In all societies, environment and location are a big influence on how people act. Different societies have different cultures, and, therefore, different lifestyles. In Ray Bradbury’s book, Fahrenheit 451, it couldn’t be any different. The story occurs in an extremely censored society, in the future years. There, firemen like Guy Montag, start fires to extinguish books. The government and people in this city believe that burning books is a good way to keep everyone happy. Literature was banned since they “can’t have [their] minorities upset and stirred” (p. 59).
Most books don’t please everyone and some “minorities” have their feelings hurt, making them unhappy. Living in this American society means living where oppression rules. The government’s strict laws require these fearless firemen to destroy books. The firemen never read the paperwork they burn, “That’s against the law! “(p. 8). Keeping the population from reading will keep them from dealing with ideas and points of views that might upset them. “Don’t give them slippery stuff like philosophy or sociology to tie things up with.
That way lies to melancholy” (p. 61); Beatty, the firemen chief, believes people are better off ignorant and nave so then they won’t know they can formulate their own opinions. The firemen’s actions, by turn, imply fear and doubts on the people. When Montag meets Clarisse, she tells him “You know, I’m not afraid of you at all” (p. 7), Guy asks for an explanation and she tells him that many people are afraid of the firemen, probably because the men’s work is to burn down homes. I believe Guy himself starts fearing his job once he meets the girl. “She was a time bomb. The family had been feeding her subconscious, I’m sure, from what I saw of her school record.
She didn’t want to know how a thing was done, but why” (p.60): Clarisse was interested in human behavior, nature and the simple things people had already forgotten about. I think, deep inside, Montag begins to wonder what all the books he destroys say and why they are illegal. The society has completely forgotten about how life was when they owned knowledge. Many people, like Mildred, Guy’s wife, are far more interested in the TV shows and the “seashell radio”, which she listens to obsessively. Mildred is very disconnected and cold and she doesn’t care about anything real ; she has no faith in books: “It doesn’t mean anything! ” (p. 68) and she believes the television has a lot more to offer.
Technology is another thing that gives the government a lot of control. They have machines like the “Mechanical Hound” (p. 24) and driving slowly is prohibited – “My uncle drove slowly on a highway once. He drove forty miles an hour and they jailed him for two days” (p. 9). The government doesn’t want people to appreciate the nature because they are afraid new philosophies and ideas come up. Television and radios are influences against books themselves. The ladies in the novel are completely addicted to empty and childish shows. None of them go out to walk and appreciate nature or have meaningful conversations.
Environment is a very important part of Fahrenheit 451. Without the censored lifestyle and the advanced technology, the plot wouldn’t be as understandable. The censorship causes people to feel oppressed and limited and, like Montag, rebellious. The government projected the firemen’s job, causing fear on the people. Nature interested Clarisse McClellan and made her wonder about life, which, eventually got to Guy Montag and changed his life. Concluding, censorship and habitat in Ray Bradbury’s novel is very important and defines many important parts of the story.
