Fahrenheit 451: The Direction We Are Going Imagine a society where books are outlawed and people are obsessed with technology. Citizens are told what to think and how to behave. True happiness is unfamiliar to all. While this setting seems obscure, it is what society today is gradually approaching. This is what life is like in the novel Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. In the story, Guy Montag seeks enlightenment through books. He displays great courage in going against the cultural norm and expressing his own ideas. An analysis of the cultures, characters, and themes in Fahrenheit 451 reveals what our society could turn into and how important it is to be independent with your ideas and opinions. The culture in Fahrenheit 451 reflects what our society could become if we …show more content…
True happiness does not exist in the world of Fahrenheit 451. Mildred claims to be happy with her life when in reality she has no purpose. “’I am,’ Mildred’s mouth beamed. ‘And proud of it.’” (Bradbury 62). Montag becomes upset with her because she clearly does not know what happiness is. Another character related to the theme of happiness is Captain Beatty. He was not a happy man, which is why he let Montag kill him. Censorship is the main way the government controls the people. Things are censored so people cannot interpret them in their own way. Books are outlawed because they allow a person to form their own ideas, which leads to chaos. “If you don’t want a man unhappy politically, don’t give him two sides to a question to worry him; give him one” (Bradbury 58). Captain Beatty said this to Montag when he was explaining why the firemen do what they do. In the chase towards the end of the book the police arrest a man that is not Montag so the citizens are satisfied. If the chase continued for too long, people would become bored and uninterested. The media then gives them false information that they do not know is