Knowledge, it is a large and ever expanding subject. It is also something highly important, both to protect, and to evolve. In example, the novel Fahrenheit 451, is a good example of both censorship, and the restriction of access to knowledge. In the end of the novel, the city which the knowledge is restricted, ends up destroyed by bombs, and the main character, Montag, cast to the refugees who dared to rebel and, actually read and own books. It is an example of what could happen with the restriction of knowledge, as thousands died in the city, because no one knew what was going on, save for a select few. This is one of many reasons that knowledge is important, and why it should always not be highly censored.
First as an example, take North
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The Internet is an uncensored place, where knowledge flows freely, and uninterrupted. The site en.wikipedia.org, is an online wikipedia freely editable by anyone. Therefore, ideas and knowledge can be exchanged freely, if they are accurate, that is another question. Since it is editable by anyone, information can be false, but in most cases, the information found there is highly accurate and updated frequently. You can find knowledge on a range of topics, from WW2, to Philosophy, even to the Bolshevik Uprising. This is an example of what can happen when the free exchange of ideas and knowledge, is both not limited, and uncensored. “There must be something in books, something we can’t imagine, to make a woman stay in a burning house; there must be something there. You don’t stay for nothing.”(Bradbury, 1953) This quote from Montag relates to a world where knowledge isn’t limited. He ponders why a woman, would stay in a burning house, just for her books, just for the potential knowledge in them.
Finally, another example of what happens when one makes information exchange free. Back to the internet, Wikileaks, an example of free information exchange. It publishes secret information, media leaks, and classified media, all from anonymous sources. This helps keep things which should not be a secret, free and open to all. In example, the Clinton Email Leak scandal, which rocked the United States, and
Conformity and ignorance go hand in hand. Fahrenheit 451, The Lego Movie, and The Twilight Zone’s ‘Obsolete Man’ are all prime examples of this statement. It is glaringly obvious in Fahrenheit 451, specifically when Clarisse is talking to Montag about how her uncle was arrested for driving slow. He was complying with all the rules and regulations of his society, yet he was still arrested. This is because he wouldn’t conform to what everyone else was doing. Mildred mentions in the book that when she needs to let out her anger she drives around fast and kills animals in the road. This is a stark contrast to Clarisse’s uncle, who wanted to drive slow in order to appreciate the beauty of life, not destroy it. This labels Clarisse’s uncle as a non-conformist, something so dangerous that you can be
In the book Fahrenheit 451 the theme was the conflict between one being knowledgeable or being ignorant. The themes definition following this book would be people who read even though banned would be the knowledgeable people and they live a true happy life but the ones that don't understand what books purpose really is and don't see how it makes humans lives happier they are are ignorant.I feel this is a main theme in this book because at first montag is considered one of the ignorant people but with different people changing his thoughts and montag realizing the firemen and the people who don't read are the ignorant ones and that books fulfill your life a lot more you just have to understand them because some bring emotions that the ignorant people think is bad. Also after this realization montag fights against ignorance the rest of the book. All throughout the book the
In the world that we all live in, knowledge is the key to most things that people want- power, peace, wealth, all can be achieved with knowledge. That’s why knowledge is such a dangerous thing. Author Ray Bradbury, who wrote books such as Fahrenheit 541 and the Illustrated Man, was one such person who knew this to be true. He once said, in the afterword of the 1979 edition of his novel Fahrenheit 451, that “there is more than one way to burn a book. And the world is full of people running about with lit matches.”
In the modern society of America the people can read anything and knowledge of the world is as free flowing as the montana mountain springs. But in Fahrenheit 451 knowledge is limited to a point blank of stark fantasy of the parlors. Books are hunted like outlaws and those who own them are arrested or if they try to escape they are hunted and killed by the infamous metal Hound. Knowledge itself is power, "ipsa scientia potestas est". (Sir Francis Bacon).
A theme for Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury is that knowledge can prepare us for the future. According to Fahrenheit 451 it states,”Montag had done nothing. His hand had done it all, his hand, with a brain of its own, with a conscience and a curiosity in each trembling finger, had turned thief.” This supports the theme because the only reason Guy Montag stole the books was because he wanted to know more about his job to see if his job isn’t helping his society which supports the claim since he taking resources from the scene of where the fire was and using the books to his advantage to see if he can stop the problem of his job. According to Fahrenheit 451 it states, “Do you ever read any of the books you burn?” He laughed. “That’s against the
In Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, various themes such as ignorance, destruction, and technology are very prevalent throughout the novel. There are many songs, modern songs and decades old, that can still correlate to this novel about fire and knowledge.
