Role Of Technology In Fahrenheit 451

Technology has infiltrated a large part of society. It is integrated in almost every activity we do and for many, is required to function. Unlike the majority of society, Ray Bradbury, a technophobe during the 1950’s, did not trust the new inventions emerging at that time. This fear of technology is depicted in his novel Fahrenheit 451 where civilians live in a dystopian society that burns books as a normality. This dystopian world is set within the lives of people who do not think twice about their actions and live care-free in their own small-minded worlds. The novel serves its purpose as an epiphany for many as the most important themes of ignorance, censorship and conformity versus individuality stand out as the most important issues in

this world. Above all, however, technology is the most important underlying theme in this narrative. Throughout the main character’s journey, it becomes clear that many people rely too heavily on technology which can be dangerous for the future of society.
In the novel, Bradbury’s distrust in technology is remarkably shown throughout the storyline as the primary theme.

His warnings for the future of society relay through his overall message to the audience. Throughout the plot, Guy Montag a typical member of the uniformity, lives his life as a fireman, getting paid to start fires rather than put them out. The fires, however, do more damage to the society than many may realize. These books are burned and years of documented knowledge are lost to the flames. Nevertheless, he meets seventeen year old Clarisse, who opens his eyes to another realm of realization and self-awareness. From there on, he continues his journey of self-awareness by sharing his revelations with his mindless wife, Mildred, and fighting the authority of the government. Besides the government taking complete control over the civilian’s lives, technology also plays a huge role in the issues this twisted society faces. They are faced with technology almost everywhere they go and it has basically taken over their lives. His wife, Mildred, is a prime example for the empty shell that technology has turned these people into.She is constantly plugged into some form of technology whether it be the large parlor walls in her house or the seashells. Mildred is rarely seen having meaningful conversations with him because of her bad technological habits. The overpowering of technology slowly leads to the degradation of human to human contact. “Well wasn’t there a wall

between him and Mildred, when you came down to it? Literally not just one wall but, so far three! And expensive too! And the uncles, the aunts, the cousins, the nieces, the nephews, that lived in those walls the gibbering pack of tree apes that said nothing, nothing, nothing and said it loud, loud, loud” (Bradbury 44). The parlor walls in Guy’s house has created a literal and figurative border between him and his own wife. Later on, Guy states that he feels like he barely knows her and that he is living in a stranger’s house. This separation between him and Mildred was technology’s own fault. Because she is constantly talking and watching the parlor walls, she associated herself as a part of the fictional family depicted on a screen. With the lack of connection between two people who were allegedly in love at one point, it is clear to see that technology has the potential to produce harmful effects on the people who use it the most and those around it.
Furthermore, Heidi Hammel’s article Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury discusses the eerily accurate prediction that Bradbury had on our society nearly 65 years ago.

The technology that was predicted to exist in the novel is very similar to the technology that we are surrounded by today. “More important Bradbury’s exploration of the future of society intuited that the burgeoning “many” would lead to isolating disconnect for the individual, with disastrous results: In the book, Guy Montag’s wife is driven by her existential ennui into a suicide attempt” (Hammel 2015). Many members of Bradbury’s audience realized that the novel portrayed the future that society may be delving into. It comes as no surprise that Bradbury was a technophobe during his time because he anticipated a cruel, emotionless world where technology ruled over everything. In a similar article titled Now Was Then, Then Is Now: The Paradoxical World Of Fahrenheit 451 author Michael LaBrie also supports Bradbury’s foretelling of the corrupt and unpleasant future that our society is headed for. “We are all becoming victims of it. We all own T.V’s and most of us would rather watch the movie than take the time to read the novel. Hopefully, like Bradbury pleads, free-thinking and originality isn’t dead and the use for books will never dissipate, because books contain knowledge and books stand for so much more than various pieces of paper” (LaBrie 46). Compared to our current daily lives where technology envelops many

of us, the fear that Bradbury perceived of technology becoming too powerful is all too real. If we continue to proceed in the direction we are facing, all of his predictions will become a reality.
Contrary to the numerous articles supporting Bradbury’s fears that technology could hold on the future, many are able to see the benefits in technological advancements and realize what impacts these advancements have made on the world so far. “The rise in technology has allowed us to stay connected, share, and collect information faster than anyone thought possible. Have a question? Get it answered in less than 10 seconds by typing it into a search engine. Need to spread news fast? There are hundreds of platforms for doing this that can get you connected to just a small group of family or millions of people worldwide. We’ve used our technology to consolidate all of the information available to humans. We don’t need maps, almanacs, or encyclopedias anymore: it’s all at the touch of a button in your hand” (Adams 2). Compared to the past, the technology we hold in our hands and interact with everyday is far more superior to our history. Anyone and everyone who has access to this powerful tool is just as capable as anyone else may be, with the touch of a few buttons they have reach to any and all the knowledge they may seek. Although, these powerful tools are extremely helpful to our daily lives, they are still seen as detrimental for the future of society because of the ignorance, desensitization to death and the loss of human contact it waivers unto it’s consumers.
Despite the fact that technology is a very important part or our everyday lives and that it does include many benefits, it is still inarguable that there is an incredible downside to it as well. In Michelle Toth’s article, Bradbury’s Message in Fahrenheit 451, she discusses the impact shown in the novel that reflects back on our society directly. “Because their desire to become more efficient in all that they do was applied to learning, as well, they rested on and eventually crossed the borderline between heavily relying on technology and only relying on technology in their culture as a whole” (Toth 3). The characters in the novella relied on technology so much that the purpose for their lives revolved around just that. The symbolism in the plot is a direct warning from Bradbury himself. Although these kinds of tools were not around when this book was written, it was still prominent that society as a whole should maintain their reliance on technology and keep in mind what really matters in life.
In conclusion, many should take away Bradbury’s message in the novel as a lesson. His dystopian novel sheds light on the most important problems in our lives. Technology is a very useful and necessary implement in our everyday lives but should be used with caution. If technology is abused or overused it can have adverse effects on our society and the way we may treat others. There may not be a way to avoid technology but one should realize that our lives do not wholly revolve around the existence of it.