Fahrenheit 451 Essay

2200 Words9 Pages

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury is an exceptional book that speaks about the development of technology and the effects of these technological advancements on the human mind. Fahrenheit 451 is an exaggeration of what our society would be like if technology truly took over everything. This novel takes place in a dystopian society set in the future, where firemen burn books, rather than put out fires. The protagonist, Montag is a fireman who begins to ask too many questions about books and how the role of firemen came to be. These queries began after speaking with Clarisse. Clarisse is a young woman who is constantly questioning aspects of their society. Montag seems to feel a closer connection to Clarisse than his own wife, Mildred. Mildred is …show more content…

The mental distortion we see in Bradbury’s novel is caused by the lack of individuality that technology has contributed. All people must be the same, they must keep their minds always preoccupied. Academy Publication says, “Bradbury gives his readers the concept of self-image when the characters are exposed to questioning their culture. It starts at the very opening of the story when Guy returns from his work of burning books, and on his way back to his home, he meets Clarisse; the conversation between them is simple, where Clarisse asks Guy, ‘Are you happy?’ (Bradbury, 1953, p. 7) At the end of their conversation, this starts the pursuit of self-image for Guy. Self-image is heavily influenced by what happens around us, and in this novel, they live a programmed life” (paragraph 11, lines 3-8). This interaction with Clarisse sparks many doubts in Montag about his society. He begins to question his self-image. Self-image is a pivotal part of our personality and our soul. Without it, we are merely reflections of the concepts we are surrounded by. Montag was only a fireman and a husband, that’s all he was in society. He had no distinguishing factors, his life was built on those two roles. Without his self-image, Montag didn’t know that there could be more to his life than what was offered. After speaking with Clarisse, he started to understand the limitless boundaries that books offer. …show more content…

FOMO can be seen as the idea that if you are witnessing or are aware of other people having fun, you are brought on by feelings of being left out or letting an opportunity pass. In modern culture, there is no escaping social media, whether you, a family member, or a friend have it; we are constantly surrounded by the ideas that social media let on. When one is surrounded by social media, we are programmed to see what is going on in the world, especially checking on those who most influence our lives. Influential people are the most powerful when it comes to social media platforms, they hold the control of others in their hands. Those who hold the opinions of others to great importance are most impacted by this fear of missing out because they always want to be up to date on the current trends, events, and social gatherings. These feelings of missing out can lead to one being distracted from their priorities and becoming consumed by constantly checking social media. Christine M. Stabler says, “However, constant checking and scrolling can have a detrimental effect on schoolwork and studying. The distraction can lead to procrastination, less retention of information, and higher levels of stress. You may also experience feelings of exclusion, loneliness, or anxiety when you see posts or others enjoying a good time” (paragraph 10, lines