Even though the novel, Fahrenheit 451 was written over 60 years ago, this story can still be used to warn our society about how bad our society can potentially become. One way is by letting technology distract us from being curious and from seeking more knowledge. According to the novel on page 16 Mildred, “was an expert at lip reading from ten years of apprenticeship at Seashell ear-thimbles.” This quote discusses how Mildred is used to getting on her technology and not do any other activity. Also in the book, Mildred shows that she is not willing to read books with Montag to gain knowledge. The actions of Mildred show that people in a society can get so focused on their technology that they become too busy to take time and learn something new.
The novel also convinces us that focusing on technology can also make us humans become distant from each other and eventually not communicate with one another. For instance, on page 39 Midred’s, “Seashell was tamped in her ear again and she was listening to far people in far places.” Throughout the book, Mildred is mainly listening to what is being said through her Seashells or watching her family on the T.V. This implies that Mildred doesn’t take the time to talk and interact with others in her society. Over the course of the book, Mildred rarely talks to Montag. And when she does, she frequently converses with Montag about paying for another wall-T.V. to be installed in their house or to talk about her family on the T.V. This warns our society concentrating on our technology can make us not communicate our feelings to even the people closest to us.
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Additionally, the book suggests that relying on technology for everything can make us not use or sense of imagination in order to think critically. On page 6 it says that, “You laugh when I haven’t been funny and you answer right off. You never stop to think what I’ve asked you.” It is important to state that Montag answered Clarisse’s questions based off what he has been told. Montag never stops and fully thinks about the questions that Clarisse was asking. Further into the story, Montag starts to think about the authors that wrote the books that he has burned. These events from the novel can make people realize that doing everything through technology can make us not think deeply about certain things like how we do today.
Fahrenheit 451 can also make us realize that we will have no quiet time and time where we can do what makes us truly happy. For example, page 6 states, “Monday burn Millay, Wednesday Whitman, Friday Faulkner, burn’em to ashes, then burn the ashes. “This quote tells you that Montag doesn’t do anything else other than burn books. Furthermore, the novel explains how Mildred did no other activities throughout the day other than watch T.V. and listen to her Seashells. This shows that Mildred prefers technology over anything else. The daily routines of Montag and Mildred convey that people who prioritize technology and their “obligations” won’t find any time to dedicate to themselves.
Based off the novel, people that distract themselves through technology won’t be able to change their society for the better. According to page 145 it says, “We read the books and burnt them afraid they’d be found.” This quotation talks about the old men that Montag meets in the forest who memorize books. The novel also tells that the old men memorize books in order to gain knowledge. The knowledge that Montag and these old men have can be used to build a new society and make it better than what it was before. By the knowledge that Montag and the old men get from books, the author warns readers that focusing on technology can distract people in making their society a better place.