Hello again! This will be my last post on Fahrenheit 451, so I will be moving on
to a non-fiction book soon. Can’t wait to check that out, right? Anyway, before
we dwell on about theoretical physics (hint, hint!), let us discuss our friend,
Ray Bradbury’s writing. As I had discussed in the first post, I had predicted
that I would see some of Ray Bradbury’s satirical work shine through in this, but
it seems more serious. However, his quirky ideas are still in there, and it is
really enjoyable to read. I find that the science fiction factor adds to the
experience, since many of the characters are so innocent, yet you feel sympathy
for them because they are in this future, fictional setting. Towards the end of
the book, the main character Guy Montag starts to lose his innocence about
books and tries to read some in secret to gain knowledge. Eventually he is
pursued by the police because they found out about his reading, and (spoiler
alert!) he ends up destroying the society he lived in for so many years. This
book is an excellent example of the asymmetrical plot arc, since the rising
action occurs for most of the book, and the climax is toward the end of the
story. I like how the story built up from the beginning, and the climax was not
rushed. Towards the end of the book, I found something very interesting. One of
the characters states, “Someday the load we’re carrying with us may help
someone” (Bradbury 177). I found this interesting because they finally found
hope that the books they were carrying might be useful. Throughout the book,
books are portrayed as evil and against societal norms. But now, this statement
turns the tide and sheds light on just how important books can be to society.
Overall, it was a fantastic book, and I encourage you all to read it. Now that
I am finished with this, I thought I would continue the science theme with the
next book. Stick around, and in a few days, you might be interested in a topic
that will force you to look at the world as you have never before. See you
then!
Himaveth,
ReplyDeleteI don't know if the following quote is from Fahrenheit 451, or if it is just a stand-alone comment made by Bradbury, but I think it is really interesting and most likely (I haven't read the book) does a nice job summarizing the conflict in the novel:
"You don't have to burn books to destroy a culture; just get people to stop reading them.”
It seems like this book still contains a lot of relevant social commentary, what with censorship, propaganda, etc. still taking place around the world. It's great that you read this book, and hopefully you'll keep some of the lessons you learned in mind as you continue to explore the world!
Good luck with your next book!
Sounds like an awesome science fiction book! It is definitely one of those dystopian books where the government is evil and blah, blah, blah (one of the books I'm reading now is 1984). By the way, what does "Fahrenheit 451" mean? Is it the temperature at which the Firefighters burn the book? (I'm not sure if you've analyzed and explained this in your second post...) And what are you reading for non-fiction?
ReplyDeleteSounds like your book was a lot of fun to read. I think that the conclusion of the book was one that was called for though. Usualy, the protagonist wins. I am glad to you found the book interesting. Have fun with your string theory book! :)
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