As a citizen of this state and as a parent, who wants my son to receive a good education, I am disappointed by the fact of removal Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury from the school-assigned curriculum. My strong belief is that this work of literature, which is one of my favorite masterpieces, should be included in the school program.
Every great author is a prophet, in a way. Reading the masterpieces of Bradbury it is impossible not to agree with this statement. Sometimes he describes his fictitious world in such details, that there is a feeling that he divines what the future will be like, and sees all the technical achievements of the society with his own eyes. The same goes for his novel “Fahrenheit 451”.
My strong belief is that this novel is especially important nowadays. The society described by Bradbury is similar to our contemporary life. In the modern world of high technologies, in the world in which a book is replaced by a computer, by television, or by the internet, a person losses his or her individuality. A person does not use his brain. He has a machine instead. In such a way, a person becomes a small screw of a huge mechanism. Practically eighty percent of the world’s population now has mobile phones. More than one billion people have smartphones. People cannot imagine their life without these devices. Our internal clock is now set not by the sun, but by the digits of our phones. According to the last researches, approximately fifty percent of phone users have slept with their phone on or nearby their bed. The dependence of the younger generation upon mobile phones is even higher. Such a statistic is rather frightening. Mobile devices replace books and real-life communication.
The same idea, that society would be captivated by big televisions, and other technical devices, controlled by the state, is observed in Bradburys novel. In the modern world, our outlook and political views are determined by means of mass media, which are controlled by the government.
In my own opinion, the above-mentioned facts do not mean, that we have to refuse all the contemporary technical achievements. However, at the same time, our children have to realize, that the information given by mass media is not the universal truth. The dependence of our society on television, mobile devices, internet, has to be reduced. This very novel makes a person wonder about his role in society, as well as the protagonist of this book does.
The main character of this novel, Montag by name, is a fireman, and his job is to burn the forbidden books, because the society he lives, believes that all the wisdom of these books is nothing in comparison with technical progress. After meeting Clarisse, Montag finds out that he cannot accept the basics of his job. He understands that life is more complicated, and the wisdom hired in books cannot be lost. Having recognized it, Montag fights against ignorance and tries to help others to receive knowledge.
We were taught in school, that every person is a unique individual who has never been before and will never again exist. As for me, looking at contemporary society, I have a strong doubt concerning this. Our daily routine transforms us into soulless automatons. I believe that the only way to avoid it is an introduction to the culture, to the masterpieces of art. I hope that I am not single in my opinion, and this very novel will be included in the school curriculum.