Theme Of Happiness In Fahrenheit 451

(AGG) As George Sand once said, “There is only one happiness in this life, to love and be loved.” (BS-1) Montag’s mentors discuss what is essential to be happy in their society. (BS-2) The unhappy residents of his community serve as another example of what is fundamental to live a satisfactory life. (BS-3) Similar to this, happy members of society exhibit the qualities necessary to be happy. (TS) The society in Ray Bradbury's book, Fahrenheit 451, suggests that in order to experience true happiness and lead a fulfilling life, close relationships and interaction between people is necessary.

(MIP-1): The discussions between Montag and his mentors serve as an illustration of these requirements in order to live a fulfilled life. (SIP-A): These

(SIP-A): During Mildred’s TV party with her friends, they frequently discuss this theme of unhappiness caused by the lack of humanity. (STEWE-1): As the party goes on, they have a conversation about war. One of her friends says, “‘I’ve never known any dead man killed in a war. Killed jumping off of buildings, yes, like Gloria’s husband last week, but from wars? No’” (Bradbury 91). The high rates of suicide in this civilization highlights its misery, hence the normality of suicide attempts and the abnormality of being killed in a war. This imbalance of common suicide rates and uncommon killings in war suggests that the members of this society is suffering and think that their lives are not worth living. Additionally, they show no compassion when talking about this subject matter. Right after she says this, Mildred’s other friend even comments about how her husband “‘said, if I get killed off, you just go right ahead and don’t cry, but get married again, and don’t think of me’” (Bradbury 91). The expectation that one will replace their deceased partner suggests that their relationships with their partners are distant and unpassionate. As a result, it is common to carry on living even after a loved one causes harm to themselves or even commits suicide, which causes significant gaps in relationships, dishonor for

(SIP-A): Some of these occurrences of happiness amongst society were caused by feelings of relief when removing things or people that remind one of isolation. (STEWE-1): Before being arrested for the possession of books, Montag has to burn his entire house with his own hands, including the “bedroom walls and the cosmetics chest because he wanted to change everything… everything that showed that he had lived here in this empty house with a strange woman who would forget him tomorrow… And as before, it was good to burn, he felt himself gush out in the fire, snatch, rend, rip in half with flame, and put away the senseless problem” (Bradbury 110). Montag felt relieved after burning his house, hence he lived with Mildred, his supposed lover that he felt isolated from. Montag felt a wave of happiness while burning this house as he eliminated one of his problems that was holding him back, something that reminded him of the lack of close relationships and human interaction that he had. (STEWE-2): Later, while watching the war in the city, Montag comes to a crucial realization regarding Mildred: “‘Even if she dies, I realized a moment ago, I don’t think I’ll feel sad. It isn’t right. Something must be wrong with me’” (Bradbury 148). Because Montag and Mildred were distant from one another and never truly loved or cared for one another, their