Theme Of Plato's Cave In Fahrenheit 451

The concept of Plato’s cave was simple: mindless slaves to society would simply accept what they saw because it was easy. However, those who asked the right questions and sought the truth would be rewarded. It was not an easy decision, but it was certainly the right one. In the beginning of the novel, “Fahrenheit 451,” by Ray Bradbury, Montag is much like a prisoner of Plato’s cave. He burns books because it is his job. He does not question it, he just simply does what he is told, because he believes that is the way things have always been. Throughout the novel, Montag’s whole dynamic changes thanks to some of the characters he meets. When a girl named Clarisse first makes her appearance, she speaks of a time long ago, when books were read and intelligence was power. Montag begins to question what he knows, could things have truly been different in the past? Clarisse disappears, presumably killed by a speeding car. However, another person will change his life as

Granger explains to Montag that because he has read part of the Book of Ecclesiastes, he is the Book of Ecclesiastes. Montag exclaims that he has forgotten the book, and Granger mentions “nothing’s ever lost.” This shows how important the people who have read books are, seeing as they are very scarce. This also shows that Montag, who was once a prisoner to society, now serves a purpose. He himself is a book, a symbol of rebellion among an ignorant society. Granger says that all his group wants to do is “keep the knowledge [they] think [they] will need intact and safe.” This shows that this group does not simply fight against those who disagree with them. They live to preserve knowledge because they understand the importance of it. This greatly contrasts how the society itself reacts to those who disagree with the system. They fight, burn, and destroy anything they think is too