Guy Montag example essay topic

For more than half a century science fiction writers have thrilled and challenged readers with visions of the future and future worlds. Bradbury offered an insight into what they expected man, society, and life to be like at some future time. Bradbury utilized this concept in his work, Fahrenheit 451, a futuristic look at a man and his role in society. Bradbury utilizes the luxuries of life in America today, in addition to various occupations and technological advances; to show what life could be like if the future takes a drastic turn for the worse. He turns man's best friend, the dog, against man, changes the role of Public servants and changes the value of a person. One major problem is that firemen have been given the job of burning books in order to stop the spreading of ideas, and to cause all of society to reform and therefore be happy.

Many people do not agree with this and they try hard to keep books alive, even though they may be killed for it. Guy Montag, who in the beginning of the story is a proud fireman, later doubts his job and joins the other side, the people who want to preserve books. One person who teaches him about books is an old man named Faber who is a retired English professor. During a conversation between Montag and Faber, Montag states, "That's the good part of dying; when you " ve nothing to lose, you run any risk you want". What he means by this is that he is willing to risk his life to help save books for others to read.

The second problem is that some schools and businesses have been shut down simply because they encourage and promote reading and books. In the novel, books are made to be thought of as evil and are no longer produced. Book companies along with some schools and publishing agencies have been closed due to the ban of books. Bradbury tells of the closing of schools by writing, "The old man admitted to being a retired English Professor who had been thrown out upon the world forty years ago when the last liberal arts college shut for lack of students and patronage".

This explains that Faber, along with others, lost their jobs because of books being banned and disallowed. Another big problem with the novels society is that many people are angry, bored, and depressed because they have nothing to do. Many people, including Mildred, have caught on to taking sleeping pills and doing other things that harm the body just to stay occupied, and to not be upset. Montag confronts his wife about overdosing on sleeping pills by saying; "You took all those pills in your bottle last night, didn't you".

He knows she is unhappy, but like many others in his time he does not know why or even how to help her. Bradbury shows how many people have the same type of problem when the paramedics who save Mildred say, "We get these cases nine or ten a night. Got so many starting a few years ago, we had the special machines built". The special machines mentioned are machines that pump a persons stomach when he or she has overdosed on pills.

Through these various diversions from normal behavior in society Guy Montag is able to see the truths behind the society he lives in and is able to learn about himself. Though his discoveries meant that his life would be changed forever, the author succeeded in showing that the key to humanity lies in thinking and questioning. Montag found himself through his own discoveries, much as Bradbury hopes others will do.