Bradbury 451 Fahrenheit analysis of the work. Metaphorical vision of the future in Ray Bradbury's novel 'Fahrenheit 451'

This name - 451 degrees Fahrenheit - carries a certain aura of mystery, and that is why many are so attracted to this book. 451 degrees Fahrenheit is the "temperature at which paper catches fire and burns." Before reading the plot of this book, associate with another historical and numerical title, for example, "One thousand nine hundred and eighty-four." Both novels are about a despotic society ruled by fear and censorship, where the characters have the last traces of hope and freedom. Anyway, let's do a quick analysis of "451 degrees Fahrenheit".

The author of the novel "Fahrenheit 451" is Ray Bradbury. From the very first page, a quote from the Spanish Nobel laureate Juan Ramón Jimenez is striking: “Si os dan papel pautado, escribid por el otro lado” (“If you are given lined paper, write across”). The author, as it were, immediately tries to show with this quote his attitude to social pressure, norms, oppression and any other type of violation of our freedom, and to induce us to resist this.

Fahrenheit 451 protagonist

At the center of the novel is Guy Montag, a thirty-year-old firefighter in the twenty-fourth century (the novel was written in the early 1950s). As a firefighter, Guy Montag is responsible for destroying not only the books he finds, but the houses he finds them in. Books are not read in this age; they must be destroyed without question. Making the analysis of "451 degrees Fahrenheit", let's dwell a little on this person. Guy Montag lives in a world where the past has been shattered by kerosene hoses and government brainwashing. In a few short days, this person transforms from a narrow-minded and biased conformist to a dynamic person committed to social change and life, saving books rather than destroying them.

The author of "Fahrenheit 451" is Ray Bradbury. And the book was written to show the evil of censorship. Ray Bradbury wrote it, because he could not stand the censorship around, he wanted to speak out against it in his own way. Books have become illegal because they allow people to reflect and form their own opinions. And if this happens, the state will lose control over people.

Books are just one of many other things that hold ideas and feed our brains, give us an extra boost to think. Books hold knowledge, and Bradbury proves that knowledge is power. The citizens did not have books, so there is no knowledge, therefore there is no power. A person without knowledge is nothing.

In this article, you will find a detailed analysis of Ray Bradbury's novel Fahrenheit 451, written in a school essay format.

I first read Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 at about 14 years old. Even then, she made an indelible impression on me, and I began to consider this novel one of my favorites.

The genre of the novel and the history of creation

Later in school, we got to know the dystopia genre. Reading the book "We" by Yevgeny Zamyatin, I involuntarily drew analogies with Bradbury's novel. When I read George Orwell's novel 1984, I realized that the genre of dystopia, of course, is characterized by features common to all works in this genre: grotesque, sometimes even absurdity, symbolism, an abundance of metaphors, an element of fantasy.

It is difficult to classify this book by Bradbury, because the novel can be called both science fiction (the writer foresaw many of the achievements of science - for example, in-ear radios are modern players, TV walls are plasma panels), and dystopia. The work has a socio-philosophical overtones, it was relevant in 1953, when it was published, because Ray Bradbury probably wrote the novel, being impressed by the era of McCarthyism - the era of the "witch hunt", when the liberal-minded intelligentsia was persecuted, there was censorship.

In the novel, those who think differently from the majority, more precisely, those who generally think and talk to each other, are considered crazy. So, probably, it was in reality, in the reality that surrounded the writer at that time, with the only difference that such people were not treated, but their works were outlawed. Bradbury describes the future of America and the whole world, but this future has a certain connection with the present - both the present of 1953 and the present of the 21st century. But more on that later.

Interestingly, the writer created his novel in the public library. I think Ray Bradbury loves libraries and books, because only an author who truly loves books and literature can write about them like that. Also, the book contains a lot of quotes from other sources, from the Bible, books of the Enlightenment, contemporary literature (the novel takes place in the future, therefore these books for heroes are considered old).

Images and symbols

The novel is filled with symbols. Fire is the most powerful symbol of the novel. Fire in the hands of a firefighter, which symbolizes destruction (as opposed to the common idea of firefighters who put out a fire, preserving rather than destroying it) is destructive. He destroys books, the last strongholds of creative thought, because paintings in museums have long been replaced by interactive and abstract ones (“Completely abstraction!” - Clarissa exclaims in the novel), the same old musical compositions and witticisms “crackle” in the cafe ...

