Essay, Research Paper: The Culture Of Censorship In Fahrenheit 451

The power of one idea is overwhelming. It can change one individual's outlook on a society. Censorship is an example of such an overwhelming idea. That one idea changed the way people in the novel thought. Most people followed the idea of censorship; however Ray Bradbury focuses on one man who didn't. Mindless pleasure seeking and materialism end up destroying the culture and most of the people in Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451.
Regardless of who the first book burner was, people began to follow this mindless act of destruction. As opposed to putting out fires, firemen started fires. Guy Montag was one of these trustworthy firemen. People took great pride in watching the fires being started and houses being burned. Fires were always started at night. Everyone said they were more beautiful at night. People had no part in the fires with the exception of watching the fires.
The people in the novel focus on the destruction of books through fire as a form of entertainment and also focus on material things as pleasure seeking activities. The entire culture revolved around advances in technology such as T.V's, radios, and self-buttering toasters. These material things gave people happiness. A good example of someone who was brain-washed by the material possessions was Guy Montag's wife Mildred. She was so convinced by the people on the television that she was unable to think for herself. When Montag eventually questioned the mindless pleasure seeking, his wife was too wrapped up in her life to think twice.
The mindless pleasure seeking and materialism may have been most entertaining and powerful for firefighters such as Montag, until he began to question this destruction. Montag was entertained with his line of work for a while. There was a turning point where Montag started questioning his job and the culture around him. When Montag saw an old lady die for her books, he realized that there was nothing wrong with the books everyone was burning. Ray Bradbury points out that not everyone will follow the leader. There will be a few who stand up for what they believe in. It s not easy for Montag to question someone in a society where everyone is bound by one belief.
The characters such as Montag and Mildred (essay written by Bryan Thomson) show that mindless pleasure seeking and materialism have the power to destroy one s ability to think for himself/herself. While Mildred is the victim of the mental brutality in their culture, Montag is able to save himself. Ray Bradbury leaves this story open for the reader to realize change is possible and anything can happen. Finally the reader must interpret this message so that he/she realizes that following a single idea is unhealthy.