Examples Of Technology In Fahrenheit 451

Erin Lambe

Mr. Graham

C Block

18 May 2023

Technology Is Making Us Lose Our Individuality

The novel Fahrenheit 451, written by Ray Bradbury, should be considered a warning to mankind of what society can become when power is taken out of society's hands and is instead placed in the hands of technology. This book is set in 2053, the not-so-far-away future. In Ray Bradbury’s novel, civilization has become overrun with technology, and, as a result, the use of books as a source of information has been strictly banned. Anyone caught with a book would have their house burned down, and the person would go to jail. With this being said, to support the statement that began this paragraph, understanding their reliance on technology is crucial. This

Finally, social conformity appears as another major theme where all people in this book act and behave in a certain way, simply because it is what they have all been told to do. “The fact that we are all on the way to ruining our own lives remains unchanged”(Adrian Chamberlin), in this excerpt from the article “Technology dependence grows in the U.S.”, the author discusses how becoming reliant on technology is, in the long run, going to ruin our lives. This is a very prominent theme throughout the novel Fahrenheit 451 and is displayed many times. The indicated theme is first mentioned when Montag and Clarise are walking home, and they begin to talk about how people depend on their fast cars for entertainment. Cars, in that day and age, are considered to be a form of entertainment and/or technology. Clarice says, “I sometimes think drivers don’t know what grass is, or flowers because they never see them slowly”(Bradbury 6). Clarise is saying that these people have become so hyper-focused on their lives concerning technology, that they don’t stop to think about or find joy in Earth's

In this scene, Mildred, Montag's wife, cared more about the screen in front of her, than her husband. Mildred is a prime example of being brainwashed, and it’s not just in this instance. She is shown again displaying unusual behavior during another conversation with her husband. In this scene, Montag asks Mildred to tell him where they met, and her response was this, “Funny, how funny, not to remember where or when you met your husband or wife.” (pg 40). She does not seem to care that she can’t remember where, when, or how she met her husband, the man who she is supposed to love. She brushes this topic aside very quickly and proceeds to say “It doesn’t matter”, and walks away. Montag, who was slightly stunned, takes this time to think about how odd her behavior has been, especially since the night when she overdosed on her pills, which she claimed to be an accident. These of course aren't the only examples of off behavior throughout the book, but they are two examples that paint a picture of what humankind has become. Dr. Cindy Bunin is a professor, who specializes in teaching parents about the side effects of technology. In one article she has this to say about social networking, “You become less human because you're constantly isolated with no emotional feedback”(Brandon), and “Static feedback is incredibly unhealthy because your life becomes totally focused on something that gives only momentary gratification”(Brandon). With these two