Similarities Between Fahrenheit 451 And The Pedestrian

Ray Bradbury’s acclaimed classic Fahrenheit 451 and lesser known short story The Pedestrian contain several parallels. Many aspects of the stories clearly allude to the other, including the main characters and the setting. Guy Montag of Fahrenheit 451 and Leonard Mead of The Pedestrian both take routine strolls around their cities. A critical moment in both stories occurs when both amble about their neighborhoods at night and turn a corner. In The Pedestrian, the turn signifies the beginning of the plot when the policeman calls to Mead. In Fahrenheit 451, it indicates the moment Montag meets Clarisse, who gives him knowledge and self awareness. The two narratives also share a similar setting. In both worlds, the people do not read books and

One of the biggest problems with the Fahrenheit 451 society is that everyone is the same. Almost no one has a different view or opinion on any topic. Clarisse is one of those few who view the world differently, because of the knowledge she has acquired from her family and books. “‘You are an odd one’(6)” Montag says this after meeting Clarisse for the first time. She asked him lots of questions, which is unusual for their society. She is very curious about the way he acted and why he did the things he did, which again is not common for the Fahrenheit 451 world. “‘Isn’t this show wonderful?’ cried Mildred. ‘Wonderful!’... ‘Millie, did you see that?’ ‘I saw it, I saw it!’(90)” Everyone's the same in their world. They all agree with each other and don’t have separate opinions. Everyone believes in the magic of the Parlor Wall TV’s. All this sameness can be credited to the burning of books. There is no religion and no opinions that are expressed through writing. The population has been corrupted and brainwashed with this idea of no conflict. But without individual thoughts people cannot give meaning to their lives. Clarisse on the other hand has knowledge that others do not have and this allows her to have individuality and to be truly happy. Discernibly, knowledge will allow others in the society to gain more individuality and to be

As stated by Alan Keightley, “once in a while it really hits people that they don't have to experience the world in the way they have been told to”. In the novel Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, Profiles in Courage, a volume of biographies written by John F. Kennedy and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest a novel by Ken Kesey, it takes characters a great deal of confidence and bravery to suspend themselves into individualism and out of the uniformity of the environment that they live in. It is a natural human tendency to desire a sense of personal identity and resist conformity in society; this being greatly noted in Fahrenheit 451, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and Profiles in Courage.

In the novel, Fahrenheit 451, critically acclaimed author Ray Bradbury asks the controversial question, what would a world where censorship of creative and differing Ideas is the norm resemble? In Fahrenheit 451 Bradbury envisions a dystopian America in which not only books are censored, but personal thoughts and individuality are constrained in this world as well. Although there are many ways in which Bradbury presents and develops the themes in Fahrenheit 451, the most effective way Bradbury does this is through deft characterizations, he does this specifically through Clarisse Mcclellan and Mildred Montag

In the novel Fahrenheit 451, individuality and dissent are bad. In the first part of the book, The Hearth and the Salamander, there was a character named Clarisse McClellan. Clarisse is individual and different. This makes her an outcast. She asks how? Not why? Even today, with people at school: if you are different, you aren’t always treated as well as others. Clarisse questioned Montag a lot about his life and job. She opened up his mind and made him think. “How long’ve you worked at being a fireman? (Bradbury, 8) … “Are you happy?”(Bradbury, 10) Clarisse asked him about his job and if he was happy about it and his life. Unlike most people, she never really showed any interest in what he did, or how he did it. Instead, she asked him why he did it, and why he enjoyed doing it. Montag started to question himself, and agreed with Clarisse on most things. Montag became so fed up with what he did, that he changed. In time, Clarisse died (or was killed), because she was different. “The poor girl’s better

Imagine living in a world where all people do is use their gadgets and gizmos. Books are banned and knowledge is intolerable. Ray Bradbury, the author of the book Fahrenheit 451 knows for a fact that our world will most definitely be like that someday. He is trying to warn us about the consequences of having too much technology. In the dystopian world of Fahrenheit 451, people are addicted to their televisions and they don't socialize with each other. The real world today is also facing a similar situation with smartphones and other gadgets. People are always staring down on their glowing mobile devices and the idea of knowledge and interaction is slowly starting to fade away from the society too. The novel Fahrenheit 451 is cautioning the

Although extremely beneficial, can technological advances to society become harmful after a certain point? Ray Bradbury paints a perfectly clear picture of what the human world will be like if technology completely takes over it in his fictional work, “The Pedestrian.” In this short story, Mr. Leonard Mead is penalized for taking his nightly walks out for fresh air, rather than staying in his home, staring at a television set like a technology crazed zombie. In “The Pedestrian,” the theme is presented very well throughout the setting, the characters, and the dialogue and course of events.

