Novel Science Fiction

Fahrenheit
451
Author Year Published Original Language
Ray Bradbury 1953 English

THEMES

Discussion of Fahrenheit 451 is often about government repression,

Censorship and but Bradbury said that “Fahrenheit 451 is less about Big Brother and

Technology more about Little Sister.” Key plot points in the novel center around
censorship and technology, revealing how people are prevented from
reading—but also no longer interested in it.

TECHNOLOGY CENSORSHIP
Hearth and the Salamander

Wall-sized TVs, in-ear Tasked with burning

radios, and TV “families” books, Guy Montag is
have resulted in a shocked when a
society no longer woman chooses to
curious about books. burn with her library.

Sieve and the Sand

Montag’s wife, Montag must go to

Mildred, chooses her the fringes of society
TV family over her to find someone who
husband, reporting can help him
him to authorities. understand books he
has stolen.

Burning Bright

The idyllic commune When the city is

to which Montag destroyed by bombs,
escapes is the the commune returns
antithesis of the to forge a new society
doomed, technology- in which books
dependent city. are celebrated,
not censored.

Symbols

Salamander Seashells Phoenix

Symbolizes fire and survival,
and evokes mythic
fire-breathing lizards
The Mechanical Hound
Symbolizes mindless violence,
government control, and terror
In-ear radio that symbolizes Symbolizes struggle,
escapism and using technology destruction, and
as a way to tune out rebirth; appears early
as a symbol of
Montag's firemen, but
is echoed at the book's
close when society
must be reborn after
the city's destruction

Author
A beloved and controversial
author, Bradbury infused science
fiction with social commentary in
his many stories and novels.
Adamantly opposed to technology,
he was vocal later in life that
Fahrenheit 451 was not so much
RAY BRADBURY
about censorship as how television
1920-2012
destroys interest in literature and
other intellectual pursuits.
Overview
Fahrenheit 451 follows the journey
of Guy Montag, a fireman whose
job is to burn books. After his young
neighbor Clarisse opens his eyes
to the distractions and technology
that have drawn people away from
intellectual freedom, he ultimately
joins the fight to preserve books
and rebuild a free, creative, and
thoughtful society.

Fahrenheit 451
Main Characters
by the Numbers

451º
Mildred Montag
The (fictional)
Montag’s estranged wife
temperature at
Beatty
which book paper Firehouse captain
combusts, as shared & Montag’s boss
in the story

$9.80
Amount Bradbury
spent on a Montag Clarisse McClellan
“dime-at-a-time” Fireman whose job is Montag’s 17-year-old

typewriter during to burn books neighbor and friend

the 9 days it took

him to write
the novel Faber
Former English professor &
Montag’s mentor
2011
The year Bradbury
finally allowed
Granger
Fahrenheit 451 Leader of the outcast
to be published intellectuals who memorize books
as an ebook

W
e need not to be let alone. We need to be really
bothered once in a while. How long is it since
you were really bothered? About something
important, about something real?
Part One: The Hearth and the Salamander

Sources: Dallas Public News, NPR, New York Times, Washington Post

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