Eighth Discussion Question for Fahrenheit 451

Considering Fahrenheit 451 takes place in the future (the third atomic war is starting, and in the present world there has only been one. So depending on how long it takes is the amount of time in the future), I can't really answer how the novel reflects events in history. Also this book is fantasy which normally means the world is made up and fictional. Another example that applies to the future, but most likely fictional, America is Hunger Games. That fictional America occurred after a nuclear war where civilization had to restart and the government had to remind the citizens who was boss. Both futures are not very happy, but both are possible. The authors created a world that the government took over and dictated the people's lives. Both futures are bleak and undesirable, but Bradbury and Collins backed up their future with events and a solid story on how the world was transformed from what it is today to what it became in the books.

Ray Bradbury showed the relationship between citizens and the government. This particular relationship that was represented was different then the relationship between the people and the banks in Grapes of Wrath because the people initiated the censorship problems in Fahreheit 451, as opposed to the banks starting the problem of the people's misery in Grapes of Wrath. The citizens stopped reading books and the reflection and deep thought that comes with it (Bradbury 181). The government then started to censor the information and ban and burn books (Bradbury 181). Very few people were bothered by it because they weren't reading the books anyway. But the scholars, teachers, and enthusiastic readers were upset and that is they cause the conflict between the government and citizens. The people were not in agreement regarding the censoring of information, but the majority are fine with it so nothing can be done about it.

In the interview in the back of the book Bradbury said, "I was considering the whole social atmosphere: the impact of TV and radio and the lack of education. I could see the coming event of schoolteachers not teaching reading anymore. The less they taught, the more you wouldn't need books." (Bradbury 182) So obviously his inspiration came from the idea of uneducated, illiterate young people growing up to have little stimulation and deep thought and function in the world.

Bradbury, Ray. Fahrenheit 451. New York: Ballantine, 2003. Print.

Collins, Suzanne. The Hunger Games. New York: Scholastic, 2008. Print.