Fahrenheit 451 revolved around a dystopian future where all media was controlled and written literature is banned. Firemen now possess the job of obtaining and disposing of written literature, and then burning down the house of who had the literature.
The story is about a fireman named Guy Montag who comes into possession of books. Through interactions with a new neighbor and an old man he met in a park, he discovers the power of literature and finds himself curious as to why the society wants to control it. One of the key pieces of literature was a King James version of the Bible. The old man, Faber, used to be a connoisseur of literature. Guy implores that he help him keep the books that he has taken in secrecy. Guy is faced with an interesting relationship conflict with his boss, Captain Beatty. Beatty has employed the use of a robotic dog with venomous fangs. This dog can hunt down any human by smell.
The neighbor, Clarisse McClellan, was the moral compass. She died early on, leaving Guy in an internal conflict. It revolved around the power of literature. After Guy’s wife ratted him out, Beatty and the rest of the firemen crew hunt down Guy. He wound up killing Beatty in a heart-wrenching scene and fleeing with some of his books to Faber, who helped him escape the robotic dog.
The robotic dog, while tracking Guy, could not reach him due to Guy being swept down a river. He then killed a random person, and they pinned it all on him. Guy then found himself wondering through the wilderness in search of a place that can harbor literature. He found a group of homeless people who store literature in their minds rather than in print. Not long after this discovery, the city that Guy fled from is bombed, leaving Guy with his newfound group exploring the enlightenment of literature.
The relationships were complex and thoroughly heartfelt. The social commentary on how people are so influenced to fight without a cause was tantalizing, and the power of knowledge was evident throughout the book. Without books and therefore the power of knowledge, the society was left struggling with no way to fight. Instead, they were easily corrupted to fight against something that they didn’t even really understand.
The only criticism I would have is that the book was hard to read. It was condensed, and I could only read sections at a time. However, it was a fantastic story. The fact that it was told from the point of view from one of the firemen, and not simply a good character who never burned a book, was my favorite part. Our main character was a part of the problem. His journey and moral quandaries were what drove this book to be as great as it is.
