Loss Of Individuality In Fahrenheit 451

In the United States, every citizen has the right to freedom of speech, as guaranteed by the First Amendment: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech” (“The Constitution,” n.d., The Bill section, para. 1). 3. Then, the sand is sanded. No individual should be silenced or molded by the government; everyone deserves the right to embrace their individuality and develop their own personality. In Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury uses the characters of Mildred Montag, Guy Montag, and Clarisse McClellan to show how government censorship impacts a person’s individuality. To begin, Mildred Montag is a perfect example of an individual who is heavily influenced by the

The government desensitizes its citizens by making them dependent on noise, television, and other forms of quick entertainment. Having become reliant on government technology like Seashells, Mildred’s dependency highlights her loss of individuality, as her constant need for stimulation mirrors the government’s goal of control and conformity. Furthermore, Guy Montag initially followed the government’s directions, but later learned to think for himself. He himself was a pawn in the government’s plan because he burned the books as a firefighter. Initially, Montag was content with burning, as he states in the opening line of the novel, “It was a pleasure to burn” (p. 7). It is evident that Montag took pleasure in burning books, and this pleasure is what the government molded him into doing. By having firefighters burn books, the government ensures that its citizens remain ignorant of the knowledge and lessons contained within them. William Stafford (1986) wrote, “The cover goes first, then outer leaves curl away, then spine and a scattering. Truth, brittle and faint, burns easily” (p. 193, lines