(LiE) Censorship in Fahrenheit 451 (1)

@p0stc4rds_Literature in English Censorship in Fahrenheit451___ Prose Author’s Intent ● Sends a very direct message showing readers what can happen if they allow thegovernment to take control of the media● Expresses concerns that mass media has the ability tosuppress free speech to the same extent as a tolitarian regime● By showing the systematic destruction of books, we are givenan extreme depiction of censorship as a cautionary tale● Through his depiction of the banning of books and the misinformation spread by thegovernment, he attempts to criticize censorship’s effects on society Effect of Censorship on Society● Decreased trust between people○ Why: By the government’s harsh restrictions, people are motivated to reporteach other to the government○ How: The old woman who burned herself and her books was reported by herneighbours, Montag was reported by his wife○ So what: Bad because people have shallow and transactional relationships,less focused on peaceful coexistence and collaborating with our fellow manand more focused on selfishness and self-preservation● Self-censorship○ Why: The government’s enforcement of censorship has strengthenedsociety’s aversion to books

○ How: The way society does not talk/cannot talk about sensitive or morenegative topics○ So what: Bad because people cannot fully express themselves and aretherefore sadder● Desensitization of violence○ Why: Limited intellectual stimulation provided + people are more isolatedfrom each other -> lower significance of a humanlife○ How: The teenagers who ‘kill each other’, theway Mildred has run over animals with noremorse○ So what: If people are more desensitized toviolenced, they are more likely to cause harm to others in society in pursuit ofselfish thrills and would be more blase to humans in general● The “dumbing down” of society○ Why: Media being overly simplified + Government having a heavy hand inwhat the citizens view have caused a decrease in critical thinking○ How: The government’s view of giving sides to an argument (‘Better yet, givehim none.’),○ So what: People only know what they are told by the government and thuslack the critical thinking and knowledge to know if what the governmentwants is truly the best thing for them● The apathy of people to emotion○ Why: Censorship was put into place to make people happy, and therefore lackthe knowledge on how to deal with negative emotions○ How: ‘Come on, let’s be cheery , you turn the family on, n0w.’ (Mildred) ->her response to negative emotion is immediately shifting it to another topic,ignoring the problem instead of fixing it, Montag’s lack of reaction to theviolence occurring in Clarisse’s life○ So what: When people are less open to feeling emotions, their lives becomemore shallow and their relationships with other less meaningful which cancause a less cohesive society with looser morals and values

Views on Censorship● Beatty: Harmony between people (/pos)○ ‘You must understand that our civilization that we can’t have our minoritiesupset and stirred’. -> shows the ultimate goal ofhimself, and by extension the government on whatcensorship is meant to do○ ‘Coloured people don’t like Little Black Sambo?Burn it.’ -> shows that offensive literature wasdestroyed in order to keep peace, anyone canpotentially offended by a subject so books are better off destroyed lest theyincite anger○ So what: Bad because people have shallow and transactional relationships,less focused on peaceful coexistence and collaborating with our fellow manand more focused on selfishness and self-preservation● Faber: Spread lies to the people (/neg)○ ‘(Books) show the pores in the face of life.’ -> shows that books are showingan imperfect view of the world, which is against what the government want● Clarisse: Makes people shallow (/neg)○ Her experience at school also shows how pervasive censorship is in theirsociety○ ‘A lot of water poured down the spout and out the bottom, and them telling usit’s wine when it’s not’ -> shows how the government is using censorship tocontrol and influence thinking to believe and support them● It is important to note that Montag’s development and his view of censorship isinfluenced by those around him (Beatty, Clarisse, Faber) Lines● ‘Although the books and people have fallen victimsto censorship inFahrenheit 451,luckily, some citizens remain who are willing to sacrifice their lives to ensure thatbooks remain alive.’ (Cliffnotes) -> highlighting how society at large is nothopelessly irredeemable

● Beatty says that without books, one person can’t be more or less intelligent thananother person. He claims this way of living provides people “peace of mind.” Whilemany people in the novel are not interested in books, we come to see that the practiceof avoiding books does not keep society peaceful. (Sparknotes)● By eliminating information or multiple perspectives on an issue, people will onlyknow what they are told by their televisions or ear pieces. Beatty says that not havingto worry about two sides of a question will make people happier. However, it is clearfrom the rest of the novel that the citizens of this society are not particularly happy.(Sparknotes)