Fahrenheit 451
written by Ray Bradbury
www.ink2quill.com

“Fahrenheit 451” is a dystopian, sci-fi novel written by one of the giants of science fiction Ray Bradbury himself. It was published in 1953 and is, in my opinion, his magnum opus. The novel´s name comes from the fact that paper ignites at the temperature of 451 degrees Fahrenheit (or 232.78 degrees Celsius) and the burning of books is at the center of the whole story. In 1966 Francois Truffaut made a very good adaption of the book in a film of the same name. The novel won the American Academy Of Arts And Letters Award and the Commonwealth club Of California Gold Medal. It later won the Prometheus hall Of Fame Award and a retro Hugo Award. This is a literary classic for a good reason that will delight all readers with themes that cross cultural boundaries and are more relevant than ever. Pick up a copy or download the e-book or audiobook because it´s definitely worth the read.

Barnes&Noble Fahrenheit 451 webpage

Fahrenheit 451 film IMDb webpage

Fahrenheit 451 audible book webpage

“Fahrenheit 451” is the story of Guy Montag. He is a fireman living in a typical American town in a future society. In this society fireman don´t put out fires but burn the possessions and banned books. He is married with no children and his life seems so set, monotonous and without any kind of intellectual stimulations. He lives a very stale, robotic life until he meets a neighbor named Clarisse McClellan who has him rethink his life. From there he is drawn into the illegal world of banned books that changes his whole world.

In this story reading of most books is illegal. Books are burned by the fireman and so the people who engage in `reading´ do so secretly and at great peril to themselves. This is powerful symbolism for many cultures who have experienced censorship of written materials because it is a way to control people´s minds. The Nazis of WWII banned some books, the Church banned some books and of course academia has refused to acknowledge certain literature they consider heretical like certain theories or political thoughts. The burning of books is a particularly powerful negative symbol in western culture. We generally look down on governments that ban books so much so that those books that are banned usually become best sellers. I think that is one reason why “Fahrenheit 451” is such a classic.

The dystopian world of Guy Montag turns people into mindless followers and discourages healthy curiosity of the world around them. In spite of having all the creature comforts this is a very unhealthy place to live and so, I feel, Montag has a subconscious desire to leave it. He has a yearning, a curiosity to know more. I loved that about him.

“Fahrenheit 451” is a literary and sci-fi classic for a good reason. The story is simple and the protagonist is likeable and his journey of discovery is more a cautionary tale for the reader in the modern age. The themes of this story are more relevant today than ever before.

I highly recommend “Fahrenheit 451” for readers of all types , ages and backgrounds. It has universal appeal for a good reason.

( Commentary by   www.ink2quill.com )
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