Literature Essay Example on Fahrenheit 451: Examination of the Power of Words

In the novel Fahrenheit 451 Guy Montag uses words to change society. Guy Montag is a firefighter which in the novel burns books. His Captain, Beatty is the antagonist who is completely against books and thinks everyone should be equal. 

The theme in Fahrenheit 451 is words can change society. The theme is visible through the characters of Montag and Beatty. The theme can be shown through Montag, when Clarisse McClellen and Montag were talking for the first time. Clarisse asks Montag,” Are you happy?” (Bradbury 10). Clarisse asking Montag this question left Montag thinking for days and overall caused Montag to rebel. Captain Beatty changes society by using his words to enforce government laws in their area. Lots of people in the novel use words to influence society. 

The theme is shown through Montag when he meets Faber. Faber is a retired English Professor. Montag uses words to convince Faber to help Montag defend literature. Montag and Faber collaborate in hopes of demolishing the book laws. Montag and Faber create a plan to plant books in firefighters houses, therefore leading to all the houses of firemen being burned. Another time Montag uses words to modify his society is when Montag reads the poem Dover Beach to Mildred's friends. The poem touched Mrs. Phelps because Montag was reading with utmost emotion. In the story it says Montag was reading, “in a low, stumbling voice that grew firmer as he progressed from line to line makes her emotional” (96) Mrs. Phelps has never been emotional before so she takes this as a negative thing. Montag tries to explain that books causing emotion isn’t bad, but Mildred's friends don’t understand because they have been blindly following the laws their whole life. 

The theme is demonstrated when Beatty was talking to Montag in the Firehouse about the mechanical hound. Montag feels violated by the hound because Montag thinks the hound knows about the books. Beatty was talking to Montag when Beatty says there shouldn’t be a problem unless Montag is hiding something. This makes Montag go home and attempt to hide his books, and even destroy some in the incinerator. Another example of how Beatty modifies society is when Montag was pointing the flamethrower at Beatty. Montag pulled the trigger and killed Beatty. Montag was confused when he thought, “Beatty had wanted to die. He had just stood there, not really trying to save himself, just stood there, joking, needling” (114). Words transformed society here because Beatty talked Montag into killing Beatty. Beatty is a huge advocate for the book laws. 

In Fahrenheit 451 Ray Bradbury expresses words have power behind them. Bradbury uses the characters Montag and Beatty to demonstrate the power of words. Montag is a main part of the story because Montag attempts to go against the societal norms and strive to make their society better. While Beatty is a main part in the story because Beatty is attempting to keep the laws in place using words to hold his ground. Both characters use words in different ways to change their society. 

Works Cited

Bradbury, Ray. Fahrenheit 451. Simon & Schuster Paperbacks, 2013.