Main characters, their brief characteristics, interactions and plot

And people have long ceased to think. They do not think about the issues of being, about fundamental values - their values have long been replaced by material ones. For example, the wife of Montag, the main character, Mildred, only thinks about how to get another TV wall. She, in connection with popular opinion, believes that this will bring joy to their house, but in fact, even she is unhappy. Although, Mildred does not think about categories such as happiness and unhappiness.

Montag is at first the same symbol of destruction. Burning is a pleasure for him. But soon he meets Classissa McLellan, a new neighbor, a lovely 16-year-old girl who is about to turn 17 (and Clarissa jokingly cites this as an argument in favor of her "abnormality").

Clarissa is not like the other people around the firefighter. She tastes rain, does not like cruelty, notices every little detail of the world around her, loves to communicate with people and even with nature. Clarissa walks slowly, does not tolerate jet cars and does not make friends with her peers - after all, they consider her antisocial.

Montag and Clarissa appear together on the pages of the novel only at the beginning, but thanks to the girl, the main character begins to change. He gradually realizes that something is wrong. He understands that he does not like the emptiness and routine of life in this society, that he has nothing in common with him; understands that he really likes to argue, reflect, read books - which is prohibited!

Further, Montag meets Faber, a professor who reads, reflects, in a word, does not live as it should, and fully supports the ideas of the revolution. The plot in the novel develops rapidly, but internally Montag changes only at the very end. Finally - only when he gets to know the "people-books" by the fire. And here a different image of fire appears. The fire from which the phoenix can be reborn - new books will appear, people will again communicate with each other, feel, love each other and the world ... A new era.

The main idea of the novel, what the author wanted to say to the readers

You can talk endlessly about symbols in the novel. TV walls, mechanical dog, fire, books, "people-books", bombing of the city and others, others. The most important thing is to understand the main idea with the help of these symbols. And after reading the novel, I understood her.

Fahrenheit 451 is a warning book. Moreover, a warning that is relevant for us, the generation of the XXI century. Now, if you think about it, most people don't talk much to each other. The Internet has appeared, which is replacing part of the youth with real life. The older generation, or rather, some of its members, are addicted to television.

Libraries are no longer so relevant ... But after reading this book, I was only glad that I read a lot even now. Because an e-book, movie or TV show is not a substitute for real reading. As well as virtual communication does not replace real. After all, life is valuable only for the present, true, for its colors, impressions. With those emotions and feelings that people evoke in us. You need to love this world, as the heroine of the work of Bradbury Clarissa loved it. And that's how I love this world.

Fahrenheit 451 was analyzed by dusksun.

Today, everyone has unlimited access to all literary works. Despite this, recently interest in reading has begun to fade away, and now very few people are interested in the novelties of the literary world. In order to revive interest in books, first the electronic format was created, and then audiobooks, which are most popular among young people.

In schools, information is still presented on paper, but every day more and more modern educational institutions are switching to teaching on electronic media, all textbooks, extracurricular literature and other books necessary for study are stored on tablets or laptops. Don't you think that the history of the development of modern society more and more resembles the plot of the book "Fahrenheit 451"? If you do not know what it is about, then read the article and you will understand everything.

Dystopia in modern times

In the modern world, the dystopia genre is gaining popularity among writers and readers. This genre reflects the events of an unfavorable and poor future. In most cases, writers present a story that takes place in a post-apocalyptic world. American writer Ray Bradbury ("Fahrenheit 451") is leading among dystopians, according to critics and readers, and this opinion is difficult to contradict.

Dystopist

The most recognized and beloved dystopian writer is Ray Bradbury. Almost all of his work is based on the ideas of the most terrible and disgusting future. He wrote about 700 short stories in this genre. His works are small in volume, but they are all worthy of attention.

Even as a child, the dream of becoming a writer did not leave him. At the age of 12, he decided to create his own creation. After a while, Ray burned all his works, as he did not like them. It was at this moment that he came up with the idea of a new novel, later called "451 degrees Fahrenheit." Where did this name come from? It is at a temperature of 451 degrees that the paper starts to ignite.

The scene of action is the United States of America, where totalitarianism reigns. The life of people, their actions and deeds are under the complete control of the government. The main character, Montag, is a firefighter. But in this world, the fire is not extinguished; all the books that can be found are burned with it. Literary works are strictly prohibited.

