In Fahrenheit 451 distraction and ignorance are hallmarks of the culture in which Montag lives. Montag’s culture encourages conformity and everyone acting in the same mindless ways. Self-expression is frowned deeply upon, and anyone who thinks for themselves is thought of as “weird” and “odd.” Mindless entertainment and thoughtless lifestyles are considered normal, and anyone who dares to think for themselves or question the status quo is deemed a threat to society, as they may cause others to face the difficult questions their society is protecting them from. Montag’s society is organized to snuff out personal thought and opinion, exactly the things Montag searches for to find answers to the very questions his society condemns. Both in …show more content…
The people who conform to the social norms of the culture do not think, and instead waste their time doing brainless activities such as watching the parlor shows or driving their beetles. The people who do not conform to society, however, are different. Clarisse McClellan, for example, did not enjoy the activities her peers enjoyed. She would rather observe the world, talk, and ask questions. People who express their individuality think for themselves, ask questions, and find little interest in the activities promoted by their culture. In the Westside culture, the students and staff stand apart. They do not participate in the activities promoted by the world. Just as the Bible says “If ye were of this world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.” (John 15.19) As Christians, Westside students and faculty are called to act separately and differently from this world as individuals, because Christians are not of this world. In the Fahrenheit 451 culture conformity is prevalent in people’s actions and is promoted by society, but in the Westside culture individuality is expressed through people’s actions, and the students and staff do not conform to the