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Ray Bradbury's 1953 novel FAHRENHEIT 451 was a response to some of the major concerns of World War II, with future society depicted as having evolved into a diet of mass media and literal sedation under a regime of censorship and book burning.
This lens explores the debate and discussion that has surrounded the novel since its publication, and also includes info about movie adaptations.
read and learn about FAHRENHEIT 451
Plot Synopsis
"Fahrenheit 451: The Temperature at Which Book Paper Catches Fire, and Burns."
~ Montag
Bradbury titled his book after the fact that paper ignites at a temperature of 451 degrees Fahrenheit. In the story, all books have been declared illegal and so with the development of fireproof homes, firemen have the jobs of tracking down and burning books. We follow along with a fireman named Montag as he goes from being content in his life and job to realizing how little people think or feel. His wife is obsessed with her soap operas, which she watches on a wall-sized screen referred to as a "family" and not as a television. After watching an old woman refuse to leave her house when the firemen come to burn her books (she lights the fire herself and commits suicide), Montag begins to question everything he's been taught...and he starts to read.
FAHRENHEIT 451 by Ray Bradbury
the novel, written in 1953
Fahrenheit 451
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a mix of publications and languages
"Give the people contests they win by remembering the words to more popular songs or the names of state capitals or how much corn Iowa grew last year. Cram them full of non-combustible data, chock them so damned full of 'facts' they feel stuffed, but absolutely 'brilliant' with information. Then they'll feel they're thinking, they'll get a sense of motion without moving. And they'll be happy, because facts of that sort don't change. Don't give them any slippery stuff like philosophy or sociology to tie things up with. That way lies melancholy."
~ from Fahrenheit 451
About Bradbury and FAHRENHEIT 451
- Ray Bradbury | Books
- Internationally acclaimed with more than 5 million copies in print, FAHRENHEIT 451 is Ray Bradbury's classic novel of censorship and defiance, as resonant today as it was when it was first published nearly 50 years ago.
- Houston Community Newspapers Online - Parent criticizes book 'Fahrenheit 451'
- A Caney Creek High School dad is fired up because the Conroe Independent School District uses the book 'Fahrenheit 451' as classroom reading material.
- Mississippi School Bans Book on Censorship
- "Fahrenheit 451" by Ray Bradbury banned February 1, 1999
- Book Review: Fahrenheit 451
- Magazine written entirely by teens for teenagers.
- Article: The Failure of Fahrenheit 451, by Jeremy Smith
- In 1953, Ray Bradbury published a novel in which the burning of books presages the burning of the world. In the half century since, Fahrenheit 451 has emerged as a staple of high school and college syllabi and continues to chart best-seller lists. .... While it is most often used as a way of talking about media and censorship, Fahrenheit 451 also represents a literary mode that seeks to prevent a certain future by describing it. This mode is often -- but not always -- dystopian. It is distinguished most by a moralistic and apocalyptic state of mind.
- Fahrenheit 451
- When Fahrenheit 451 was released in 1953, censorship was a major concern in the U.S. Senator Joseph McCarthy, was leading a witch hunt to root out all suspected Communists sympathizers in the government, as well as writers, publishers, moviemakers, and performers.
- Fahrenheit 451 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- This article is about the novel Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury.
Study Guides for Fahrenheit 451
The Book Banning Debate
This book has been repeatedly attack with banning attempts because it deals with themes of freedom of expression, censorship, freedom of thought, exchange of information, and questioning the government and authority figures. The society depicted is devoid of emotion due to usage of mood-modulating drugs, spends almost all of their free time watching tv and are encouraged to spy and report on one another.
What's your take on FAHRENHEIT 451?
Fetching blurbs now... please stand byThis is an important piece of literature!
Monteath says:
Not only is this an important piece of literature, but I would argue that it may very well be one of THE most important books ever written. It's scary how dead on Bradbury was in predicting how governments could eventually brainwash the masses (and I think all of us are a little bit - no matter how independent and aware we try to be). This should be required reading, no one should get out of high school or college English without having read this book, IMO.
Posted July 21, 2008
Morgan says:
i am in 7th grade and had to read this book for a literature class. i thought it was a good book and realized that it is showing us the affects of censorship and the importance of life. even though it was a hard book to read and boring in the beginning it was overall a 3 out of 5.
Posted June 02, 2008
wisewoman says:
i think its hilarious how ironic it is that a book with censorship as a major theme has been censored!
Posted June 01, 2008
swimswithfishes says:
This was a most excellent book & the movie was great too! State censorship is a very scary topic & people need to be aware that it could happen in future if we are all not vigilant! Swims
Posted May 19, 2008
relache says:
I've often wondered if I became one of the "Book People" which book I'd choose to memorize and save. So far, all I can say is that it would be something written by J.G. Ballard.
Posted May 17, 2008
This book should be banned!
Katie says:
This book should be banned just becuase it was a waste of time reading!
Posted May 17, 2008
Francois Truffaut's FAHRENHEIT 451
released in 1966
Fahrenheit 451
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Movie Info and News
- Fahrenheit 451 (1966)
- Fahrenheit 451 on IMDb: Movies, TV, Celebs, and more... In an oppressive future, a fireman whose duty is to destroy all books begins to question his task.
- Fahrenheit 451 - Movie Review and Sounds
- Review of and sounds from the movie Fahrenheit 451 starring Oscar Werner and Julie Christie from a novel by Ray Bradbury. Also includes wav sound files
- Ray Bradbury: Fahrenheit 451 - an infinity plus review
- A new movie of Fahrenheit 451 is planned ... It's a nice thought: a Hollywood movie which rails against the dumbing-down of society, and pleads for its audience to read books.
- Fahrenheit 451 (2010)
- In a terrifying care-free future, a young man, Guy Montag, who's job as a fireman is to burn all books, questions his actions after meeting a young girl...and begins to rebel against society.