At first, the main character does his job regularly - he goes to calls, burns books (and sometimes entire buildings with them), and then returns home. This lasts until he meets the girl Clarissa, who completely turns the firefighter's world and makes him look at life from a different angle.

Clarissa received little attention in the book, but she, having met him only a few times and with a few words, was able to become a key character. This girl was very different from the rest of the population: she did not watch television programs, did not spread gossip, and did not waste her time at all on meaningless activities. She was one of those who dared to read books and enjoy the world around her.

After meeting her, Montag begins to think about his life, about the future and why the books are burned. After a while, he contacts Professor Faber, who dreamed of reviving typography, who supplies him with literature. Later, Montag's wife finds a book in his things and informs the authorities. The house is burned down and the firefighter fled.

It is worth saying a few words about the protagonist's wife. She spends all day looking at the walls, which are huge TVs. They are occupied by three walls out of four, but she plans to occupy the last, fourth wall with a new TV soon. She watches mostly melodramas, and sometimes it lasts for days on end. I must say that at first Montag tried to win his wife over to his side, tried to tell her about the leaves or nature, but his attempts did not bring results.

He escapes from the city, joins a group of outcasts who love books, they pass on the content of famous works to each other, not allowing them to be forgotten. The further fate of Montag is unknown, since at this point the plot of the work ends. However, we can see what happened to the city in which he lived. Apart from the ruins, there was nothing left.

This is the summary of the book "Fahrenheit 451".

General attitude towards the book

The work cannot be attributed to entertainment literature, it will rather make you think about life than amuse. Fahrenheit 451 was received with enthusiasm by critics and readers alike. The latter liked the book, almost all readers' reviews of the book "Fahrenheit 451" are positive, the average rating given by the same readers varies from 9 to 10 on a 10-point scale. For many, the book has become the most beloved. This can be understood from the reviews about "Fahrenheit 451". But in any situation, the opinion of critics is still key.

However, the novel was able to impress even the most picky and sophisticated of them, and their reviews of the book "Fahrenheit 451" are also overwhelmingly positive. In the world of literature, there are not so many works that make you feel such strong emotions and awaken such deep and important thoughts in the minds of people, as the book by Ray Bradbury did. Although the author has written and published other books, the reviews for Fahrenheit 451 are more enthusiastic than his other works. However, other works of the dystopist have also been appreciated by readers and critics.

Feedback from readers of the book "Fahrenheit 451"

In many reviews, you can see that readers consider the book to be one of the possible options for the future development. What if, instead of reading, people are busy watching endlessly stupid TV shows or videos? But you can still tolerate the fact that residents will not read books out of unwillingness, and what happens if literary works are banned? Ultimately, people will turn from a supreme being on this planet into a degrading and dull crowd that will not notice either the beauty of nature, or the joys of life, or even each other.

Also, in many reviews, readers regret not only the lost society, but also the books. In most cases, they do not feel sorry for the injured and lost people, burned books evoke more emotions and sympathy. After all, they are symbols of knowledge, wisdom of generations. Today, people themselves refuse to read books and prefer watching meaningless videos or television programs. Isn't that how it all started in Montag's world? It is about such people, with imposed stereotypes and a cluttered mind, that is discussed in the novel "Fahrenheit 451".

The novel "Fahrenheit 451", a summary of which and its analysis are given in this article, will help to deeper understand the issues raised by the author.

Ray Bradbury's novel is a shining example of dystopia. Over time, the book gained fame and became a symbol of the entire genre. There are few science fiction lovers who are not familiar with this work.

Ray Bradbury "Fahrenheit 451" - the story of creation

Subsequently, Ray Bradbury himself was surprised at the amazing success of the novel. He called his work "penny" because he spent only eight dollars on it.

Ray Douglas Bradbury (1920-2012)

The first text came out in the form of a story and was called "Fireman" (date of creation 1949). Further, rereading it, Bradbury became firmly convinced that the heroes still continue to live their lives and decided to expand and supplement The Fireman to the format of a novel.

Interestingly, Ray Bradbury wrote the entire novel, from the table of contents to the last page, on a rented typewriter.

The book is in three parts and is approximately 300 pages long.

The dystopia was published in 1953 (original title in English: Ray Bredbury “Fahrenheit 451”). The book got its name from the burning temperature of the paper, which is four hundred and fifty-one degrees Fahrenheit. Interestingly, the work contains many quotes from other authors, for example, Swift or Shakespeare.

