Monday, January 13, 2014

In "Fahrenheit 451" How would you characterize Bradbury's attitude toward technology in the future world of the novel?

I would say Bradbury's attitude towards technology is a lot like that of other dystopian novels like 1984 or Brave New World.  He sees technology having two main roles 1) to act as a drug -- making people not really care about what is going on around them and 2) as a destroyer of human beings.


For number one, think about the role of television in this novel.  All anyone wants to do is watch TV.  Millie wants a 4th TV wall and thinks of the characters in her show as real.  Marx said religion was the opiate of the masses.  In this book, TV is.


For number two, think of the mechanical hound and, ultimately, the war planes and bombs.  The hound searches out and destroys people who want to be individuals.  The war technology kills everyone.


So, technology plays a very negative role in the future that this book envisions.

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