Fahrenheit 451 By Ray Bradbury

In Fahrenheit 451 author Ray Bradbury portrays a futuristic society with an abundance of technology such as TV’s and seashell radios. With this great amount of media also comes negative impacts. Technology, can be found to affect people’s personality and their attitude. It can also change important thinking abilities. Finally, media can be found to affect vital communication skills that help you talk to other people in a respectful way. In Fahrenheit 451, author Ray Bradbury sends a word of caution to readers about the usage of media and how it can affect humanity.

Technology can affect someone’s kindness or attitude, especially during Bradbury’s portrayal of citizens in this book. In the society displayed in Fahrenheit 451, many of

Books through her eyes are viewed as “‘silly words, silly words, silly awful hurting words’” (Bradbury 97). Mrs. Bowles clearly has a negative attitude towards books, given that she uses media to the point where it can negatively impact her attitude. Even Mildred, holds a grudge for books especially when she says “Guy’s surprise tonight is to read you one sample to show how mixed up things were, so none of us will ever have to bother our little old heads about that junk again” (Bradbury 95). This statement clearly shows that her personality all relies on TV and other media, in which her attitude is not kind towards people or objects that can oversee this form of technology. In the world of this novel, technology control has gotten so severe that citizens are found becoming unhealthily close to TV shows, and greatly affecting their demeanor and attention to

Citizens in this novel, often are found unable to remember important things due to the fact that media such as TV and seashells holds such a great grasp on characters. Lack of memory is often shown through Mildred, as she follows the status-quo of society and revolves her life around media, affecting her memory. Especially, when she is asked about the first the first time her and Montag ever met, ‘I don’t know,’ she said. [Montag] was cold. ‘Can’t you remember?’ ‘it’s been so long .’ ‘Only ten years, that’s all, only ten!’” (Bradbury 40). When Mildred forgets such important milestones, it is clear to see that the abundance of technology that she has makes her forget important events. Especially by the amount of usage she has with this media. This also shows up with Mildred when she is asked to remember about a girl. She says “‘No. The same girl. McCellan. Mccellan. Run over by a car. Four days ago. I’m not sure. But I think she’s dead. The family moved out anyway. I don’t know. But I think she’s dead.’ ‘You’re not sure of it!’ ‘No, not sure. Pretty sure’ ‘ Why didn’t you tell me sooner?’ ‘Forgot’” (Bradbury 45). This clearly shows that technology can greatly affect the mind and its memory. Since people are so immersed in media they forget to mention important things. TV and seashells have became so popular, citizens do not remember or care to think about why they