Ray Bradbury is an icon, not just in the sci-fi community, but in world literature in general. His novels and other literary works have gone on to sell millions upon millions of copies, have been studied in universities everywhere, and have continued to capture the hearts and minds of readers everywhere.
Some lit experts say that his crowning achievement is the novel “Fahrenheit 451.” The message it sends to people – that people without an education can be convinced to “think” – is central to the appeal of the novel.
“Fahrenheit 451” is not a long novel, but it gets what it wants to say across to readers quite strongly. While lit majors have noticed the influence of George Orwell’s “1984” on it, the same people admit the book can stand on its own quite capably. The setting is an extreme dystopian universe where books are burned, and people are coerced away from thinking for themselves.
Though this reality seems far from the one we live in, there is a strong connection between the message and people today. In Bradbury’s book, without spoiling it for anyone, it shows how a world, which is dangerously close to eradicating individualistic thought, can be changed by a small group of people who believe strongly enough that they can help everyone else think.
If you think about that premise through and through and take a few minutes to go on social media or any online forum, you’ll gradually see how “Fahrenheit 451” figures into all of it.
Hello! My name is John Eilermann from St. Louis, Missouri. I’m currently in college pursuing a degree in Comparative Literature. Learn more about my passion for lit by visiting this page.Some lit experts say that his crowning achievement is the novel “Fahrenheit 451.” The message it sends to people – that people without an education can be convinced to “think” – is central to the appeal of the novel.
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“Fahrenheit 451” is not a long novel, but it gets what it wants to say across to readers quite strongly. While lit majors have noticed the influence of George Orwell’s “1984” on it, the same people admit the book can stand on its own quite capably. The setting is an extreme dystopian universe where books are burned, and people are coerced away from thinking for themselves.
Though this reality seems far from the one we live in, there is a strong connection between the message and people today. In Bradbury’s book, without spoiling it for anyone, it shows how a world, which is dangerously close to eradicating individualistic thought, can be changed by a small group of people who believe strongly enough that they can help everyone else think.
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If you think about that premise through and through and take a few minutes to go on social media or any online forum, you’ll gradually see how “Fahrenheit 451” figures into all of it.
