Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451

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mparison and Contrast Essay for Fahrenheit 451 The book Fahrenheit 451 is a science fiction novel placed in the future. The plot of the story is about a firefighter named Montag in a futuristic city where firefighters start fires. He starts to read books although it is illegal in the society and realizes realities of life. Montag kills his fire chief and is on the run when he meets intellectuals by the railroads. They watch as the city is bombed and go back to rebuild society. Beatty is Montag’s fire chief and boss. He is invested in getting rid of books although he himself reads. Faber is a former english professor who maintains a low profile and also reads books. He helps Montag understand and use them. In Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury,…show more content…
Beatty shows that he has read and comprehends books when he states, “There is no terror, Cassius, in your threats, for I am arm’d so strong in honesty that they pass me…”(Page 113). This statement reveals that Beatty understands the books meaning in that context. This shows irony as Beatty is a firefighter who burns books but also reads and comprehends them unlike most of society. He has also expressed the impact of books on people when he states, “The mind drinks less and less Impatience. Highways full of crowds going somewhere, somewhere, somewhere, nowhere.” (Page 54). This quote displays Beatty’s understanding of how the removal of books caused the people of society to stop thinking in complexity thus leading to the state of society in their world. Faber also understands the influence the books have. He states, “Number one: Do you know why books such as this are so important? Because they have quality. And… To me it means texture.”(Page 79). This statement shows that Faber acknowledges how books have value missing in their society. They have features vital to people. Faber also states, “The public itself stopped reading of its own accord.” This shows that Faber understands the people of the society stopped reading without force because of their decreased tendency to think. Due to the public not reading anymore, society has no diversity as people do not have various understandings…show more content…
Beatty states, “Any man's insane who thinks he can fool the Government and us.”(Page 31). This quote proves Beatty’s confidence in numbers rather than one person as Beatty has the government and other firefighters on one side compared to just one on the other. He also states that, “Surely you remember the boy in your own school class who was exceptionally 'bright,' did most of the reciting and answering while the others sat like so many leaden idols, hating him… bright boy you selected for beatings and tortures after hours? Of course it was. We must all be alike.”(Page 55). This account by Beatty expresses his belief in strength in numbers because of the power groups can have over a single person. This also shows his belief in people being the same in numbers. Faber also believes numbers are stronger when he says, “Mr. Montag, you are looking at a coward. I saw the way things were going, a long time back. I said nothing. I'm one of the innocents who could have spoken up and out when no one would listen to the `guilty,' but I did not speak and thus became guilty myself. And when finally they set the structure to burn the books, using the, firemen, I grunted a few times and subsided, for there were no others grunting or yelling with me, by then. Now, it's too late.”(Page 78). This shows Faber’s understanding of how numbers is greater than a single
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