Fahrenheit 451 By Ray Bradbury: Chapter Analysis

1. Exposition In the novel, “Fahrenheit 451” by Ray Bradbury, the protagonist Guy Montag is a firefighter that burns books and lives in a futuristic world where books are banned and people watch excessive amounts of television to pass time. Montag is unhappily married to his wife Mildred- “‘I am very much in love!’ He tried to conjure up a face to fit the words, but there was no face’”(Bradbury 22). This shows that Montag is not truly in love with Mildred. This also shows that Montag must have just married Mildred without thinking, but Clarisse helped Montag realize that he wasn’t in love at all. Clarisse is the 17-year old neighbour of the Montag, who is free-spirited and helps Montag realize to actually think for himself, instead of listening

The author wants us to realize how negatively technology is influencing us and the effect it has on people. For example, when Captain Beatty comes over to Montag’s house, he says, “‘If you don't want a man unhappy politically, don't give him two sides to a question to worry him…Cram them full of noncombustible data, chock them so damned full of ‘facts’ they feel stuffed, but absolutely ‘brilliant’ with information. Then they'll feel they're thinking, they'll get a sense of motion without moving. And they'll be happy, because facts of that sort don't change. Don't give them any slippery stuff like philosophy or sociology to tie things up with’” (Bradbury 61). This shows that people are conformed to be happy and are not given opportunities to think in the right way. This also shows that one effect technology has on people is that they all become the same, making them ‘think’ they are smart by knowing facts. Bradbury makes us understand the importance of books and how technology is taking away our happiness, whether we know it or

Technology such as T.V., computers, radios, and iPhones are constantly distracting us from thinking for ourselves. I thought Bradbury helped us show the harsh reality of technology and how it sometimes takes away our happiness. It is recognized as an important work because throughout the years, the more technology has evolved, the more people start to lose interest in books. People realize after reading this book that in some ways, Bradbury’s novel is true to this day. My favorite quote from the book is when Granger says to Montag that his grandfather said, “‘Stuff your eyes with wonder,' he said, 'live as if you'd drop dead in ten seconds. See the world. It's more fantastic than any dream made or paid for in factories’” (Bradbury 157). This made me think about Montag’s journey throughout the book to find happiness. Montag didn’t want to live his life trapped in a reality where you were forced to be happy. He wanted to live his life happily and see more of the world. I like the quote because it shows us how Montag was willing to take the risk for something he believed in. I would recommend this to a friend who spends too much time in the world of technology and doesn’t think once in awhile. I liked that the book makes us realize for ourselves that maybe technology has negative impact on society. One thing I didn’t like about the book is that when the author described objects or ideas in the