There is also information that the idea of burning books originates in Nazi Germany, when everything that contradicted the national idea of that time was destroyed.

The novel received mixed reviews - the public received it ambiguously. But already in 1954, the work received an award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters. Later, the author himself adapted it for theatrical production.

In 2018, a film based on the work of Ray Bradbury was released in the United States.

The main characters of the work

So, the main characters:

Guy Montag is the main character in the book. Occurs in some translations as Guy Montag. He works as a firefighter of the future and goes out on urgent calls when books are found on citizens. They should be burned with a special paper-igniter. Guy never thinks about why and why he should carry out his task, he completely agrees with the current state structure. But at one point in his life there is a meeting with the so-called literary opposition, which radically changes the perception of Montag. Gradually, he becomes disillusioned with television, moves away from his wife, and loses faith in his service. He begins to notice the limitations and cruelty of his world, he becomes a full-fledged person, capable of saving the knowledge that is stored in books.
Clarissa McLellan is a young woman who was able to pioneer Montag's interest in literature. She belongs to an unusual family. All relatives have long been suspected of being involved in reading, because every evening they communicate for a long time and loudly among themselves, which causes misunderstanding and indignation of those around them.
Beatty is the Brandmaster. As chief of the fire department where Montag worked, he was one of the first to suspect Guy's unhealthy interest in books and knowledge. It was he who said the phrase, which later became winged: “Keeping books is not a crime. It's a crime to read them. ” It was the dialogues between Beatty and Guy that became the guiding thread of the novel. Through the conversations and disputes between the boss and the subordinate, the main idea and problem of the novel is shown.
Mildred is Montag's wife. It is with the help of her character that Ray Bradbury demonstrates the indifference, apathy and insensitivity of the society described in the novel. A woman spends her free time sitting in front of TV screens, and is not at all interested in the world around her. When her husband's books are found, she is the first to report on him without feeling any regrets.
Faber is Guy's comrade, professor of English. At one time, he tried to protest against the laws prohibiting books, therefore, having met Montag, he was suspicious of that, but later the teacher realizes that Guy is trying to learn the world of literature and agrees to become his guide to the world of books.

Minor characters

Mildred's friends are narrow-minded and cruel-hearted women, they are not interested in anything except TV shows, and they consider husbands an annoying inconvenience. It is they who are with Mildred, the protagonist's wife, when Guy brings the books into the house. Together with Montag's wife, they report him to the authorities.

A mechanical dog is a robotic dog that detects offenders by smell and has a needle with procaine - a drug from which there is no awakening.

The novel shows the near future of America, which the author saw in the fifties of the XIX century.

Guy Montag works as a firefighter, but his task is not to fight with fire, but with books, because in the new society literature is prohibited.

When firefighters of the future find books, they burn them with the help of special equipment, as well as the house and property of the guilty person.

Guy fulfills his mission without complaint - he does not think about the meaning of what is happening. But one day he meets a young woman named Clarissa. She is not like everyone else: she feels a living fire and interest in her surroundings. This meeting forever changes the protagonist, he begins to rethink his existence and the orders around him.

Clarissa and her family have long been in bad favor with government services: they have a suspiciously noisy and cheerful evenings, and their house lights up until late. The girl is passionate about communication, nature, but she is very lonely.

She was the first to ask the fateful question of Montagu - is he happy? It was with this that Guy's journey into a world different from the usual primitive society began. He comes to the conclusion that it is impossible to continue living so pointlessly: to be interested only in TV shows and primitive amusement parks.

One of the triggering moments was the episode when Mildred takes a lethal amount of sleeping pills and Montag finds her unconscious. No, she was not going to commit suicide, she simply mechanically swallowed pill after pill, which once again proved the absurdity of the social system of the future. Humans are no longer human, they are living robots.

Guy calls the doctors, who soullessly but efficiently do their job - they bring Mildred to consciousness with the help of the latest blood transfusion machines. This event forces the main character to establish himself in the idea that it is impossible to exist this way.

Montag begins to transform from a living machine into a person - he asks uncomfortable questions and analyzes the environment, which causes concern among his colleagues and superiors.

The next impetus for the hero is a challenge to a woman who was caught keeping books. But the accused refuses to leave the house and books and chooses to die in the fire.

This shocked Guy, he can no longer work as before, he is unable to force himself to go to work the next day.

