Taj Mahal

Fierceliterature

FARENHEIT 451

A book about burning books

What is the major theme of this novel? Why is this theme important to a teenager living in 2007?

There are a number of major themes in this novel. The video above is a short summary of the events that take place in the novel. (the video has not been created or edited by me).
The factor that I found the most important in this novel is the realization of the fact that happiness cannot be achieved by deleting sorrow. Happiness and sorrow are mutually dependant on each other. One cannot exist without the other. (and if it does life will be something like, life in farenheit 451).

Other themes include the human nature that is revealed through this novel. Anger its causes and effects. Anger was all it took that caused in the death of Captain Beatty.

Another thing that this novel has made me realise is the fact that there are three kinds of people in this world(both in the novel and in today's world):

1: the people who fight for the right thing until death.(Montag)
2: the people who know that the world is wrong but do not make an effort to make a change.(Faber)
3:the people who do not realise that what they think is right is actually wrong. (Mildred)

A number of facts about lifestyles are revealed through this novel. I find that this lifestyle is very similar to the lifestyle of a teenager in 2007. for example the book mentions about loud music and the way people are so accustomed to it. Also, driving ... teenagers(17 and 18 year olds) tend to drive cars fast. The faster they drive the cooler they are considered.Also this generation, tends to be entertained by movies and dances more than books. This book states the importance of books by revealing a world where books are burnt....

Are there are any current situations in the world that relate to the novel? What are they, and how do they relate? Does the novel shed any light on how current situations could be resolved or "fixed"?
This novel relates to a number of facts of 2007. In Hinduism dead bodies are burnt which is similar to the concept of "burning" in the novel. I believe that the main connection i made with this novel was the fact how people are oblivious to everything around them. Millions are dying due to hunger in Africa everyday. A huge number of people are being killed, tortured, abused. Wars are going on in the world today. But how many people even care? How many people get up every morning and actually do something for this world? Most people don't. Why not? They are oblivious to everything around them which is similar to the concept of this novel. In the novel most people see things but they don't.
Another thing that this novel has made me realize is the fact that fire can end the population of the earth. Fire is mysterious, it spreads rapidly and even today no scientific methods have been invented to actually bring something to its original state once it has been burnt. Burning changes a substance completely. After all it is fire that destroys, that tortures , that kills.

I believe that people like Montag exist in society today. These are people who don't shut up and do everything that everyone else is doing. They are people who make a change or at least try to. For example the Amnesty International. These are people who care who see.

Who are the main characters in the novel? Do you like them? Why or why not? What is special about them? What do they reveal about the universal human experience?
The main characters of this novel would be Guy Montag, Mildred, Faber and Clarisse, Captain Beatty and the mechanical hound. Montag is a fireman, no, not a fireman who saves people from fire but has been given a job of burning houses, books and people. He is oblivious of the fact that books have other purposes than being burnt, until one day, when a seventeen year old girl(Clarisse) makes him realise... Mildred is Montag's wife. She is probably the strangest character in the novel. She is "Brainwashed" and fits in perfectly into the community with others. I believe that Montag made a big mistake in sharing his feelings with her. I believe that she has gone through so much in her life than most others that she is mentally unstable. Other characters include Captain Beatty. In my opinion he is one of those people in today's world who love to stick to everything that everyone is doing rather than their own opinions. He tries to convince Montag to shut up and let everything be the way they are. He, in my opinion is not brainwashed but he has the wrong view of happiness. He believe that by burning books happiness can be obtained as thoughts would be diminished... Clarisse was my favorite character in the novel because she was the reason that Montag changed mentally. I adored the fact that she was different than the others and was not ashamed of it . Her uniqueness made her special. I believe that her character was beautiful and full of life. She was one of those people who just look at the world differently that others. In three words Faber would be 'a fierce confidant'. His faithfulness and trust made his character prominent throughout the novel. Montag did trust him. Evidense to this the fact that when he was on a run the only person that he could think of to seek help from was Faber. Lastly I would like to mention the Mechanical hound. In the novel a mechanical hound was a robotic dog that acts as a "security" figure in the society. This mysterious creature is "controlled". I fell that this was the only character in the novel that highlighted what the furute could bring. In other words a non-human ruling over humans.

What is the climax of this novel? What happens? How do the events of this novel make you feel?
The climax of this novel starts to build up from the point when Mildred tells Captain Beatty that Montag possessed books. I felt that this part was betrayal at its height. (I believe that this part is similar to the part in 1984 where O'Brian turns out to be a member of the Party and turns Winston in) .

The climax reaches its height at the room when Montag's rage results in the death of Captain Beatty. I believe that this was the strongest point in the novel, the turning point. I don't blame Montag for killing Captain Beatty. It was clear that Montag had no intention of killing Beatty. It just happened. It was not predestined or predicted.
The events that follow this point are fairly impulsive. The journey of Montag is really impressive and exciting due to the fact that every moment of his journey he is on the verge of death. I felt that it was due to sheer luck that Montag escaped alive...
I trust that the climax was the most shocking part of the novel. It was intimidating to observe that in the end it was fire that was used to kill. I felt that the part in the book that really got me thinking was the part that: should Montag be forgiven for the crime that he committed depending on the circumstances?
Well according to me there are two sides to it. Montag could have not killed Beatty and “shut up” and listen to every useless word that he said. Or he had to kill Beatty and escape. Montag of course chose the second option which I think is one of the features that make Montag stand out. He knew he was right even if everyone else did not think so. His choices reflect his character and have an impact on the story line of the book through its twists and turns.

What is the mood of this novel? Do you find this novel saddens you in any way? why?
I would say that the mood of this novel is very different compared to other novels. As Captain Beatty explains the whole point of this dystopia is to keep its citizens happy. Now, isn't that contradictory? But it is astonishingly true in this case. A happy dystopia. But then again people have the wrong view of happiness. Would you obtain happiness if all the sorrow from your life would be erased? Would you even understand what happiness is until you understand sorrow? In my opinion it would be very hard to.

foe example : If you were allowed to watch TV all the time and not study or read books, would you really experience the pleasure of watching TV?

I would say that the novel has more of a pessimistic side. This novel starts with :"It was a pleasure to burn." Right from the first sentence negativity plays a main part. It was really intimidating to observe the fierceness of fire. Fire, I believe plays a main part in this novel. It was the same fire that was used to burn, kill and destroy! It was the same fire that had Montag used at first to burn the old lady, and it was the same fire that came to his rescue when he killed Captain Beatty.

Another incident that I observed at the end of the novel was the mention of the Phoenix. Phoenix is a bird that rises from the fire and it burns itself; then rises again from its ashes. The sequence of events that take place in this novel are very similar to the life of a Phoenix. First Montag realises that there is a world beyond being a fireman, seeing things like everyone else does(rising from the fire). Then he is ruined by his wife's actions, that is Mildred telling Beatty about the books(burning down). Lastly the fact that Montag fights back and is successful again to "rise from the fire". I trust that the mention of the whole conception of Phoenix effectively ties back to the themes of this novel.