Burn Baby Burn
Fahrenheit 451 by
Ray Bradbury
We are now in a time and place where books are forbidden and
burned if found by Firemen. Now the job of a Fireman isn’t to put out flames,
but to set houses found with books on fire. The world has moved on from books
and those found harboring them risk losing their home and being arrested. Guy
Montag, who has been a Fireman for ten years, knows the joy that comes from
watching the burn. His father and his grandfather were both Fireman before him
and he willingly enough has followed in their footsteps. He has a wife, Millie,
who takes part in everyday activities like watching TV and taking part in some
of the TV shows. And this is society.
But there are those that still read, that still converse, that still question,
that still wonder but they are outcast. There are those that will sacrifice
there lives before letting these choices to be taken away from them. These
outcast affect Guy in a way that he would never imagine. It sets off a fire in
him of imagination that causes him to make decisions that will forever change
his life and the lives of those around him.
The
first time I read this book I was in high school and instantly intrigued. How
can a society without books exist? How ignorant would that society be? Bradbury
doesn’t show a society of ignorance, instead he shows a society of complacence
where people are happy not having to question or wonder or care about anything
except for what is presented to them. Throughout the book you are given
glimmers of hope through those citizens who rebel against the norm. This is,
for me at least, a desperate and depressing situation but extremely
fascinating.
Bradbury
did an amazing job at presenting a world beyond our imagining. A world where
people chose to be complacent, uniformed individuals. A world where entertainment has taken the
place of education and a higher education no longer exists. Menial task have
taken over the day to day life and the majority of people are ok with the
situation, in fact they enjoy having no responsibilities and no knowledge. I
could never imagine a world where that is okay and applauded. I recommend this
book to everyone for all these reasons. Never become complacent. Never allow
your mind to be so involved in entertaining society that it forgets to
challenge itself. Enjoy this book but let it serve as a warning to what can
happen when everyone decides that knowledge is no longer necessary.
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