Fahrenheit 451 By Ray Bradbury

The majority of dystopian societies in literature share a common ideology. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury does not deviate from this shared theme. In Fahrenheit’s society, great literature, philosophy, and religion are banned. Essentially, the pursuit of knowledge is illegal. Great literature, philosophy, and religion are forbidden because if the government can stifle the public’s curiosity, then the government’s hold on the people will remain intact. Certain genres of literature, differing religions, and philosopher’s theories have the ability to disturb the peaceful illusion of happiness that has settled over the city. This false sense of happiness keeps the public from attempting to question the government. Beatty, for example, tells

Burn it. White people don’t feel good about Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Burn it. Someone’s written a book on tobacco and cancer of the lungs? The cigarette people are weeping? Burn the book. Serenity, Montag.
Peace, Montag. Take your fight outside. Better yet, into the incinerator. (57)
The books Little Black Sambo and Uncle Tom’s Cabin are both books considered offensive. In this society before books were completely banned any book that had the slightest bit of offensive content was viewed as a threat. The entire society is scared to ruffle someone’s feathers, which resulted in the ban. When religion comes into play, some people will get offended if people don’t believe in God or vice versa. Religion was clearly offensive to man, so that was banned. The reason for the government not wanting to offend people is that if no one gets offended: no one complains about the government or threatens to challenge them. In Fahrenheit 451, great literature, religion, and philosophy are abolished for a plethora of reasons. However, the main reason is to keep the public compliant and subdued enough to control them. If the world doesn’t continue to pursue knowledge or its own curiosity, Fahrenheit’s fictional society will become a