Censorship In Fahrenheit 451 By Ray Bradbury

Banning books is one of the main themes through the use of fire in the novel Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. In the dystopian world of Fahrenheit 451, the government is leaning more towards a police state government. However-- better fitting would be a firefighter state. In that type of government, they would use a variety of techniques to censorship and manipulation to control the citizens in how they think and act. The main three techniques in particular for censorship would be banning, burning and forcing technology, all of which can be seen throughout the journey of Montag, the main character, one of the firemen. In looking at censorship in Fahrenheit 451, Bradbury sends a very direct message showing readers what can happen if they allow

The totalitarian government of Bradbury's dystopian society uses the fireman institution to censor literature. The firemen search for books and arrest any individuals possessing them. The authorities also burn the confiscated books and often destroy the homes of criminals. The government in Fahrenheit 451 has taken control and demanded that books be given the harshest measure of censorship — systematic destruction by burning. Books and people have fallen victims to censorship in Fahrenheit 451, luckily, some citizens remain who are willing to sacrifice their lives to ensure that books remain alive. A conversation between Montag and Faber--Montag’s mentor--would state that: "It's not a book you need, it's some of the things that once were its books"(Bradbury, 81). Faber in this statement is saying that it's not books that the society needs but the knowledge that once came from books is

As previously stated, books would make us think, contemplate form new and dangerous ideas. This is why the government would choose to burn the books and those who refuse to give them up. They’re reduced to ash, into nothing. In one major scene in Fahrenheit 451 was when, Montag is ordered to burn down his house and books by Beatty, who is the captain of the firemen. After he does this he burns Beatty to death. This action freaked out all other firemen so he just knocked them out. "Now, Montag, you're a burden. And fire will lift you off my shoulders, clean, quick, sure; nothing to rot later. Antibiotic, aesthetic, practical"(Bradbury, 109). He uses that if we use fire to clean up messes then they will disappear quickly. The act of burning is actually a pretty messy act. Yes, you may be able to shrink them to a smaller state but they will always still be there. To relate to the book, when the firemen burnt down “the woman's”--The first person in the book to have burned-- house and killed her, it would seem that they were successful for clearing it completely. This is not correct, Montag was heavily affected by this act of burning that woman. Yes, it did not affect a lot of the firemen, but that one effect that it had on a person started a new fire. Montag really went to the extreme that I did not think he would do. But I do see the logic behind it. Not only was he preventing himself from going to jail, he