Conformity In Fahrenheit 451

Fahrenheit 451: The Dangers of Conformity

The novel Fahrenheit 451 written by Ray Bradbury displays just what the world could become in its worst scenario. This novel describes a dystopia at its finest. A world so bombarded with technology and media that the only purpose for humans is to burn books, which are now extremely illegal. Almost every citizen is living this shallow and fake lifestyle without even realizing it. Using Mildred, Faber, and Montag, Ray Bradbury shows the negative effects of conforming to a numb society. Nobody shows the consequences of conforming better than Mildred. Mildred has become a shell of a person after surrounding herself with technology. She spends her nights “sleeping” with her seashells in, and her days

Faber has lived a life of fear after quietly allowing society to turn against books. He is terrified of getting in trouble with the government, but can’t bring himself to stop reading. Like the people of Nazi Germany, Faber, “saw the way things were going, a long time back. [he] said nothing” (Pg. 78). When the people started to turn on books, Faber didn’t rise up to defend them. He stood back and watched as intellectuals grew ostracized, the pursuit of knowledge became unappealing, and everyone started finding ways to numb themselves. By the time a system of book-burning was established, he was too late to stop it, and had to watch as his love was destroyed. The situation isn’t without hope, because Montag’s rebellion makes Faber, “feel alive for the first time in years… because I’m doing the right thing at last” (Pg. 125). Seeing Montag awaken to the world around him and strive for change renews Faber’s spirit and gives him hope. He may have conformed before, but he’s ready to fight against the system. Faber understands that when no one speaks out against injustice, there’s nothing to stop it from continuing. Even if he still can’t bring back books, he’ll at least live with new purpose and confidence. All this goes to show that while it can seem scary to go against the masses, it’s important to take those steps to fight for what you believe

Montag set the example for what happens when someone rebels in Fahrenheit 451. He becomes an outcast and someone who is looked down upon, but he is the one finds reality in the end. Books are what brings Montag back to life, but they are extremely illegal. Montag realizes the knowledge and enjoyment books bring him and he tries to share it with Mildred, but Mildred knows the norms of society. “We can't do anything. We can't burn these. I want to look at them, at least look at them once.” (Bradbury, 63). Mildred, being a conformist, knows that any book must be burned. Montag, an eccentric rebel, knows that books hold so much knowledge and have been missing his entire life. By rebelling against the system put in place by the cruel government, Montag is able to escape the matrix he and everyone else he knows is stuck in. It took an event to occur in his life that Montag had to do something, he had to escape. Beatty informs Montag, “We burned an old woman with her books.” (Bradbury, 47). Montag is shaken to the core. He realizes people are willing to die for these books. This is the moment Montag understands what the government is trying do and he knows he must rebel against the system he is following by being a firefighter. By rebelling against the society he has lived in his entire life, Montag finds reality and escaped what he didn't even know he was stuck