The wife does not understand her husband's arguments, she is annoyed that her usual calm routine has been violated. Mildred has absolutely no sympathy for Guy. Her only goal is to install a fourth television wall in the house, so she could fully enjoy watching the new series, because just the day before she was sent the script for a new show, in which viewers can take a live part.

At this time, the news reaches Montag that Clarissa was killed - she was hit by a car, and her family left after the incident. This further exacerbates the hero's mental rush.

In the end, the boss, the firemaster Beatty, comes to Guy, who is concerned about his behavior. He wants to return Montag to the ranks of law-abiding citizens - without feelings and knowledge. He gives a speech to Guy, which shows the basic principles of the society described in the novel: speed, conciseness, insensitivity. No one is interested in hearing a long story, nor a colorful description - the shorter the better.

In this situation, you can easily see the danger of books: they prevent you from completely curbing the human mind. Therefore, there is only one solution - to burn everything that worries the human mind and soul.

Montag realizes that he has gone too far and there is no way back. He is no longer capable of being a stupid pawn. Guy starts looking for like-minded people. He goes out to an old professor, an English teacher. But he treats the hero with caution, given his profession and the realities of that time. But seeing that Guy is sincerely looking for a new path, he decides to help him.

Faber brings Montag together with other book devotees and confides in him his ideas for the resumption of printing of works. He hopes that on the threshold of the third atomic war, Americans will again feel the need for reading and books. He also says that the opposition have learned to bypass the ban on literature - they simply memorize works by heart. So, for example, there is a man-novel, and there is a man-story. In one part of the country, the first chapter of the book lives, and in another - the second, third, etc.

The professor gives Guy a parting gift - a secret receiver that can be hidden in his ear. This allows Faber to be aware of all events in the environment of firefighters and allows him to keep in touch.

So, millions are mobilized - the war is becoming a reality, but the Montag house has its own tragedy. Guy showed the books to his wife and her friends who were visiting their home, but the attempt to interest them did not have any effect, the women in horror and confusion leave to immediately report what had happened.

The novel ends with a scene where Mildred betrays Guy by calling and reporting to the authorities that they have books.

Fahrenheit 451 Analysis

Ray Bradbury describes a society that no longer tries to live with its mind and heart. People receive compressed information from television screens and radios.

It is not beneficial for the authorities to have too many questions to be read in society and subsequently asked. On the pages of the novel, we see empty people - only covers and no content.

After analyzing the book, you can deeper reveal its problems:

Genre: The novel belongs to the fantasy genre, it is a vivid example of dystopia. The work deeply reveals the negative trends in all spheres of society and the state system. Bradbury exaggerated the vices of society in order to expose and show possible consequences in the future.
Topic: the author shows the negative consequences of refusing to read and emphasizes the importance of literature in the formation of public consciousness.
Problems: the novel presents a typical conflict between the conscious and the unconscious, the conflict between society and personality. The confrontation between humanity and the state system, which is shown through the prism of the future.
Criticism: due to the severity of the topic raised in the novel, the book was subjected to strict censorship and was not published immediately. "451 degrees Fahrenheit" received a variety of reviews due to the special problems of the plot: from negative (some critics wrote that even the abstract is too difficult for perception) to enthusiastic.

Ray Bradbury's novel is a deeply meaningful work, in the storyline of which several layers can be traced: each one raises a separate question.

Today, the work has become more relevant than ever: modern media and the Internet shape public opinion from an angle favorable to certain political forces, and people are less and less inclined to independently analyze the information received.

Bradbury's dystopia was not the first of its kind, but, nevertheless, it was able to become a kind of symbol of this genre. She is in the top three most popular dystopias, and any interlocutor who is fond of science fiction will name her among the books he has read. But the book's fame did not bring her widespread understanding: few readers delve into the meaning of the novel, unlike the Literaguru team. We will try to understand this text together with you.

About the history of the creation of the novel "451 degrees Fahrenheit" Ray Bradbury singles out an entire chapter "Investments of ten cents" 451 degrees Fahrenheit "in his work" Zen in the art of writing books. " The writer is surprised at the enchanting success, calling the work a "penny novel" due to the fact that Bradbury invested $ 8 eighty cents when working on the first version of the text in the form of a story called "The Firefighter."

Rereading his work in subsequent years, he became convinced that the characters played new pictures in his head when he "asked them questions." They are perceived by the writer as creatures born in his mind, but he is not able to control their actions. So Clarissa disappeared from the pages, with her crazy conversations reviving the interest in the content of the books among the main character Montag.

