Conformity

Conformity is the jailer of freedom and the enemy of growth; according to John F. Kennedy, when we allow ourselves to conform to society and the people around us, we often lose the ability to become our true selves. Although conforming to social norms may have harmful consequences to one individual, looking at the bigger picture, it sometimes brings benefits to the society as a whole. The film Powaqqatsi by Godfrey Reggio and the book Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury portray similar viewpoints on conformity, whether it brings harm to the individual or benefits to the society. They share the idea that conformity brings both good and bad consequences when one goes against conformity.

Powaqqatsi begins by showing numerous miners hauling dirt by

The camera focuses on the pink tree and slowly backs out in order to show a bigger picture of the tree’s surroundings. Due to its distinctive color opposed to all the green around it, the tree is very eye-catching and unique. The tree is more beautiful and special, not only because of its color, but because of its uniqueness and uncommonness. Throughout this scene, individuality is represented through the unique characteristics of the tree. The idea of individuality is also found in a character in “Fahrenheit 451”. A seventeen year-old girl named Clarisse McClellan shows individualism through her love of nature and life. In a society where people do not enjoy nature, have meaningful conversations with others, and instead watch excessive amounts of television on wall-size sets, Clarisse easily stands out from her society. This young girl’s unusual love for people and nature becomes a special catalyst that drives Montag toward a painful self-examination and opens his eyes to the emptiness of his life. She reveals to him the absence of love and pleasure in his life. Through her individuality, Montag was able to obtain something valuable, a realization of the dehumanization of his society which allows him to go against conformity and live according to his morals. Both media present the idea that going against conformity of society reveals individuality which makes one unique. Individuality brings many benefits to society; through various ideas and opinions, it allows people to be exposed to the best of all the ideas, thus creating a better world for