Examples Of Obsession In Fahrenheit 451

(MIP-2) Their obsession with their items causes them to lose traits which, in turn, transforms them into inhumane beings. (SIP-A) Their fixation of themselves is something caused by the virtual families inside of Wall-TV’s, families that are exactly the same AI in each household in the society. (STEWE-1) We can see the societies self-indulgence through Mildred, already a woman of the status quo. Due to their excessive use of their belongings, they never spend time with any other people whilst focusing on the person themselves, rather than their items as well. All of their things are catered to them and them alone, and because of that, they see themselves as more important than others. This is discernible whilst Mildred was having a conversation

Thinking about yourself, and only yourself is how the society behaved. (STEWE-2) Their possessions were so important to them because their sole purpose was to focus, to some degree, on the user. Without their items, it was as though they had no purpose, which is why their belongings became their lives. At one point, Montag had asked Mildred, “...’does your family love you’…” (Bradbury 73), to which she answered, ‘Why’d you ask a silly question like that?’” (Bradbury 73). She genuinely thought that her virtual family, that the artificial intelligence, devoid emotion, she owned actually loved and cared for her. The role they played in her life affected her to the point where there was nothing else that mattered as much as them. She exhibits signs of this before leaving Montag to be arrested for keeping books, all she thinks about is, “Poor family, poor family, oh everything gone, everything, everything gone now…” (Bradbury 108). Her husband wasn’t important, and her family was clearly everything to her. (SIP-B) Their temporal perspectives cause them to be void of empathy towards others, as well as having any memory

(SIP-A) Once one was able to leave behind their temporal ideology, they were finally able to slow down and think about their lives and others around them. (STEWE-1) Montag displays this alteration in his thought process during his escape from the society. It was a place without and physical items that was in nature where Montag was able to think properly. He was floating down a river whilst doing so, “The river was very real; it held him comfortably and gave him the time at last, the leisure, to consider this month, this year, and a lifetime years” (Bradbury 134). The excessive use of materials didn't give anyone time to think since they were so focused on their items. It is clear that the perpetrators of the ‘mindless’ society were their own possessions, and getting away from them would instigate a mental change. (STEWE-2) Time, for the people, was something that had become unimportant, as there was never any real importance in the actions of anyone. Ironically, though they had all the time they pleased, they never had time for themselves, and for Montag, it was in nature where he was able to do so. Being able to stay with a group of others who tore themselves from the materialistic society made Montag truly understand the importance of time to oneself as well