Ray Bradbury writes his works with full passion, every morning forcing himself to work. "In order to learn to write, you have to write." So, rereading the novel after a long time since its publication, he realized that the name of the protagonist (Montag) is identical to the name of the paper company, while Faber, who, according to the plot of the book, is his ideological supporter, is the brand of the pencil manufacturer.

The novel itself is titled Fahrenheit 451. Which is roughly 232 degrees Celsius and marks the temperature at which the paper starts to burn. The name was given in connection with the fact that Montag works as a firefighter, on the contrary, that is, he burns books.

The essence

We are just book covers, protecting them from damage and dust - nothing more.

The society described in Ray Bradbury's dystopia receives information from the screens of its televisions, which have filled all the walls of houses, from the noise of radio receivers, and other distributors of propaganda that is digestible and necessary for the state. But books that make you think about everything that happens around people and within society are prohibited in this world. Where they are burned, there is no place for riots and discontent. A society incapable of thinking is easily controlled by the government, which is why, under the conditions of a totalitarian regime, literature is prohibited by law, from which it is subject to immediate destruction. But our hero, who, on duty, cleans his little world with fire, is suddenly carried away by the forbidden fruit and begins to contribute to the concealment of books. But everything secret becomes the property of vigilant law enforcement officers.

People who have forgotten how to communicate with each other are only able to perceive the information that is being served, without the need to comprehend it. This is exactly the future that awaits us if we continue to exist as a rapidly developing consumer society.

Genre, direction

The novel is written in a fantasy genre that presents us with the world of the near future. Dystopia, which should be understood as fiction, where the exposure of negative tendencies in certain spheres of society and the state necessarily appears. The author exposes the vices, showing an exaggerated picture of the future, to which such a state of affairs will inevitably lead. We wrote in detail and less officially about this genre.

Along with this work is the utopian world of George Orwell "1984" (), as well as Aldous Huxley's dystopia "Brave New World" ().

The main characters and their characteristics

Guy Montag (Montag in some translations)- the main character working at the fire station of the future. Its main task is to make emergency calls when books are found in houses for burning them by means of a special device - a bland hose. This person is a child of his era, he does not think about the essence of his mission until he comes face to face with several personalities who have shaken his confidence in the correctness of the state system. He is consistently disappointed in his wife, who is indifferent to everything except her favorite screens, in his service, where he sees only cruelty and blind aspirations to please the authorities, in his society, where he no longer feels organic. From an apathetic slave of routine, he turns into a conscious and active person, capable of saving age-old wisdom from the hands of barbarians.
Clarissa McLellan- a young girl who appeared on the first pages of the novel, who gave impetus to the hero's interest in books and what is contained in them. Her family was considered insane, constantly suspecting them of reading. In the evenings, their windows were on fire, and one could observe how all relatives communicate with each other, making loud sounds, which caused terrible bewilderment and irritation among all neighbors in the area. In the film adaptation of the novel, the heroine was given more time than in the text. She disappears without a trace, and Montag can only guess where she went. Most likely, she went into the woods, where the keepers of book knowledge were hiding.
Beatty Bransmeister- the chief of the fire department, the first to suspect about the interest of the protagonist in the content of the books. The author of the famous quote “Keeping books is not a crime. It's a crime to read them. " Sensing Guy's desire to touch the forbidden, the character teaches his subordinate a lesson, but this does not lead to the desired result. His conversations with Guy are the basis of the plot, because in them the author sets out his ideas.
Mildred- apathetic, insensitive, indifferent to everything the wife of the protagonist, who is a complete reflection of the society described by Ray Bradbury. She sits all day on the sofa in a room with screens, hardly speaks and reacts with apprehension to the books found in her husband's hands. She shamelessly betrays him, claiming a find.
Faber- a friend and associate of Montag, a professor who failed to prevent the adoption of a law prohibiting books. Initially, he treats Guy with apprehension. When he realizes that the main character seeks to learn the inner world of books, the former English teacher seeks to help the interlocutor.

