Museum of Resistance and Resilience

Fahrenheit 451

Fahrenheit 451 is set in a futuristic society where books are outlawed and firemen can burn any books that they find. The protagonist, Guy Montag, is a fireman who enjoys his occupation, stating that “it was a pleasure to burn” (pg 5), and believes that he’s living in a Utopia. With the constant consumption of television and mindless listening of “seashell ear thimbles,” the citizens of this society are greatly influenced by the mass media and lack individuality. Books are regarded as a danger to the community as they bring in new ideas and knowledge that may elicit opposition to the government. Montag eventually quits his job as a fireman and commits himself to the preservation of literature. The themes of this novel heavily revolve around censorship, resistance to conformity, and the control of individuals through mass media. Although Montag initially believed he was living in a Utopia, he realized that he was manipulated to think this way. The concept of a Utopian society will always be pondered as we may never know what the truth is. Is Utopia really possible, or are we being manipulated to think so?

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