Role Of Suppression Of Individuals In Fahrenheit 451

Suppression of the Individual in Dystopian Novels The first dystopian novel ever written was Yevgeni’s Zamyatin’s We. The book is set in a totalitarian society where emotions and individuality are suppressed through psychological conditioning, setting the standard theme of a dystopian novel as reflections of human society. Dystopian novels mirror possible anxieties of what one may face in an ever-growing society such as ours. These depictions serve as warnings of what the government can do when unchecked by society. Novels such as Brave New World by Huxley and Fahrenheit 451 by Bradbury not only speculate on what the future may hold if we eradicate the use of literature and history, but delve into how this leads to a loss of true happiness.

There was something desperate, almost insane, about the sharp spasmodic yelps to which they now gave utterance. Their little bodies twitched and stiffened; their limbs moved jerkily as if to the tug of unseen wires.” (Huxley 21). Their society attempts to create a utopia through making a hierarchical system with the aid of psychological conditioning and technology. However, this approach harms the citizens as they are being nurtured to follow certain expectations and goals, denying them a basic right of individuality. Citizens are expected to act within their bounds in society in the name of maintaining “social stability,” however, despite their attempts to eliminate individual thought, their society still suffers. There is a constant pressure to follow societal norms and expectations, which eventually leads to feelings of alienation and anxiety. Protagonists such as Bernard, Helmholtz and John “The Savage” have all been personally attacked by their government and citizens for following certain rules they have set in

Individuals reject one another merely because there are rumors that one doesn't like a certain sport or other meaningless activity. This illustrates how not only does the government suppress individuality, but also their society. The government has conditioned civilisation so much so that they begin to follow the government's rules without more thought, unconsciously following views which cause more harm than good. If one individual in a society where the citizens have no individual thoughts turns renegade, it would cause more destruction and harm than if each individual had their own thoughts. This lack of thought and immediate agreement to follow authority leads individuals to lose their critical thinking. Rather than Lenina and Fanny focusing on Bernard's personality or education, they zone in on more insubstantial aspects. Moreover, due to the fact that their society has a homogenized viewpoint, there is no path for creativity or innovation as individuals fear having a different