Analysis of the Allegory Elements In "Fahrenheit 451"

The novel is set in a dystopian future in which literature and anyone thoughts are banned. The story follows a man named Guy Montag who is this society's normal fireman however instead of putting out fires the fireman in this world start fires to burn all the books that are found. Montag eventually comes to realize books, and he begins his journey of rebellion against the system. In our modern-day society were allowed to think for ourselves. Were allowed to make our conclusions about what happiness means to us but something that won't make us happy is if someone told us what happiness meant and that's what Fahrenheit 451 is about the censorship of anyone thought to control societies.

Curiosity in Fahrenheit 451. Curiosity plays a critical role in explaining the importance of freedom of speech. In the society of Fahrenheit 451 curiosity is looked down upon because the government wants to keep everyone thinking the same perspective. The protagonist in the story Montag was inspired to embrace his inner curiosity when he meets Clarisse McClellan. Clarise made Montag question the consequences of his career as a fireman because she made a very valid point why not. Why wouldn't you want to question the meaning behind your entire career? It was Clarisse's brilliant curiosity that even got through to Montag, a man whose job promotes censorship and ignorance which means that every person possesses the natural characteristic of curiosity and that it needs to be awakened by some event or person. Curiosity is the first step in figuring out the truth in something. If a person questions the norms in the society of Fahrenheit 451 they will eventually realize that there is more than just one perspective that can be had and that the version of happiness that they had been fed all along had been false.

The truth is another concept that much like curiosity is hidden within all individuals but this reality isn't true in the society of Fahrenheit 451. After Montag's curiosity takes over he realizes that he is unsatisfied with his life even though he supposedly has everything he needs to make him happy. Montag sets out to find the truth because he knows that something is being kept away from him. Individuals in this society have never had the desire to seek the truth because everyone assumes that they are happy or they haven't given much thought to what happiness truly means to them. Montag finds his happiness through books. The sense of moral drives him to find more people to tell about his amazing find in the hopes that they will find happiness as well. The truth is important because it gives people the knowledge to make and inform decisions and lead the paths that they want for themselves, therefore, finding true happiness.

The one aspect of the novel that you can't miss is the brainwashed citizens that are under complete control by the government. Individuals that result in society are people that are cold selfish greedy and act like they are mindless drones for the government. An example can be seen when the paramedics come to save Mildred from her overdose. The two men both show a lot of disrespect to Montag by smoking and making jokes about death while the machine is operating on Mildred. The men are not concerned about the human life that they are responsible for they only care about the money that they are going to make. People have become stone-cold to others due to the lack of care that the system provided when they were in school they just don't know any better. If the people are only familiar with only one seemingly foolproof method to live life they're less likely to step out of line to the risk of fixing things that they don't think are broken. The government has taught society that books have nothing but trouble to offer the world rejecting literature is supposedly what keeps conflict away and keeping everyone safe. Naturally, citizens of Fahrenheit 451 are inclined to what is right in their minds even though they are unaware that they're contributing to their oppression by doing so.

There's more than just one hero in Fahrenheit 451, in fact, all of the people that see the importance of knowledge also possess a strong passion to keep literature alive. Its the raw spirit of what these people believe in is right that triumphs over government control. People can be seen going to great expenses for their belief in literature take for example the intellectuals that are far away from society. These people choose to segregate themselves from society because their passion broke out and take action to break the law, as a result, they had to flee from the authorities just like Montag. Intellectuals are not only separated from the cites because they're enemies of the state because they would rather express their voice with others and play a role in preserving literature rather than living in a technological wonderland where people's thoughts are oppressed even if the living conditions outside society are less than optimal.

A key symbol in Fahrenheit 451 the idea of fire in an alternate sense fire Fahrenheit 451 can be seen as the kind of motivation or attitude that everyone has. Montag at first represented destruction he used fire to destroy literature and promote censorship however overtime Montag came to realize that what he was doing was wrong and he decided to dedicate himself to preserving books with the intellectuals away from society by this point Montag has changed his fire to be one that is hopeful and gives off a light and warmth. It's one that believes in the power of knowledge and freedom of speech. At the end of the novel, the conflagration of nuclear war as in is both its destruction of the society but the fire now also contains a new hope as Montag and grangers crew march towards the city in the hopes of restoring society once again.

The government manipulates society's ideals and beliefs exactly the way they want to which leads to all the problems. The government in Fahrenheit 451 is in a state of turmoil they are hated by other countries and are on the breach of another war. An infuriated Montag explains his true thoughts and feelings when he says “ we started and won two atomic wars since 1960 is it because we're having so much fun at home we forget the world is it because we're so rich and the rest of the world is so poor that we just don't care if they are I've heard rumors the world is starving but were well fed is it true the world works hard and we play is that why we're hated so much”. Montag explained that the government is in such a mess as a result of the ideologies that they possess. The same ideology is seen within the citizens of Fahrenheit 451 are the same ones as the government because the government taught them those ideologies in the first place. It's safe to say being cold selfish and greedy on a global scale does not end well for anyone the government does not obtain resources through fair trade but with violence and complete disregard for human lives, the government does not care for the state of other countries the government only cares for its citizens. You can't blame the citizens within the country because they're only aware of such immoral ways while all this is happening the people in the society are living their lives in luxury and a false sense of happiness achieved through the unknown suffering of other countries.