Fiction 27 Aug 2004 04:13 pm
Fahrenheit 451
Fahrenheit 451
Ray Bradbury
A famous (maybe classical) sci-fi story, this novel talks about a not-too-distant future in which books are forbidden (because they can generate discordy and unhappiness) and, whenever found, burned with the house of their owner (who is arrested, as well). The people who do this job are the firemen, their original line of work forgotten and no longer necessary in a world where all buildings are fireproofed. The title of the book, as probably everyone knows, refers to the temperature at which book paper catches fire.
With books no longer available (other than to a few rebels who are always in danger of being discovered), people get their information and entertainment from TV and radio and not much else; whatever information is distributed to the population is heavily manipulated by those in charge, and never questioned by anyone.
The story follows a fireman who is very happy to do his job, but who has a few nagging doubts about the state of the world and of his life. Eventually, he starts to think for himself, but is reported to the authorities and becomes a fugitive.
This book was written in the 60s, but much of what is there is very relevant to today’s world (which, of course, it the reason for the title of the latest Michael Moore documentary). In the book, people are thoroughly controlled by the government due to, first, their lack of access to unbiased information, and, second, due to them simply not caring. They end up being led into a disastrous war with no information on the real reasons and risks behind it, and if that is not relevant to our current state of affairs, I don’t know what is.
My recomendation: read it while it still exists.
