Although the dystopian novel Fahrenheit 451 is fictional, in many ways its contents can be seen to parallel, perhaps to a lesser extent, some societies today. The similarities of the events depicted in the book and modern circumstances is hard to ignore. In addressing the book and its relationship with the modern United States, it will be possible to compare the similarities between the fictional, future world of Fahrenheit 451 and the current reality of the country.
Looking at the current state of the United States and the world presented in the book it is evident that there are a variety of similarities. Think about specific areas, such as war, technology, social/people interaction, censorship, communication, family lifestyles, work lifestyles, authority, power, government propaganda, freedom, education, concept of happiness, and others. There are a variety of different ways in which the modern United States and the fictional representation in the book can be seen as similar. In regards to relationships and social identities, as well as propaganda and censorship, the book reflects a profound consideration of the modern issues associated with the technological changes of the twentieth century. These changes can be best understood in relation to the events that transpire within Fahrenheit 51 as the character Montag attempts to contend with the various problems that he is beginning to see evident within the world that he lives in.
Part one of the book, “The Hearth and the Salamander” presents the characters and expresses their underlying values. In assessing the events that occur, it is evident that there are various concepts associated with family, lifestyle, and happiness that are present within the text. Issues such as happiness, freedom, and family are all presented and given a strong valuation in relation to the social aspects that are present within the books. These ideas seem to reflect similar modern values as fast-paced and rapid changes have continued to progress society towards unknown frontiers.
Montag's relationship with his wife Mildred reflects the need for personal connection that he is unable to get even from somebody that he is supposed to love. These ideas from the novel ring true even today. When he tells her that he is thinking of quitting the force her reaction is primarily concerned with income and the potential for her to become destitute. She seems to be indicative of modern consumerist based attitudes. His growing relationship with Clarrise, on the other hand, seems to indicate a longing for connection. This is similar to modern desires for personal connection that people often feel as they begin to feel isolated in regards to contemporary values of independence and self-worth. He seems to find these connections through his books. “And I thought about books. And for the first time I realized that a man was behind each one of the books” (Bradbury 49). These aspects of society are largely a result of the consumerist tendencies that make it difficult to come to know one another on a more personal level.
Montag's conversation with Captain Beatty when he stays home from work and is having second thoughts regarding his work after seeing a woman burned alive demonstrates the social changes that had occurred in the book. Beatty recounts that, as the population grew more concerned with being entertained and things such as sports and movies and attention spans became shorter books first became abridged, and then outright banned altogether. This social unrest regarding the need for progress and the obsession with a fast-paced lifestyle seems to be indicative of modern U.S. values and the technological fetishes that are being more ingrained in popular culture.
Part two of the book, “The Sieve and the Sand” further demonstrates ideas related to the use in the book of current technology, ideas, philosophy, and government. In analyzing the book it is evident that there are a variety of confrontations that establish the underlying reliance on technology as well as its grasp on humanity, both symbolically and literally. Furthermore, this grasp has profound political and social repercussions in relation to the avowed freedoms that people within the book enjoy. These ideas are similar to those in the real world, in which rapid industrialization and social change have made it difficult to establish proper methods for ensuring that the government and other interests do not exploit or take advantage of society.
As Montag and his wife are discussing the books that he has been hoarding, the fear inspired by the scratching of what he fears to be “The Hound” as well as the planes flying over head, symbolizing an unknown war brewing somewhere in the world, have profound associations with modern society. “The jet bombers going over, going over, going over, one two, one two, one two, six of them, nine of them, twelve of them, one and one and one and another and another and another, did all the screaming for him” (Bradbury 11). The idea of the Hound can be attributed to modern day agencies such as the NSA or the CIA, which have been accused of spying on civilians both in the United States and abroad. The idea of a constant and unknown war that rages in another part of the world seems to be further indicative of similarities to the modern United States.
He and Mildred's date with their friends in which they aspire to sit and watch the walls of their home seems to be a direct indication of the growth of television during the twentieth century and its capacity to overtake the social and interpersonal lives of people within society. When Montag attempts to turn off the walls in order to engage his wife and her friends in conversation they seem completely uninterested in all but gossip. This seems to reflect modern society on a deeper level, in which people are enamored with celebrity and popular culture, in many cases being much more interested in these things than in their own lives. When he gets a book of poetry in an attempt to connect with them they leave in anger while his wife once more attempts suicide.
The final section of the book “Burning Bright” seems to reflect the proposition of complete and total destruction that arises from these types of ideologies that breed hatred and war. The metaphor of the entire book seems to be death and rebirth in fire, much like the phoenix. The concept of nuclear annihilation is a danger in the present world. The inception of wars that have abstract definitions and the use of large-scale weapons that can effect even non-combatants calls into question the use of warfare techniques in the modern world. These ideas can often have lasting implications for society and the political agendas of those that hold power throughout the world.
These comparisons are important to draw due to the insight that comparisons can provide into the possibilities for the future to end up the same as in the book. For this reason, it is necessary to assess and analyze the underlying values and technologies that society bases its principles on. Regarding the future of the Untied States, this analysis warns of the possibilities of popular culture and its ability to narrow the scope of the human mind to the point at which ways of thinking become ingrained that are detrimental to the human condition. Such a comparison is therefore helpful as it provides a lens through which the past, present, and future of political and social ideologies can be judged in a more comprehensive way.
Work Cited
Bradbury, Ray, and Joseph A. Mugnaini. Fahrenheit 451. New York: Ballantine Books, 1953. Print.
