Fahrenheit 451 Essay

   In the book, "Fahrenheit 451" by Ray Bradbury which was punlished in 1953 presents a future American society in the year 2056 in the city of Los Angeles where books are outlawed and "firemen" burn any that are found. This is one way how authorities attempt to control people.
   Bradbury shows its readers how people are controlled by different ways. An example is where books are outlawed and "firemen" burn any that are found. The burning of books is introduced in the opening scene where books are refered to as "flapping pigeon-winged books" because the burning pages look as if they are wings of a bird flapping up and down. This shows an example of how people are being controlled. The authorities do this because books represent free-thinking. We see this when Montag gets a hold of some books and starts to obtain his own opinion about his life and his society. Another example of how the authorities keep the people under control are the parlor walls. Early in the novel, Mildred is captivated by the parlor walls to the the point where she asks Montag for a fouth wall to completetheir parlor. This is how authorities keep the people under control by keeping them dumb by how easily entertained they are. Everyone has these parlor walls so they don't want to go out and do things and be curious.
   Bradbury describes Montag to the readers in the beginning as a fireman who burns books instead of preventing fires, because it is against the law to have books. Also in the opening scene it states, "Montag watches until they burn and die." This quote is referring to the burning books. This is important because it shows Montag not caring not feeling anything for this action. The definition of a dynamic character is a character that grows and changes throughout a story which in the end of tye story, Montag changes emotionally and mentally. The first event that results in Montag becoming a dynamic character is his conversation with Clarisse. Clarisse's enthusiastic and cheerful disposition lightens Montag's attitude, making him a more optimistic person. Montag is not so closed-minded anymore, and he learns to be himself and sometimes cares free. Also when Faber helps Montag to see the real meaning of this unfair law. Without Faber, Montag would not become a dynamic character because Montag would not have known anything in depth about books. Therefore, these experiences or people help make Montag a dynamic character. These people or events all affect him in a different way and Montag learns alot from them.
   Bradbury also uses different elements in his writing one which is mood. And example is, "It was a pleasure to burn. It was a special pleasure to see things eaten, to see things blackened and changed. With the brass nozzle in his fist, with this great python spitting its venomous kersene upon the world, the blood pounded in his head and his hands of some amazing conductor playing all the symphonies of blazing and burning to bring down the tatters and charcoal ruins of history." The mood in this scene is intense, agressive, passionate and extreme. To set a mood like this, Bradbury uses strong, vibrant that have a definite intense and agressive connotation. Bradbury puts in words like "eaten," "blackened," "spitting," "venomous," "pounded," "blazing," "ruins." All of these are very strong, highly negative yet powerful words that bring agression, violence and intensity to mind. Bradbury also compares the firehose to a python a highly poisonous and frightening snake. Another element Bradbury uses is symbolism. Some examples are the illegal books, Clarisse, and the Mechanical Hound. The illegal books represent knowledge, truth, and more directly, they symbolize the means by which citizens can obtain truth. Clarisse represents innocence, curiousity and imagination while the Mechanical Hound symbolizes the destructive application of technology. The Hound also represents an instrument of war, a tool used by the State to suppress citizens. And thirdly, another element used in this book is indirect characterization. Indirect characterization is shown when Guy Montag and Clarisse are having a conversation, Clarisse is a person who keeps her true feelings/thoughts to herself. The main thing Clarisse does is that she asks alot of questions, stating that Clarisse is a very curious person.
   In Conclusion, in Fahrenheit 451, it how the people in the society are being controlled and how books can open/free your mind, such as it did to Montag. Causing Montag to ask himself questions and see the things around him differently.