Theme of Happiness in Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury Essay Sample

Censorship of books and Government trying to aid us in our mental health has always been a subject of political discussions. ALA, or the American Library Association, says that by 2018 there were at least 483 books that have be challenged or banned, and that is only in America! The banning of books is a practice that seems fictional but is very much a real thing. With more than 483 books banned it is not a surprise that Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury is one of the most banned and challenged books in America. The banning of Fahrenheit 451 in many schools across America is ironic. Fahrenheit 451 is a book all about why censorship of books and banning them is wrong. Fahrenheit 451 follows the life of a firefighter by the name of Guy Montag. In the world of Fahrenheit 451, books and all forms of literature are banned. Many people in Fahrenheit 451 challenge the law and smuggle books to read in privacy, it’s the firefighter’s job to find the books and burn them. Montag has only known to obey the orders he is given, and the government he servers. That is until he meets a young girl on his way home, Clarisse McClellan. Clarisse McClellan is a young woman who forms an unexpected relationship with Guy Montag, compelling Montag to reconsider his beliefs and values that he has mindlessly obeyed for his entire life. When Clarisse and Montag first met, she asked Montag if he was happy. Montag never even hesitated to say that he was happy. However, when their conversation ended, and Clarisse and Montag went their separate ways, Montag started to question whether or not he was happy. Not too far after Clarisse and Montag's conversation, Captain Beatty, the captain of Montag’s fire department, realizes that Montag is starting to question his own happiness. Beatty and Montag have a discussion on what it takes to keep people from being unhappy. Fahrenheit 451 has a strong plotline that question what happiness is, which in suit makes both the reader and the characters wonder what the value of happiness is, what societies’ role is in making the citizens happy, and what makes people happy and what does not. 

What is the value of happiness? Well, it is hard question to answer. The value of happiness can be depicted in many different ways. Captain Beatty, the head of the fire department, believes in a rather artificial happiness which comes from the sensation that a tv show can bring him. Beatty strongly believes that books are the ruin society; “If you don’t want a house built, hide the nails and wood. If you don’t want a man unhappy politically, don’t give him two sides to a question to worry him; give him one. Better yet, give him none.” Beatty, using this quote, explains to Montag how he thinks that books can lead to political unrest. This idea is seen today in the banning of books. A good example of it would be How to Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. A book that is banned due to its offense slurs that have led to political unrest amongst teachers, parents, and imagine colored people. Due the unease it has caused, instead of teaching people how and why the slurs in Harper Lee’s How to kill a Mockingbird is bad, people banned it from being read. The government took away the people’s rights to perhaps educate themselves on certain matters like racism, ablism, sexism, etc. When the Government bans these books with strong messages it leads us to political happiness with the majority, but there will always be the minority who saw these books as a way to understand our past and grow.  In Fahrenheit 451 we see that minority as Montag, Clarisse, and the countless others who are struggling to find happiness in a brainwashed the society, the majority being Beatty, Mildred, etc. Montag and the minority have realized that this happiness is artificial, it doesn’t last. Fahrenheit 451 is a book about an uneducated society and the longing, yet unknown, feeling of wanting to be educated; In Fahrenheit 451, the value of happiness is knowledge and being educated. However, the Government and society believes that being educated on certain matters only leads to unhappiness. 

Society has often misinterpreted what the key to happiness is. In Fahrenheit 451, as society grows at a faster pace, so does technology. The people take a lean toward faster pace entertainment because of how quickly they are growing. Society, which once cared about sitting down and learning through reading, now does not care for things that take time. Clarisse expresses her opinion on the matter while Talking to Montag, “No one has time any more for anyone else” She states on page 23. People like Mildred, Montag’s wife, are Great examples of what Clarisse is saying. Mildred has lost a connection with Montag because of her newfound connection with TV shows; This concept of people being disconnected from others is not farfetched as it is seen in today’s society with a popular app called Tiktok, which have caused the attention span in young adults to lower because of the apps 7 second videos. The society that Bradbury has envisioned for Fahrenheit 451 idolizes fast-paced, fun entertainment, especially if they don’t deal with political ideas. The society within Fahrenheit 451 doesn’t like political and/or controversial ideas. They have been brainwashed by the government to believe that political ideas lead to unhappiness. Captain Beatty is a good example of what society wants. Beatty when talking to Montag states “bring on your clubs and parties, your acrobats and magicians, your daredevils, your jet cars, motorcycle helicopters, your sex and heroin, more of everything to do with automatic reflex… I just like solid entertainment” (58, Bradbury). Beatty and the rest of society play into the role of being the brainwashed, obedient servant to the government. The government does not want the society to think about controversial ideas; To get rid of any risks of the people thinking of those ideas, they control the entertainment and media that the citizen takes in. Society as a whole plays a role in happiness by not understanding what happiness really is.