Argumentative Essay

Argumentative Essay

Introduction

The book Fahrenheit 451 is written by Ray Bradbury in the year 1953. The book is about a world in which the people have turned against books. It is takes a bit of a comic approach to the regular norms established in the world. The protagonist of the book Guy Montage is shown to be a fireman. In the world of the book, (which is an American city but much further into the future) the people have denounced books to be evil. The fireman's job description has been changed to suit more to his name i.e. instead of stopping fires; the fireman is responsible for their creation. It is Montage's job to burn any books which are found to be in the possession of the people. Captain Beatty is given the role of fire chief. He claims society is responsible for suppressing the literature. This is considered by him as an act of self-censorship. The interpretation of the novel highlights the censorship which is sponsored by the state.

Discussion

The book highlights that Montage's world is all fast-paced with television as the most dominant part of an individual's lifestyle. The people are opposed to spending time idly, watching nature, conversing or other such activities. Books have been denounced as public evils which cause offence to people, which is why they are burnt on sight. The people are also encouraged to report if someone around him is hoarding or saving books. Guy is one of those firemen and is busily and cheerfully burning books along with everyone else. That is until he met Clarisse McClellan, a young naïve 17 year old girl. He wakes him from his ignorant slumber because of her innocent yet paradoxical questionings. Once he opens his eyes Guy begins to befriend his once claimed enemy. He started hoarding and reading books.

His superior jumps in on the scene and delivers an ultimatum to him, giving him a night to read them and then turn them over the next day. Guy recruits the help of an English Professor and plans on printing and discrediting other firemen. However he is betrayed by his wife and his superior Mr. Beatty swoops in with a flamethrower to destroy the culprits, i.e. the books. A fight ensues in which Guy takes the flamethrower and tries to burn his boss who tactically retreats then starts sending mechanical hounds to arrest Guy. The hero runs to his sanctuary, the Professor who leaves to contact a printer and teaches him how to throw off the hound on his tail. Guy succeeds in destroying one hound when he finds there was another one after him, along with a helicopter camera crew. He succeeds in throwing them off his trail and goes into hiding with a secret order called “the Book People”. However, a war is declared against the book readers and the authorities burn the whole city because of them. They relocate to find some place they can use their saved knowledge of the ...