“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 the book "Fahrenheit 451" their society is focused on knowing how to do things rather than being intellectual. Their world has been changed to make it where you think less. They have banned books and punish the "bright" to make it where no man thinks more or knows more than the other. They focus on the physical side of things, such as knowing how to do things rather than why they happen of why we do them.
In the United States, everyone has the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Three aspects to living a productive life. Ray Bradbury was an American fiction writer who lived August 22, 1920 through June 5, 2012. When he was twelve years old he began to visit the library pretty often. He wrote every single day of his life since then. When he turned fifteen, he learned how dangerous it was to have the right of reading books being taken away when Hitler began to burn books. You could not be a part of any civilization and you were not educated. Bradbury published the first version of Fahrenheit 451 in February 1951 and was living in Los Angeles with no money. Then, he visited UCLA and found a room with typewriters to rent at ten cents an
Imagine a world in which one is taught how and what to think. In this world no one is given the opportunity to form their own opinions. Books are illegal because they might generate ideas other than those which are taught. Knowledge is what allows a person to understand right from wrong, but if it is ingrained in a person to follow a set of rules without having an understanding for them, it’s most likely that the person will rebel. That is what occurs in Fahrenheit 451. Books are banned and, if found, are burned along with the house they are located in. This rule instilled fear and curiosity in the hearts of certain people within their society. Fear of getting their house burned and curiosity about the contents of these books people are sacrificing their houses and even some lives for. The answer is simple: knowledge. In Fahrenheit 451, the power and value of ideas allows one to see the world’s beauty clearly through their own eyes, comprehend and cognize the rules, and instigate conflict.
Humanity often takes for granted the education we receive and don’t realize its effects on us. We fail to see that proper education reduces one’s gullibility, as those who receive training in critical thinking are less easily manipulated. In the novella Animal Farm by George Orwell, fascist rulers take advantage of the illiterate animals on the Manor Farm because they were oblivious to what was happening to them. Meanwhile, in the novel Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, citizens of a dystopian society have their access to education withheld from them, leaving them unable to think for themselves or properly assess their lives. In both works of literature, the author sees the importance of education being that illiteracy will leave one vulnerable to being manipulated due to their inability to thoroughly interpret and analyze situations with proper insight. In other words, being apathetic towards one’s education will only set them up for doom.
Firemen today are around to put out fires, but in Fahrenheit 451, the temperature books burn, they are the ones that start the fires when they hear about a house that contains books. Anti-Intellectualism was used in the novel Fahrenheit 451 by the firemen burning books and the houses that contained them. Anti-Intellectualism is when a group or individual disagrees with given knowledge, for example burning books in Fahrenheit 451 because they disagreed with the knowledge contained within them. Firemen saw books as nothing but a waste, but still went through with harsh punishments to anyone in possession of a book because it was a law. Similar was done throughout history. Something like that was a huge world event showing that we can be punished for knowledge. Events like the Salem witch trials, nazi occupied germany, and isis all believed that information should be censored and heavily practiced anti-intellectualism. That similar illegalization and burning of books in Fahrenheit 451 leads to unhappiness, anti-intellectualism of citizens, and even death to the very people who believed it was better for the population.
(AGG) Every great idea, or invention in history took a lot of knowledge and memory, so do you think controlling an entire society’s knowledge and memory is a good idea? (BS-1) Even though robbing an entire society of their knowledge and memory is a bad idea for everyone, the government does gain total control of their citizens. (BS-2) Despite this, the citizens become lazy and selfish, relationships become fake, and emotions disappear. (BS-3) These are just the short-term problems, in the long-term, limiting knowledge and memory will completely destroy a society. (TS) In Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury demonstrates that even though controlling a society's knowledge and memory may be a short term answer, in the long run it destroys the society,
Censorship occurs when information is forbidden; for example, in books, movies, newspapers, and the Internet. Books are banned when they contain objectionable language, sexual content, political content, and in the case of government censorship, knowledge. Some people argue that censorship is necessary to protect children from explicit language or sex scenes, and to preserve morals or religious values. Those against censorship argue that historical facts shouldn’t be censored, so that people can learn from history. Opponents also claim that censorship invalidates their intellectual freedom; which the United Nations proclaimed as a fundamental human right in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Finally, censorship decreases the quality
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.