To start off, the culture of Fahrenheit 451 is futuristic, fast, and dangerous. Technology has advanced to an unimaginable extent: “This machine pumped all of the blood from the body and replaced it with fresh blood and serum”(Bradbury 12). Some readers may think this technological advance is wonderful; however, there are others who argue that it is inhumane and wrong. It seems as though machines are taking the places of people. Technology seems to be taking over in the novel by distracting people from human connection, which is crucial for survival. Not only is technology distracting, but it is also demeaning the importance of human life. Kids go around killing each other for sport, taking away valuable human lives. To think that innocent young children are destroying each other is absurd. Also, marriages do not matter as much as they used to: “Funny, how funny, not to remember where or when you met your husband or wife”(Bradbury 41). Mildred laughs as she tries to remember where she met Montag, as if

Technology has advanced in many ways over the past few years. Medical machines, smart phones, and televisions are all able to do things that not too long ago, we may have thought were impossible. The question is, are these improvements helping us, or destroying us? Ray Bradbury, the author of Fahrenheit 451, predicted the devastating impact technology could potentially have on a society. Although Fahrenheit 451 was written around the 1950’s, the plot of this science fiction novel takes place in the 2020’s. Bradbury came up with advanced televisions and other devices that at the time, seemed unrealistic but are now becoming a reality. As the author of Fahrenheit 451 predicted, technology is slowly ruining our

In Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451, technology plays a major role in the society. Their society is so influenced by technology that they simply cannot function without it. They aren’t capable of thinking on their own because they rely so heavily on technology to think for them. Bradbury’s prediction was correct. The world is so reliant on their technology that students can’t leave their phones at home for one day without being behind on an assignment or two. Technology plays a crucial role in American society today in economic and social ways. It allows society to easily communicate with people all around the world with just one click of a button. Therefore, technology is a good thing when used in the Virtually all businesses today use some form of technology to more efficiently produce their services or products. Even social networks have been created to allow people to post events in their lives and talk to others online. Texting permits people to communicate without out actually talking to each other. Although, these enhancements in technology allow for quicker and easier forms of communication, society is also becoming much less social as a result. increase In Fahrenheit 451, Bradbury argues that the development of technology is “dumbing down” people in the Utopian society, ultimately warping the perfect world into a dystopian society. Ray

Finally, in Fahrenheit 451, it is revealed in the story that we shouldn't let technology take over our lives because we will start to forget how to do things. For example, researching. Back in the day, we used to do this all by book, now we have this magical thing called the Internet. Technology has a major affect on us that it even makes people lazy, even me. All in all, fiction can reveal a lot about our lives or our

A prime example of a view that is not strictly conformity or individuality is the perspective of Guy Montag, the protagonist, who happens to be a fireman. Montag’s view shifts and tiptoes the line in between conformity and individuality. For example, there is a scene in which Montag is conversing with Clarisse McClellan while walking in the rain. Clarisse had told Montag that she liked to walk in the rain and that it tasted good to her. He counters that he is not sure he would enjoy it, due to never trying it. In Fahrenheit 451, Bradbury writes, “And then, very slowly, as he walked, he tilted his head back in the rain, for just a few moments, and opened his mouth…” (24). This is significant because this event shows how Montag is a bit curious and questioning when he is around people he trusts. When no one is around to judge him, he retains individuality but when he is around others, he conforms to the government’s views. Later on in the book, Montag is in the firehouse, examining all of the other firemen. He notices how similar they look to each other and to himself. In Fahrenheit 451, Bradbury writes, :Had he ever seen a fireman that didn’t have black hair, black brows, a fiery face and a blue-steel shaved but unshaved look? These men were all mirror image of himself.” (33). This evidence shows that all the firemen are carbon copies of each other. Montag shows his realization that he has unknowingly conformed to the societal standards and was a fireman because he looked like all the other firemen.

In Fahrenheit 451, futuristic technology can start as a benefit, but will eventually end as a problem because it is an amazing advancement in society, but it will eventually corrupt us, becoming one of the most important things in our lives instead of real matters. Beatty talks to Montag about the progression of technology, “‘Classics cut to fit fifteen-minute radio shows, then cut again to fill a two-minute book column, winding up at last as a ten- or twelve-line dictionary resume’” (Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451 58). Because the increasing speed of society and technology, books became shorter and shorter until they were cut down impossibly small. Our society today still values books and it would be a problem if this started happening. For example in Montag’s society, books started to decline and society became something completely different; no one cared about anything except their televisions or phones. When Leonard Mead was walking in the streets, he whispered, “‘What’s up tonight on Channel 4, Channel 7, Channel 9?’” (Bradbury, “The Pedestrian” 1). The character Leonard Mead says this because the rest of society is inside on their “viewing screens” that have completely destroyed any individuality that the society had in the first place. Technology has kept them inside and he’s the only one that goes outside anymore. In the short story “Harrison Bergeron”, the author wrote “They were burdened by sashweights and bags of birdshot, and their faces were masked, so that no one,

In the novel Fahrenheit 451 by Ryan Bradbury, technology is an evil restriction that keeps a society that relies too heavily on it, from reaching full knowledge potential. Other restrictions such as outlawing books, and limiting the citizen’s media to pointless adds that don't require any thought; influence how much the lives of these citizens require technology. Therefore, as a result, these people cannot live without technology, making them feel that they are happy. Being happy is about exercising free thought and these restrictions take away people's individuality. Making them senseless people who are copies of one another.

Today’s society classifies appearance as a form of individuality and taking that outlet of expression is a oppression of individuality. In the beginning of the Fahrenheit 451 the theme starts to develop through Montag. Montag is observing his surroundings and sees that everyone around him looks like him,“Had he ever seen a fireman that didn’t have black hair, black brows, a fiery face, and a blue steel but unshaven look?” (Bradbury 30). This quote plants the idea that no matter what people want to be their own individual. As Montag starts to see everyone around him is exactly the same as him, he isn’t content with it. This is confirmed by “These men were all mirror images of himself! Were all firemen picked then for their looks as well as their proclivities.” (Bradbury 31). Montag is starting to question that fact why he has never thought of individualizing himself from his peers.