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Fahrenheit 451 Technology Essay

1034 Words5 Pages

In “ Fahrenheit 451,” technology plays a central role in the society depicted in the novel. The government uses technology, such as interactive television and telescreens, to control and distract the population, while books, which are seen as dangerous, are burned and banned by “firemen.” The main character Guy Montag lives as a fireman who burns books. He is taught to lean towards technology and oppose books because it is seen as a nuisance to society. Montag fights an internal battle after deciding to grab a book from one of his missions because he was curious to see what was inside of one. Reading empowered him to change his viewpoint on books and the society he lived in. Ray Bradbury is warning society about the dangers of using technology …show more content…

The build up of reliance on technology had led to potential concerns such as invasion of privacy, overuse, the spread of false information, and negative narratives towards specific beliefs and religions. The use of technology as a tool to control and distract society has benefitted the government by twisting people’s minds into believing books are distasteful for everyone. The decision of the government to take advantage of the destructive ability of technology has led many in society to believe books are dangerous because of the propaganda being spread. Firemen such as Montag believe that burning books is for the greater good. The main character Montag is excited whenever he is able to burn houses with books. “With his symbolic helmet numbered 451 on his stolid head, and his eyes all orange flame with the thought of what came next, he flicked the igniter and the house jumped up in a gorging fire that burned the evening sky red and yellow and black.” (Bradbury 1) The manipulation of firemen through technology has led the government to be able to control the destruction of books. Montag, influenced by the government, finds pleasure in burning because he feels accomplished doing something supposedly “beneficial” to society. He believes that burning

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Books are banned and burned in order to prevent individuals from accessing knowledge that might lead them to question the status quo. The government uses technology to monitor individuals and enforce conformity, using television screens to transmit propaganda and keep individuals under constant surveillance. The main character, Guy Montag, is a fireman whose job is to burn books. He becomes disillusioned with his job and eventually joins a group of rebels who are committed to preserving knowledge and promoting freedom of thought. This illustrates the ways in which technology can be used to enforce conformity and limit freedom, but also the potential for individuals to resist this control and fight for their rights.

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