Themes

The main theme of the novel is the role of the book in human life... Through utopia, the writer demonstrates a world that can be real if he refuses to read literature. Books embody the experience of our ancestors, which people should learn to move forward. Readers ask questions that the consumer society is not familiar with. Therefore, it is dependent on the government and very vulnerable. For people who are not able to think independently, information is vilified from the right angle, which gives the state all the levers for complete control.
Family. The author proves the need for communication and the promotion of common family interests. Many people withdraw into themselves and their gadgets, ignoring the importance of family ties. This is a direct path to alienation from family and friends, which promises a person loneliness and insecurity. After all, who, if not relatives, can help in difficult times, support and understand? Alas, the hero later realized the destructive role of screens in his personal life, so he lost his beloved woman.
Loyalty and betrayal. Those whom Guy trusted betrayed him, obeying what the authorities had instilled in them. When propaganda becomes higher than morality, higher than feelings and affections, the personality is destroyed, and in its place appears a submissive and apathetic slave, incapable of emotions and thoughts.
The theme of technical progress. We must understand that technology is a means, not the goal of our existence. Society should not be allowed to value gadgets and virtual reality more than people. In addition, progress should not crowd out the achievements of past eras, they can coexist with each other, only then all generations will achieve harmony of mutual understanding, which is a guarantee of a mutually beneficial exchange of experience.

Problematic

Conflict between society and personality... Guy Montag comes into conflict with society by reading books instead of destroying them. As a firefighter, called to destroy them, he becomes a double agent - on assignments, instead of destroying literature, he takes part of them home. The hero stands out among the people with whom he is forced to share a century. Like the white crow Chatsky, he is not understood and expelled, he is considered a criminal for the desire to learn new things and think, while society has forgotten how to think and exist independently.
Propaganda and manipulation of society through the media... Television fills in all the problems that emerged after the ban on literature. The mass media is becoming an excellent way to manipulate; they "zombified" the population, remaining the only channel for obtaining any information. However, everything that is shown in the on-screen rooms is presented from a favorable angle, and the chances of noticing "something amiss" in the information provided are reduced to zero due to the inability to think.
The problem of lack of spirituality it is also born due to the lack of books and the abundance of "informational fast food" television screens, which, as a monopoly, participate in the education of the population. As a result, moral values are replaced by consumer values.
The problem of historical memory. Literature, which has collected all discoveries and inventions, all comprehended and thought out over the centuries, is the memory of generations. This is a collection of archives of everything created by man since the inception of writing. In a society where books are prohibited, the possibility of preserving all this is lost, which becomes a guarantee of complete regression for the society.
The problem of the loss of traditions and values of past eras. Technological advances replacing a crisp book in hand can be beneficial and harmful, depending on how you use the find. But without the alternative provided by the same literature, society cannot judge whether this is how it disposes of its capabilities. Despite the improvement in the quality of the displayed image and the increase in screen diagonals, the technique can remain only a beautiful cover for the apotheosis of emptiness.

Meaning

Ray Bradbury's idea is this: without relying on the experience of past generations, on free and honest art, the future, which is described in the novel Fahrenheit 451, is inevitable. People more and more often choose the latter in the choice between a book and an entertainment video, the level of education of the population is falling, due to which there is a massive degradation and an inability to think develops, entailing stagnation in every sphere of human activity. Instead of finding out for himself, and at the same time checking, the information that is so conveniently and simply presented on screens, the viewer is content with a superficial picture of the world, which is carefully laid out in 5 minutes of airtime. And if the same viewer himself found, for example, versatile facts about what is served to him under propaganda sauce, then his worldview would be more objective and richer. In art, which is only one of the sources of information and keepers of culture, those grains of truth have been preserved that could shed light on the true state of affairs. Unfortunately, the author's gloomy predictions come true in some countries where the literacy rate is low, but the indicators of bigotry, poverty and aggression are off the charts. People kill each other without even thinking about why this is necessary, if initially all religions had a peaceful message, and all statesmen should lead the people to prosperity.

Also understandable is the writer's idea that a person, like Guy Montag, should not be afraid to stand out from the crowd, even if the whole society is against him. The desire to think and learn something new is a natural need, and in the age of information technology it is absolutely a necessity.

Criticism

Due to its acute social orientation, the novel did not immediately see the light of day. Before that, the novel went through many censorship changes. So, he lost numerous swear words before the release of the book for the school edition.

In 1980, the writer noticed that the publishing house was publishing his book in an abridged form, excluding scenes that were unacceptable to them. The writer managed to stop this practice after demanding full print.

In Soviet criticism, the spectrum of reviews is varied: from sharply negative reviews to praise and even flattery.