preview

Censorship In Fahrenheit 451, By Ray Bradbury

Decent Essays

Fahrenheit 451 Essay “If someone tells you what a story is about, they are probably right. If they tell you that is all the story is about, they are very definitely wrong.” (Neil Gaiman). This quote connects to how stories, are not just based off of one topic, but are based off of several topics that can all relate to the central idea or message. Similarly, it represents how others’ perspectives on what the meaning of a true story is can be different from others. In this case, Fahrenheit 451 is a dystopian novel written by author Ray Bradbury, in which the protagonist and firemen, Guy Montag is required to burn and destroy books in the homes of citizens. Montag does not usually question why he does this, until he meets a fellow young …show more content…

Phelps, whose interests’ in their “parlor walls”, eventually lead Montag, to engage in his conflict of becoming more social with the people around him. In this case, Montag reads a poem called “Dover Beach”, to Mildred’s friends resulting in Mrs. Bowles becoming enraged at Montag, “Mrs. Bowles stood up and glared at Montag. ‘You see? I knew it, that’s what I wanted to prove! I knew it would happen! I’ve always said, poetry and tears, poetry and suicide and crying and awful feelings, poetry and sickness, all that mush!’ ” (97). This quote demonstrates how Mrs. Bowles’s perspective on poetry and literature is much more negative than positive. In addition, this relates to the novel’s theme of censorship, because an absence of books can make people oppose against literature. Most importantly, this relates to Montag’s conflict of how he is struggling to start conversations of books being praised, rather than being deplored. Thus, Montag learns how to become more confrontive and interactive with people rather than being distant Khubchandani 3 from others. Finally at the end of the novel, Montag faces the conflict of everything he has left behind such as his wife, and firemen chief Captain Beatty, which influences him to become stronger and notice that he can create a new life, in where he can be accepted by people who are similar to him. For example, when Faber gives Montag advice to run down the river, he is surprised to see other people that have settled near

Get Access