Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 contains shocking facts that still hold truth in today’s society, despite being written almost 60 years ago. One of these truths is that ignorance is bliss. Not knowing what you don’t possess or what is wrong with the world is good, because there is no worry or sadness over any demise. But on the other hand, it can be bad, because you still are not exposed to what you could have or be. In the end though, happiness is happiness, and you can’t tell someone what they are or aren’t. Being ignorant of what you don’t have is better than knowing and resenting yourself for not having it.

Being ignorant of what you don’t have gives you the idea that life can’t get any better, which is just as good as it being any better. We see this theme recur many times, but mainly in Montag and Captain Beatty’s memorable speeches with each other. “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. Let him forget there is anything as a war.” (Bradbury, 65). This is basically saying that for us to be happy, we can either have it all, or none, and have no knowledge of how much we have compared to what could be had. Captain Beatty is a veritable fountain of information for knowledge on such topics as ignorance, and knowledge, and political freedom. “Chock them so damned full of ‘facts’ they feel stuffed, but absolutely brilliant with information. Then they’ll feel they’re thinking, they’ll get the sense of motion without moving. And they’ll be happy, because facts of that sort don’t change.” (Bradbury, 65). This statement is telling us how if we tell people that they are right, and they’re so convinced they are, and they are happy with themselves, then they’re happy. Because happiness as an emotion doesn’t change. Being fed fake emotions and feelings through means of drugs or lies can result in happiness, but we don’t care, because we are still happy. “If the drama is bad, if the film says nothing, if the play is hollow, sting me with the Theremin, loudly. I’ll think I’m responding to the play, when it’s only a tactile reaction to vibrations. But I don’t care, I like solid entertainment.” (Bradbury, 66). Captain Beatty explains here that if you aren’t enjoying life, then you can just “supplement” your sad feelings with something fake, like drugs, for example, and you will be convinced that you’re reacting to life, not the drugs. Being ignorant of your losses and problems can be a good thing, but at some point, you have to face your fears and step into the real world.

Whether we know it or not, we never have everything, and this could either make us sad, or it could give us something to look forward to in life. If it makes us sad, it is because we want what we don’t have. Captain Beatty later explains to Montag that every fireman gets the urge to find out what’s actually in those books he’s been destroying, to find out what he’s been missing, if anything. “What do the books say he wonders, Oh to scratch that itch, eh?” (Bradbury, 66). This relates to my argument because it’s showing every fireman gets the need to read a book, to see what he’s missing, if anything, in life. When Montag is sick, he talks to Mildred about his funny feeling of wanting to kill things and smash people. “I’m so damned unhappy, I’m so mad, and I don’t know why. I feel like I’m putting on weight. I feel fat. I feel like I’ve been saving up a lot of things, and I don’t know what.” (Bradbury, 69). This quotation is showing us how unhappy Montag is, and that he’s starting to realize that there’s something wrong with his world. During Beatty’s Speech, we can see how he feels about the censorship and ignorance of the world. “Let’s not quibble over individuals with memoriams. Forget them. Burn all, burn everything. Fire is bright and fire is clean.” (Bradbury, 64). By burning the dead, we burn away our problems, because forgetting is better than remembering. Why not replace the bad memories with the good? Furthermore, we see that the easy way of solving our problems is to get rid of them, don’t think of them and don’t face them. But if we don’t overcome the challenge, we can’t claim the reward, so, is it really better to be ignorant?

Your mind controls all of your body. It tells you what to do. If it says you are truly happy and satisfied, it doesn’t matter what anyone says or does, you’re happy. Sometimes though, having a stranger disrupt your seemingly “perfect” and happy life can make you question your own happiness, and to wonder if there is more for you out there. “‘Happy! Of all the nonsense. … Of course I’m happy, what does she think? I’m not?’ he asked the quiet rooms.” (Bradbury, 10). Montag was just asked by Clarisse if he was “happy”, he seems taken aback by the questions at first, but then starts to realize that he should be asking himself that more often. Shortly after this event, Montag realizes that he really isn’t happy, and sees that it’s all just an act he puts on, to be like the rest of the “normal society”. “He was not happy. He was not happy. He recognized this as the true state of affairs. He wore his happiness like a mask and the girl had run across the lawn with the mask and there was no way of asking for it back.” (Bradbury, 12). Clarisse is the outsider who comes into Montag’s world and disrupts everything, she causes Montag to love his “mask of happiness”. Once again we can see the relevance of a previous quote that strongly relates to the situation at hand. “If the drama is bad, if the film says nothing, if the play is hollow, sting me with the Theremin, loudly. I’ll think I’m responding to the play, when it’s only a tactile reaction to vibrations. But I don’t care, I like solid entertainment.” (Bradbury, 66). This valuable quote shows once again that the people in Captain Beatty’s time want to be happy and oblivious to what’s actually going on, and to be lied to, but they don’t care if it feels right and real. Consequently, we can see that, to people, happiness is happiness, and if it feels real to your mind, then by god, it’s real to you, and it doesn’t matter what anyone else says.

For each of these paragraphs one can see that ignorance is bliss, and to not be knowledgable about our sorrow is to be happy, but it can also lead to sadness itself. In the end though, happiness is happiness, and it’s all relative. In conclusion, we must remember that sometimes, being ignorant of what you don’t have is better than knowing and resenting yourself for not having it. In the end, it’s up to you to decide whether or not you’re happy, and how you want to achieve this “happiness”.