Fahrenheit 451 Final Response

Fahrenheit 451 is a very interesting and insightful read. The themes contained within it are very applicable to society today and the direction in which it is headed. Technology is slowly taking over every aspect of human life, and, depending on the direction in which future generations choose, society may be very similar to the one within Fahrenheit 451. In addition, the theme that history is very important is portrayed in Fahrenheit 451. The society in which the book is based is full of citizens who have no knowledge of historical events which have occurred, and therefore, they are very ignorant and gullible. Also, the importance of thought is outlined in the book. When people cannot think for themselves, society never advances. The inhabitants of the futuristic America were stuck in a rut, as they had no knowledge of prior events, and they had no ways of gaining knowledge, as books were outlawed. The power within the society is held by the few that are educated and have read books. The book gives a very good view of what the conditions of a utopia would be and how its inhabitants would function. Everyone is equal in the futuristic society, but the level of equality is that of many uneducated people who are not able to make their own decisions, and they do not have the ability to think for themselves. The end of the book portrays the concept that for things to progress, they must first be worse, or they must be taken down and rebuilt completely, as is the case for the city.