Theme Of Ignorance In Fahrenheit 451

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Picture a society where free thought is oppressed. A harsh, dehumanizing society where the government in power imposes a harsh regime. This is called a dystopia, and while it may seem peaceful at first, under the microscope many malign effects arise. Over the course of Fahrenheit 451, one can easily come to the conclusion that Ray Bradbury exhibits these harmful effects via the motif of ignorance. This ignorance is conveyed throughout the novel, by way of literature, government, and a false sense of security present across the population. Bradbury showcases ignorance, and the detrimental dystopian effects it brings along with it through ignorance of government. Upon stealing a book from a recent “firefight,” Montag is approached by Beatty,…show more content…
After being approached by Montag, Faber begins to elaborate on books, prompting him to talk on society, stating, “Yet somehow we think we can grow, feeding on flowers and fireworks, without completing the cycle back to reality” (Bradbury 79). This quotation exemplifies ignorance via literature, as Faber describes why society is not growing. Without literature, the “pores” of life are not shown, meaning we as a society cannot see what is wrong in the world, and as a result cannot grow. Instead, society “feeds on flowers and fireworks,” meaning they it focuses on only what is good in the world, as opposed to what needs to be fixed. Without growth, society does not improve, and much like before, attains mediocrity, or worse. This lack of growth in society can be attributed to dystopia, as a general unawareness is a key trait of a dystopian society. Furthermore, when discussing literature with Faber, Montag discusses his wife’s thoughts on books, announcing, “My wife says books aren’t ‘real’”(Bradbury 80). Mildred is a prime example of ignorance in the enticing world of literature. Simply calling books nonexistent, Mildred obviously does not realize the value of books in general. As previously stated, books provide an opportunity to debates the faults in society, or humanity as a whole. WIthout a forum to realize one’s faults, they cannot…show more content…
This ignorance is manipulated in order to disclose the harmful effects of dystopia. Simply put, Bradbury shows throughout this novel, that even the subtlest of dystopias are destined to
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