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Technology In Fahrenheit 451

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In “Fahrenheit 451,” Ray Bradbury analyzes the misuse of technology by using the characterization of Mildred as dependent on technology and the imagery of fire and the Mechanical Hound to convey that when overused, technology can lead people to escape responsibility and replace aspects, of life, which can lead people to not use their brain and depend on technology for everything. Bradbury characterizes Mildred as technology-dependent to show that she needs technology to release stress and uses it to replace her own family. Montag comes home after a long day of burning books, which is very common in this dystopian society. . He feels sick because he has illegally taken a book, and he lays in bed, but is unable to rest because of the television …show more content…

One particular instance is when he describes the Mechanical Hound, a pet-like animal in the fire station. “The Mechanical Hound slept but did not sleep, lived but did not live in its gently humming, gently vibrating, softly illuminated kennel back in a dark corner of the firehouse. […] Light flickered on bits of ruby glass and on sensitive capillary hairs in the nylon-brushed nostrils of the creature that quivered gently, gently, gently, its eight legs spidered under it on rubber- padded paws.” Bradbury compares the Mechanical Hound to a living animal when he says that it, “slept but did not sleep,” and it, “lived but did not live.” This shows that the Hound is programmed to act like it is alive even though it isn’t. It is called a Mechanical Hound because it is not only mechanical, but also is similar to a hound dog in some ways. This is shown when Bradbury says that the dog has, “rubber-padded paws,” and it is covered with, “sensitive capillary hairs,” which compares to a dogs

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