Technology In Fahrenheit 451 By Ray Bradbury

People living in a society do not necessarily notice the changes occurring within that society and how it affects their lives as a whole. Fahrenheit 451 is a dystopian novel written by Ray Bradbury. It is about a society that has been taken over by media and technology, and suffers from excessive censorship, thus revealing the consequences of such a society. It details a future that may be familiar to humanity: this world has been in constant advancement, and is in constant change till this day. There are many themes mentioned in Fahrenheit 451 that are also factors today. For one, modern technology, and the impact it has and how it continues to affect them throughout its innovations and development. Technology today, like in the book, has

Ray Bradbury’s portrayal of technology in the book, considering the time period the book was written in, was an alarmingly accurate prediction of how our society will develop. The futuristic city in the book relies on technology only and shows no appreciation for nature; the residents drive their cars so fast they do not see the landscape. They also do not know what the rain feels like. As a girl approaches Montag and makes a remark on how the rain feels likes, he replies with “I never have [tried walking in it]” (Bradbury 167). Technology makes it difficult for the citizens of Montag’s city to get to know the real world and learn about what is occurring around them. Individuals in the novel depend heavily on technology for entertainment, rather than enjoying the life that they are actually living. Although technology is helpful, it can evidently have consequences and is not always a pleasant aspect of life, especially when people live a virtual life instead of their own real one. Mildred, the protagonist’s wife, spends all her time between the parlour walls, which are giant TV screens. She is so absorbed in the virtual world of the shows she watches, that she even begins to call them her family. Her addiction and dependency on this technology renders her mindless; when asked when and where she first

The book is a cautionary against harmful and poisonous censorship. Although censorship is not directly mentioned, Bradbury discusses the inability to access books. In the setting where the novel takes place, books are subjected to abolishment. The firemen’s role was to burn any book found in possession, and citizens were to notify the authorities if they knew of any book-related activity. Through censorship comes ignorance and lack of knowledge, which has evident effects on people’s lifestyles. Individuals who are unknowledgeable to the reality they live in lead their lives based on their ignorance. Impoverished members of capitalist societies, as an example, do not address the reasons behind their shortcomings relative to others in the society, instead, they are led to acquiring a fatalist attitude. Their ignorance to the exploitations that occur within a capitalist society, leaves them trapped in a cycle of poverty. Similarly, Montag is initially one of the fireman, conforming to the society he lives in and sees no fault in the system. In light of the fact that people in that city lacked knowledge, Montag normalized his lifestyle and his marriage. However, after engaging in insightful conversations with an educated individual, and stealing a book, Montag becomes more challenging and inquising. He begins to explore the basics of his life. Montag learns that his marriage