Research Paper On Fahrenheit 451

Do you ever wonder what our future will look like? The book Fahrenheit 451 could have a possible answer to our question. Ray Bradbury the author of the book Fahrenheit 451 that takes a look into the possible future. The main character, Guy Montag, lives in this world and is opened to the realization that the world he lives in is not how it should be. This dystopian book has an interesting culture, different characters, and important themes.
The culture in the Fahrenheit 451 is very futuristic. The technology advancements seen in this book could possible be in our near future. In the book there are these malicious mechanical hound dogs that enforce the laws. These dogs have eight spider like legs, “The victim was seized by Hound and camera

in a great spidering, clenching grip” (Bradbury 142). The dogs were most likely built to enforce laws and sniff out the books. They also have a needle full of morphine, which is used to kill the lawbreakers. The technology does not stop at the hound dog but continues onto the beloved TV’s. This dystopian world has TV’s that take up full walls. They can also put a huge dent in your pocket because they are going to run you one third of the money you make in a year. Montag and Mildred already have 3 walls covered with their TV’s. Millie talks to her so called relatives who live in the walls, but they are not actually her relatives and they don’t actually live in the walls. Every single day Millie talks to the people in the wall who just talk about nothing important while being loud. Technology also advances for the toaster in the book Fahrenheit 451. The toaster not only cooks the toast but also applies the melted butter to it. Similar to the hound dog, the toaster has a spider like metal hand that applies the butter and delivers it to your plate. These technology advancements are the reason why this futuristic world is much different from our world.

Technology affected their culture dramatically and relationships were damaged. The way the children act is shocking. They race cars on the street and do not value life. For example some kids in the book tried to run over Montag because they could. Some kids come home at night and some do not. Clarisse is one of the few people who view the behavior of kids as wrong. Clarisse says, “ I’m afraid of children my own age. They kill each other” (Bradbury 27). She is truly afraid and like Montag actually understands that this is wrong. Clarisse also talks to Montag about how she heard that there was a time when people did not kill each other. History must not be valued which then could be doomed to repeat its self. The kids in school spend their time watching TV or running outside. They never ask questions, but instead they just spit the answers at you. Not only do the kids have bad relationships with each other it carries over to the adults. No one including the adults have strong emotions. They marry people who they don’t even truly know, for example, Montag. Mildred and Montag have been married and they don’t even know each other. Mildred always

has her earphones in which does not lead to further conversations. They also sleep in separate beds and communicate way less than a married couple today. There is also no depth in anyone’s conversations. Montag found Clarisse different for having late night conversations with her family. He also finds it strange in the way Clarisse observes her surrounding and how she talks to him. The culture is the way it is due to the people who live in it.
The people in the book Fahrenheit 451 are what our great grandchildren could look like.

Mildred is a character that blends in with the crowd. She is part of the majority of the people who are distracted throughout their lives. She does not interact the way people do today all due to the distractions surrounding her. The TV is one big distraction within their home. They all drive their cars too fast because if they don’t they will have time to think. If they have time to think then their emotions will kick in and that is what the government does not want. When someone’s husband or wife dies they are told not to cry or be sad, and just get up and move along and find a new one. Mildred wears her earphones to bed so that she will not think while she is asleep. The earphones are constant distractions that make you focus on something else rather than how you feel. Mildred has even gotten to a point where she can read lips so she can keep listening to her earphones. Montag describes Mildred, “ …the body as thin as a praying mantis dieting, and her flesh like white bacon” (Bradbury 46). Not only did she look thin and white but her hair also looked unpleasant. Mildred’s hair seem breakable and straw like from chemicals. This is what the people look like if they do not focus and are constantly distracted. Montag on the other had is not like the normal people in the book Fahrenheit 451. In the beginning he is forgetful like most of the people. Montag says, “Funny, how funny, not to

remember where or when you met your husband or wife” (Bradbury 40). Although he forgot where he met his wife he ends up remembering in the end. He feels sort of lost in a way. He seems distant from other people because they are distracted when he is not. I think Clarisse opens his eyes in that she is not out of focus and actually pays attention to things. Clarisse pays attention to what most kids did not even waist a moment looking at. Montag is affected by Clarisse in a way that he starts to think for himself and lets himself carry emotions. He comes to realize that the way he is living is not right and that something needs to change. Montag has also changed from the beginning to the end. He was lost and distracted like the majority of the population, but he comes to find out that he can take a stand. He decides that he will hide books in fireman’s houses so they will get burnt down. Montag also decides to read the forbidden books, which are indeed against the law. He has also changed in the way that he has become passionate about books. He has a secret stash of books hidden in his house, but he had not read them until that day. He really wanted to know if a book is something to die for. He finds the answer because after he is caught disobeying the law he kills the old friend Beatty to escape. He is so passionate about letting books live on that he is trying to escape to do so. The characters in this book help us reveal the overall theme ready to inspire us.

One message that the author puts into the story is about fulfilling a meaningful life. The book Fahrenheit 451 contains people who just live and die without leaving a mark on the world. Everyone is practically equal in the way that they all think alike. They are all distracted to a point that no one can remember or think of something. Montag says, “And when they ask us what we’re doing, you can say, We’re remembering” (Bradbury 157). This quote exemplifies that they are going to leave a mark on this world by remembering. What is the meaning of life if all you do is live and die? If you personally cannot make a mark on the world you will be forgotten about. People in this book already forget so much and they are just taught to move along when someone they ought to love dies. If your life is filled with distractions you will have no time to leave your mark. Mildred lives in a world of distractions, which distracted her from leaving her mark. Almost everyone in the book, except Montag, did not leave his or her mark on the world. Montag is the exception, because he fought his way out of the city and with his new friends they will save books in their memories. They will then pass the stories down threw generations, which will leave a mark on people. Another important message that this book delivers is about technology. We as a nation need to take in account that technology is not always good. Technology has affected the way we talk to one another face to face. This is seen in the book Fahrenheit 451, which exemplifies that they have bad relationships due to their lack of communication. In our world today kids text each other when in the same room. They do not want to talk to others when technology makes it so much easier for them. We might possibly be on our way to living in the same world as Montag and Mildred. Although technology has improved our education it has seemed to worsen it in the book Fahrenheit 451. Clarisse says, “we never ask questions, or at least most don’t; they just run the answers at you, bing, bing, bing…” (Bradbury 27). Kids in school watch movies rather than actually learning something. They would rather listen to their headphones than talk to someone. They would rather sit and watch TV at home than hang out with their parents. Technology has hurt these people in the long run. We are on the course of our world becoming the world seen in Fahrenheit 451. The toaster in the book butter and deliver the toast to the consumer. Dogs are the new police in the society. TV’s consume vast amount of time. Kids do not want to learn anymore. People lack communication skills. Do any of these things seem possible to you? We are on the inevitable course to destruction.
Considering the fact that our great grand children could end up like Mildred and Montag is scary. The rapid culture, the characters, and the theme sum up the book Fahrenheit 451 well. Technology advancement, equality, lack of communication are some things the book and our would share in common. Our desendants could end up in a outstanding world or they end up in the book Fahrenheit 451.