One of The Best Novels of All Time!

Ray Bradbury’s science fiction dystopia “Fahrenheit 451“ is one of those novels, who leave an impact on your life.

The society shown in the novel is an understandable development of our society. New media have taken over the freedom of thinking by giving their viewers less and less time to think through the information they are given.

Bradbury uses several characters to confront the reader with the effects of these trends, the most important of them being Mildred, the wife of the protagonist Guy Montag. Mildred’s whole desire seems to be looking good and not missing her favorite shows, whereas Montag develops from a supporter of the oppressive system to an opponent of the government.

These changes are triggered by a playful girl named Clarisse, who asks Montag about his happiness making him fall into a deep depression. Montags feelings are comprehensible clarifying the message of the novel to the reader in an awesome fashion.

The way the shallowness of modern society is presented is frightening, indeed. There are also ideas on how to better life provided, which makes you feel less powerless to the changes and making you want to change your life.

The characters are evenly balanced and matching. On the revolutionary site we have a former professor, an astonishingly mature girl and the fragile but charming protagonist, whereas on the side of the government we have one very strong and intellectual individual with Beatty, who decided to support the system freely. His positions on the new media are the intellectual challenges the reader has to pass in order to be enlightened with the very relevant message of the novel.

As you can see, this book is not the easiest to read, but it pays of during and after the reading experience. The use of symbols like fire, which changes its meaning to the protagonist from a destroying entity to a warming, protecting miracle of nature, is amazing.

All in all I love the book and would recommend it to everyone regardless of genre preferences.