Ignorance Is Happiness In Fahrenheit 451 And Pleasantville

Although rebels are looked at as agitators, eventually, people in the book and novel aid society into evolving for the better. In Pleasantville and Fahrenheit 451 there are certain people who go against society. These “revolutionists” are dominated by society for their personal perspectives. Both the book and film seem to have a common theme consisting of outsiders. Being a social outcast in the film and or movie eventually brought a new perspective for the society.

Would you rather be happy in your life and live in ignorance or would you rather live your life with more of a purpose? Even if that purpose means doing things that most people would frown upon. This is one of the conflicts the characters face in the book Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. Fahrenheit 451 is a book about a fireman named Guy Montag. In his society fireman start fires rather than put them out. Most fires started by the firemen are fires in which they burn books. Most books are not allowed and the firemen have to be called to burn them. In this book Montag appears to be a by the book firemen early on but as the

“Knowledge will forever govern ignorance; and a people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives” ~ James Madison

In Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury a man, Guy Montag's, life is switched upside down when his curiosity for literature strikes in a world where books are forbidden. His downfall is initiated by a women, Clarisse, who shows Montag a world beyond the one he has been living in as a firefighter burning books. The theme of this book is that truth does not necessarily bring people the happiness they think it will bring them and instead it causes them pain. Bradbury shows this by portraying how the truth hidden within the books causes Montag a great deal of pain rather than happiness. Montag's life is switched upside down by being asked a simple question, "Are you happy?"this simple question causes him to question his entire life and if it really

In Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, we can see a lot of things wrong with the society, things that most people think could happen to us, but is it really that unrealistic? Ray Bradbury didn't think so when he wrote it because he was writing about his own time period, shortly after WWII, but the themes he wrote about are still present today. In the novel Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury criticizes illusion of happiness, oppression, and loss of self, not only his fictitious society, but our society in real life, too.

This can be compared to present-day events in which people think themselves happy at having watched a wrestling match or basketball game. It satiates the senses alone, the visible realm, whereas knowledge is something eternal that is independent of other people. Happiness resides, therein, in something interminable.

Living in a society with free sharing of knowledge allows individuals to use differing viewpoints to determine their own perceptions. Many develop their identity and outlook of the world through sharing ideas in schools, literature, with peers, and in the media. However, when this communication process is limited or suppressed, people are inhibited from making fair assumptions and decisions. While this limits individuals’ freedom, societal systems can benefit from censorship since they can control ideas while preventing strife. These suppressive structures are evident in the societies of Pleasantville, by Gary Ross, and Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury, as both dystopian societies create a false sense of security through the lack of conflicts

Happiness is the state of being happy. A person who experiences frequent positive emotions. Does Fahrenheit 451 display this emotion? In this dystopian novel, by Ray Bradbury, suppression of negative feelings doesn’t lead to happiness but rather leaves us feeling alienated. For example, the residents are faking their cheerfulness and many act as if they are “happy”. Moreover, they only depend on the government for their happiness and enjoyment and follow their restrictions without thinking twice. In addition, their interaction are very limited and it’s a very isolated area.

Ignorance can be bliss, but knowledge can be better.   The main character Charlie in the story “Flowers for Algernon” experienced what it is like to have both. He starts with ignorance, but ends with knowledge and experience.  

In fahrenheit 451 struggle revolves around the tension between knowledge and ignorance. Firemen destroy knowledge of all forms, books in perticlar. This doesn’t stop Montag though. He is given many struggles because he wants to learn. I feel like this is somewhat relevant to nowadays society. We faced with those who want to be knowledged but majority has turned to substance and have become consumed in it. Society in fahrenheit 451 is very similar to today’s society. The education system is at a falling point and ignorance is growing. What though should become more important substance or knowledge and growing to a person.

Plato once said that, “Ignorance [is] the root and stem of all evil”. Ignorance is the cause of everything that is wrong and bad in the world since people are unable to see the truth. If people start breaking free from ignorance, mankind will become happier and more transparent. In the short story, “Allegory of The Cave” by Plato and The Matrix by the Wachowskis, they portray the idea that in order to gain enlightenment, one must break free from ignorance; which opens himself to knowledge; this new truth must then be shared with others for the good of mankind.

Victor again continues on the foreshadow of the danger of knowledge in chapter four when he says, “ how dangerous is the acquirement of knowledge and how much happier that man s who believes his native town to be the world, than he who aspires to be greater than his nature will allow.” In this statement I personally believe that it relates to another famous quote originally said by Thomas Gray in 1742 that reads, plain and simply, “ignorance is bliss.” Basically, I believe that Victor is saying blessed, lucky, are the people in the world who do not desire that he does to search for knowledge until there is no more to be learned. Saying this, however, also implies that intelligence would be misery. So if the statement, and the relation of the statement to Victor’s quote in the novel, are both correct, then why do so many men like Victor, both in the story and in the real world, grasp for every piece of knowledge possible to attain what they believe is an accomplishment. Like so many other questions that have driven people into overwhelming amounts of information, this question does not have an answer. Which brings around another argument in the case that to much knowledge is dangerous; what if the population dedicates a large percentage of lives to research and the quest for knowledge only to find that there will be no way to ever answer

Plato once said, “Human behavior flows from three main sources: desire, emotion, and knowledge.” Some believe that the desire for knowledge and the emotions that arise from it can be dangerous. This assumption is incorrect because possessing vast amounts of knowledge causes many positive impacts everywhere. Knowledge is not dangerous because it causes advancements in the lives of others which leads to a more harmonious society.

When I consider what Plato says about the movement from ignorance to knowledge. Can knowledge be both be enriching and painful? Yes the moment from ignorance to knowledge can be enriching, but also comes the burden of pain. But the knowledge opens options in life, gives you the freedom to choose from many different paths, like the cave dweller, Frederick Douglas, and Malcolm X.

Does knowledge really bring true happiness? In the story Flowers for Algernon Charlie Gordon is a 37 year old, mentally challenged man, who wants nothing more than to be smart. Well he got his chance to be smart and he took it; he was chosen for an operation that could change his life and make him much more intelligent than he actually was. Charlie thought being smart would make him “normal” but the operation ended up being unsuccessful. He went back to the way he was. In the story The Garden Of Eden, Adam and Eve were chosen to be the first humans. They chose to bite from the tree of knowledge and disobey God. They were punished to live life and then die. Both Charlie Gordon, and Adam and eve resemble each other in many ways.