How Is Technology Used In Fahrenheit 451

Bradbury and the 20th Century

Ray Bradbury’s futuristic world of Fahrenheit 451 is shockingly similar to the one we live in today.In his world technology overpowers the use of knowledge and social interaction. Bradbury was not too far off the mark with what he envisioned would happen in 50 years. He depicted that technology would be more sophisticated and take a part in our everyday routine, entertainment would become more significant in our lives, and families would start becoming distant. The problems that are present in Bradbury’s world might not be more extreme than what’s current in our society, but if left unattended, they could grow to be just as monstrous as he predicted

The Mechanical Hound plays a rather important role of symbolism in Fahrenheit 451. “The Mechanical Hound slept, but did not sleep, lived but did not live in its

gently humming, gently vibrating, soft illuminated kennel back in the dark corner of the firehouse” (24). You can compare the hound to how most people are when they become disconnected from life due to technology. “Society is alive, yet dead as well. drudging through life; mindless.” The Hound was a programmed robot that didn’t think on its own and only acted as it was told. Similar to how people in our society only follow a social norm. “It doesn’t think anything we don’t want it to think” (27). We do not expect people to behave randomly, but to behave in certain ways in particular situations. In the poem “All The World’s A Stage” by William Shakespere he says “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players: They have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many part.” (poemhunter.com.) These line grasps the essence of social roles.

Mildred plays an important role in this story as well with not only being the wife of Guy Montag, but also representing the effects of technology. Like most people today Mildred is disconnected from her husband Montag because she is too self involved with the technology that surrounds her. “How long do you figure before we save up and get “ the fourth wall torn out and a fourth t.v. wall put in? It’s only two thousand dollars.” All Mildred cares for is her “family”, as she refers to them as, on the T.V. parlor walls. Bradbury is showing that in his society T.V. is more important than social interaction and caring for your family. A research study done by The National Endowment for the Arts and reported in Information Please Database showed many trends. Most people on average spend around 2 hours a day watching television, and that’s only on the weekdays (http://www.infoplease.com.) Due to her attention being focused more on the T.V. parlor walls, Mildred is very distant from her husband Montag. When Montag is sick, Mildred is very cold and uncaring towards him. Montag throws up on the rugdue to the smell of kerosene. Mildred’s response to this was “Why’d you do that?” (49). Montag had also asked her to turn off the parlor walls because his head was pounding. Mildred said “That’s my family.” When he had pleaded asking her to do it for a sick man she said “I’ll turn it down.” (49). Usually

when a significant other is sick, you do whatever you can to care for them, but Mildred was so caught up in her parlor walls that she didn’t even care to ask if he was okay.

In the world of Fahrenheit 451 there are two pieces of technology similar to things we have today, the ear thimble and the seashell ear.

The ear thimble is like a cellphone and the seashell ear is similar to something like wireless headphones. These inventions interfere with personal relationships and seem to stimulate almost an absent presence. In this story Mildred is constantly plugged into her seashell ears. “and in her ears the little seashells, the thimble radius tamped right, and an electronics ocean or sound, of music, and talk and music, and talk coming in, coming in on the shore of her unsleeping mind” (12). Headphones and cell phones in our time constantly take away from communication and interaction. Headphones and cell phones also have become huge problems in our society in the classroom. “Technology is producing a decline in critical thinking and analysis” (http://gauravhardikar.com/tech_education/negative.html). As most people know those are two important factors in a classroom setting. Schools that have banned the use of technology have seen an increase in academic achievement in test

scores.

The problems in our society could become a problem if left unattended

Our society focuses too much on technology and not enough on living life and being in the moment.Technology has become advanced and involved in our everyday routine. We should work together to end the social norm and get out of the world of technology. Our world may not be as affected as the world of Bradbury’s, but if left unattended, it could end in somewhat similar results. The use of technology has affected our society in social interaction, school, communication, and relationships with other people.