The book Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury consists of primary elements involving the dual nature of humanity. In a basic categorization of the society of Fahrenheit 451, there are those who conform to the government without question, and those who do not. Those like the character Mildred (housewife of the protagonist Guy Montag) are slaves to the technology ( e.g. Seashells, parlour walls) shoved down their throats by the government, as an attempt to trick the public into thinking that they are happy when they are not. However, there are also characters such as Clarisse (17year old girl), Faber (former English professor), and Montag who question the lack of substance in society and the unspoken contract between the governors and the governed. The dual nature of this society is seen in how particular characters react to the lack of depth and meaning to their lives as a result of the conformity and censorship by the government.
While the majority of the Fahrenheit 451 population focuses on the cons of books, of this “quality” and substance they contain, a small few still appreciate the pros of this content. By
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Obedience to the ruling power, actively complying to the use of advanced technology to censor out the ugly parts of the human life keeps the public from thinking, rioting, and/or rebelling. This also blocks genuine human connection and development. Montag is able to see both aspects of this dual nature of humankind and begins to question the morality of this social contract: haunting bliss in exchange for harsh reality. It can be assumed that Bradbury uses the the different characters contrasting viewpoints and actions based on the society to warn readers of the type of person and society that can result, depending on what is done about maintaining substance within all forms of entertainment--including