Social Criticism In Fahrenheit 451 Essay Research

Social Criticism In Fahrenheit 451 Essay, Research Paper

Ray Bradbury wrote the novel Fahrenheit 451, which is a story about a society that believed books were for burning and where thinking was discouraged. Throughout the novel there are several incidents that can be considered a social criticism for today.s standards. Subjects that refer to 1) schooling knowledge, 2) the way society is conformed, 3) the diminishing of family values and 4) the ways the books are perceived are all examples of social criticisms in this novel. These incidents help establish the atmosphere for the society in Fahrenheit 451.

There are several examples from the novel where circumstances refer to school and knowledge that are socially criticized. The first example involves the schooling in this society.

.An hour of TV class, an hour of basketball or baseball or running, another hour of transcription history or painting pictures, and more sports,…we never ask questions, or at least most of us don.t; they just run the answer at you, bing, bing, bing, and us sitting there for four more hours of film teacher.. (Ray Bradbury, 1953, p.29)

This quotation refers to social criticism because at school the so-called teachers, (ex. Film teacher) fills the students heads full of facts and makes them remember only things that they want their students to know. .School is shortened, discipline relaxed, philosophies, histoires, languages dropped, English and spelling gradually gradually neglected, finally almost completely ignored.. (Ray Bradbury, 1953, p.55) This refers to the depreciation of school and knowledge. In today.s society school and everything taught at school is essential for our futures. In their society, technology has become more important. Also, they see less educated people easier to control. At school,

.the word, .intellectual., of course, became the swear word it deserved to be…the boy in your class who was exceptionally .bright., did most of the reciting and answering while the others sat like so many leaden idols, hating him. And wasn.t it the bright boy you selected for beatings andtortures after hours. We must all alike. Not everyone born free and equal…not everyone made equal..

(Ray Bradbury, 1953, p.58)

This quotation refers to the philosophy of their society. It is socially criticized because it gave everybody access to the same information and therefore not allowing anyone to think freely. In their society, intelligence means nothing. Referring to the first quotation, if they are told to know something, then they will not ask questions, and therefore everyone will be equal in their knowledge. In this civilization, one is not allowed to be intellect because someone who is stronger in that area has more to offer, like the .bright boy., who is hated by others who are not as strong. The society wants children to attend school earlier, .we.ve lowered the kindergarten age year after year until now we.re almost snatching them from the cradle.. (Ray Bradbury, 1953, p.60) This is an example of social criticism because the younger the children are attending school, the easier it is to mold them into the normal fashion of society. School is also socially criticized because it has replaced the tradition role of a parent in the area of raising and socializing a child. .I plunk my children in school nine days out of ten. I put up with them when they come home three days a month.. (Ray Bradbury, 1953, p.96) There is not any time for a parent to be involved with the growth of their child. The parents have no interest in their child.s education, and let the school teach them whatever they please. This means that the majority of children will miss out on the fundamentals of life.

There are several different ways in which society is conformed that relate to social criticism. The people in the civilization are manipulated into believing that everything that goes on around them is the way it is supposed to be. No one questions it. The definition of social and antisocial is reversed to our culture. In the novel Fahrenheit 451, antisocial pertains to people who want to listen, talk, learn, care, and feel things. The character, Clarisse McClellan is considered abnormal and antisocial, .Being with people is nice. But I don.t think it.s social to get a bunch of people together and then not let them talk…. (Ray Bradbury, 1953, p.30) She does not participate in usual means of social expression which others find at the Fun Park or the Window Smasher or the Car Wrecker Place. Her idea of what it means to be social is obviously very different of that of her society. To be social means to interact with friends and share thoughts and ideas. To be social means to be moving constantly and never taking the time to think. This is social criticism because in our culture we define the definitions of social and antisocial opposite to Clarisse.s society. The second example concerns the way the society is manipulated into believing that suicides are common. .…I.ve never known any dead man killed in a war. Killed jumping off buildings, yes, like Gloria.s husband last week, but from wars. No.. (Ray Bradbury, 1953, p.94) The world portrayed in Fahrenheit 451 is an unhappy world. Suicides and meaningless deaths are very common and therefore relate to social criticism. The people of this world are manipulated to the point where they do not know intense emotions or how to ex