Technology In Fahrenheit 451 By Ray Bradbury

Fahrenheit 451, a fictional novel written by Ray Bradbury, describes a futuristic society where technology is the community’s guiding force. In the showcase that the modern race has exhibited, the prevalent statistic of watching television compared to other hobbies is dominating. Technology is a diversion from the activities that could be taking place, like socializing with other Homo sapiens sapiens, or something as special as reading. In Fahrenheit 451, books are illegal, and wall-sized television screens are the norm; destroying enlightening literature is an act that takes place almost daily. When Ray Bradbury described this dystopian world, it sprouted from his fear of technology. Perhaps the human race should fear technology with him.

The firefighters, who once fought fires and saved houses, now start fires for the purpose of burning the house’s illegal book contents. Books have been outlawed, for the reason that they cause people to think, and to question theirs and others’ lives. Even the Bible, once the most popular book in the world, now only has a single copy due to being burned. As Gaurav Mehta quotes, “Life without books is life without oxygen. It is only because of books that we are able to communicate with each other.” Every character in Fahrenheit 451 has become dull and mindless-even suicidal. They have closed their minds to activities that encourage their brains to open, to accept new ideas and challenge others. The replacement form of entertainment is ‘the family,’ the fictitious characters that appear on wall-sized television screens throughout the house and keep people feeling that they have intendment. Books are nearly forgotten, and people grow so attached to ‘the family’ that they are closer to them than their actual

People’s desire to watch television programs has overwhelmed their desire to read, henceforth leaving our newer generations practically illiterate. Something that many people have said that supports Bradbury’s absurdly realistic dystopia- “I hate reading. I would rather watch tv.” With this very true , and frankly disturbing quote, it proves Ray Bradbury’s book correct, showing how the high statistic of readers to non-readers take over internationally. In the book, Fahrenheit 451, Guy Montag, the main character, attempts to save his wife and himself from the horrors of the current society where no one reads because it is illegal to do so. He attempts to save them both by reading aloud to her, to try to make her feel something about the books.(pp.73 of Fahrenheit 451) The problem with living in such a world, is that people are okay with it. They indulge and kindle the idea of not reading, but skimming. Of watching, instead of learning and thinking. In 2012, during an interview with Ray Bradbury, he stated this; “We’ve moved into the world I described fifty years