If This Goes On…
A review of Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
By Julia A. Keirns
If this goes on, pretty soon the books will all be gone. I love books. I cannot imagine a society in which books are not allowed, especially in this internet era. Even if paper books are destroyed, the manuscripts can be preserved by internet…hopefully. But I don’t really like reading a book on the internet. I would rather have the actual paper copy of the book in my hand, physically turning the pages. I never read my kindle. If the world comes to an end, or a zombie apocalypse ever really does happen, I will not only have my stored food, weapons and ammo, but I will have my books, and notebooks and pens to record it and preserve it! What do you think of that Captain Beatty? I believe as Ray Bradbury does, that literature is every bit as precious as life itself.
This book follows right along the same lines of the previous books I have just read and reviewed. Published in 1951, but based in the future 24th century, the people in charge are still telling those not in charge what to think. They have changed history so that people believe that instead of putting out fires, firemen start fires and have always started fires. Houses are fireproof and have always been fireproof. Books are outlawed and have always been outlawed. Free thinking is not allowed, and books are dangerous.
Fahrenheit 451 is the temperature at which book paper catches fire and burns. In the 24th century it is illegal to own books. The main character is fireman Guy Montag who is content with his job and thinks nothing of setting fire to books and the homes that contain them until he meets a young neighbor girl by the name of Clarisse. She puts thoughts into his head and the story develops from there. To think that at one time people were free to read books and think what they wanted to think. It instills in him a desire to know. I believe we all have that innate desire to know within us.
Montag is discovered and targeted. He escapes and finds others who love books as well. The ending is promising and optimistic that some day when it is legal to print books again, these people, who have memorized as much of the literature they have read as they can, will somehow preserve it.
I thoroughly loved reading this book. It is another classic that you just don’t want to put down until you find out what happens. A book that has stood the test of time and will always be at the top of the list of classic literature.