Examples Of Censorship In Fahrenheit 451

A dystopian novel harbouring themes of censorship and the dangers of ignorance, Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 proposes a mindless, consumerist society bearing many alarming resemblances to our own. The author’s personal account of the growing television obsession during the Cold War is unravelled through the world of Guy Montag. This rather rash protagonist, lost in a world where firemen destroy books, desperately tries to find meaning in the life he leads, his almost lifeless, television-obsessed wife, Mildred, the lack of meaningful conversations, and the unknown intentions of his destructive profession. As he encounters Clarisse McClellan, branded as abnormal due to her love for nature and how she resembles a ‘mirror that refracted other people’s

While an authoritarian government wasn’t necessarily the root cause of such societal corruption, this simply goes to show of the power of the media and how this lack of knowledge could potentially be detriment. The importance of knowledge also makes an appearance through extreme censorship. Evident throughout the novel, controversy and opinion are not tolerated by society because of how large the population has grown; too many differing opinions and the possibility of upsetting minority groups has led to the censorship of topics subject to disagreement. Such a form of censorship, through eliminating books, essentially encourages credulity and conformity; through oppression of the freedom of expression, ideas are no longer challenged or criticized and thus, life becomes more efficient. For instance, the root purpose of censorship is further explained on page 57 as it

A prime example of how citizens appear to direct all their attention to the meaningless pleasures of life instead the disconcerting truths of the society they are living in. Citizens, too terrified to face their pent-up conflicts and struggles, have yet to realize that their avoidance of these feelings is the root cause of their despair. Although one might say“ignorance is bliss,” Bradbury makes it clear that such a method of achieving happiness, through the fleeting sensation of television, is simply pointless. This desperate plea to the future of humanity, Bradbury’s vision of such a corrupt society puts forth an array of invaluable takeaways. The utmost importance of knowledge holds and the role it plays in resisting the oppression of the written word stands as an increasingly important message. This is evident through the widespread censorship of societal issues and the brainwashing propaganda through mass media, resulting in a preponderance of citizens unaware of the true state of their society. Alongside this, the melancholy and anguish the citizens of Fahrenheit 451 appear to suppress puts major emphasis on how happiness can not be attained through instant gratification. Only through mindless watching of television and thimble radios blaring boisterous music do citizens experience pleasure, which in reality only distracts them from their corrupt nation. A novel providing insight into