Aaron-O-WHS-+Fahrenheit+451

= **FAHRENHEIT 451** -A Story of Censorship and Free Thought- = =-Story by Ray Bradbury- = =-Wiki by Aaron O- = = =

AUTHOR BIO

Ray Douglas Bradbury is often thought of as one of the greatest science fiction writers of all time, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the likes of Stephen King and George Orwell. His books, which tend to follow an overarching theme of mankind trying to destroy all they think is evil but ultimately orchestrating their own destruction, exhibit extremely deep writing and often hold deeper meanings than their words may seem to have on first reading. Bradbury often would say about "Fahrenheit 451", things along the lines of "It is a metaphor as to what is happening to literature nowadays. People may not be literally burning books, but they are in the metaphysical sense." In addition to having extremely deep writing, Bradbury often uses writing that challenges the norm and really thought outside the box, such as when Montag has his discussion with Captain Beatty. The writing really cuts to the core of what society is truly becoming these days, and Bradbury seems to understand every bit of it.

Ray Bradbury was born on August the twenty-second, 1920, in Waukegan, Illinois. He was born as third son to Leonard Spaulding Bradbury and Esther Marie Moberg Bradbury. His family moved back and forth between Waukegan and Tucson, Arizona from the years 1926 to 1933. In his eleventh year of life, young Ray began writing his first ever stories on scraps of butcher paper. Finally, in 1934, the family settled down in Los Angeles, California. Ray truly enjoyed living in L.A., and he often roller skated around Hollywood, looking for celebrities. It was here that Bradbury was encouraged to continue with his talents as a writer. When Ray started High School, he had at first been very active in his school's drama club, hoping to become an actor when he grew up. However, later on in High School, his teachers noticed an unusual talent for writing blossoming in the teenage lad. They helped convince him that it was there that his true talent lay, and helped teach him about poetry and short stories. As Ray learned more and more about the finer points of literature, he grew progressively more confident in his writing ability. After graduating, he decided he would try his hand at writing full-length novels. In the year 1942, Bradbury wrote "The Lake", starting him on a road through which he would go on to write a number of groundbreaking Sci-Fi novels and novellas. Eventually, he released the classic known as "Fahrenheit 451", a book unlike any that had previously been released. As anyone can see, Bradbury is quite an established writer, and deserves a place in any Science Fiction lovers' heart.

(Information on Bradbury's life found at this site.)

PLOT SYNOPSIS

It is the not-so-distant future. In the current totalitarian regime, all written word has been banned, on the grounds that it promotes free thought and could incite rebellions. By keeping people uninformed of higher literature, the government can control them that much more easily. No one has time to think about anything beyond simple thought.

In the past, it had been said that firemen //stopped// fires. In this society, it has been reversed. Now, firemen //start// fires, in order to burn any books that may still exist, along with the house they are kept within.

One fireman in particular, Guy Montag, lives the happy life. He goes to work every morning, burns some houses, then goes home to his beautiful wife Mildred. A day or two after the outset of the book, Montag meets a girl named Clarisse, whom he finds very provocative. She apparently still has room for open thought. His daily talks to her often open Montag's mind to things he had never thought of before. Then one night he comes home to find that his wife has overdosed on an over-the-counter drug. The men that come to fix her shock Montag with their profound bluntness. It is then that Montag realizes that this current society has become so cynical that they don't even think about each other anymore. He goes to work again the next morning, troubled. Eventually, while on a book burning, he notices the words inside the book. Curious, he picks it up and hides it in his clothes. That night he takes it home, but is afraid to open it and so puts it under his pillow. He has a few close calls in which Captain Beatty, his boss, almost sees him with it, but never for real. But then one day weeks later after collecting a multitude of books and reading them all...

...Montag is found out.

Beatty discovers Montag's crimes and forces him to burn down his own house, along with all the books. Montag is then put under arrest, but before he can be carted off, he runs away. Now, with the entire police force after him, will Montag be able to escape with his freedom...

...Or even his life?

LITERARY ANALYSIS

In "Fahrenheit 451", the theme that Bradbury uses is "the pursuit of knowledge will cause pain in the long run."

However, in this book, I think the most important literary element utilized by Bradbury is his characterization; the way he used his minor characters in order to help emphasize the main character is extremely polished and shows that Bradbury truly thought through how he wanted Montag to look at the beginning and at the end of the book. For example, I noticed that at the beginning I compare him to Clarisse and to his wife Mildred. He seems similar to Mildred but completely different from Clarisse. However, as the story progressed, I noticed that he was slowly slipping into Clarisse's mindset and slowly losing his old subjectivity. He starts thinking more deeply because of Clarisse, and even though she (spoiler alert) dies early on in the book, she pushes him in the direction that ultimately leads to the ending of the book and his final love of literature.

CRITIQUE

THE GOOD: Overall, "Fahrenheit 451" is a really great book. It has memorable characters, uses great metaphors on today's rush-and-go society, and makes you truly think. When you are reading this book, you truly start thinking about what life would be like if the book you were holding in your hands were illegal and could get you killed. It is an original premise for a story, and is the kind of thing that becomes a classic right after it is written.

THE LESS GOOD: This book, however, at times, can be a bit boring. Some of it can go above your head if you don't totally get it, and it isn't a book you can skim. If you miss something, you will be confused later on. Plus, it is a very metaphysical book, so it's not for people fond of gripping suspense novels. The action quotient is rather small, except near the end, so don't expect any pulse-pounding moments.

THE VERDICT: In my opinion, this book gets a 9 out of 10. I know, that seems like a pretty passive score, but it's true, that's what I think it deserves. Its form is very well written, and its characters leave you wondering. But while it's near perfect, it has that old boring factor. But overall, I would easily recommend this book to anyone looking for a great book that will make them think harder than usual.

RECOMMENDATIONS

If you enjoyed this book's style, try one of these wikis: @1984 JX 1984 George Orwell

If you like Bradbury's writing, try these books: