Ethan Chan ☺
Book review: Fahrenheit 451
By: Ray Bradbury
This book, Fahrenheit 541, is a very interesting book indeed. It's likely that you won't find another gem like this. The setting is Earth, in the
distant (or maybe not-so-distant) future. In the beginning, Montag (the main character) is a fireman. But here's the big twist: firemen START fires, instead of putting them out! In a whacked up world like this, technology rules; books are unneeded. Thus, the firemen now put fire to those books which everyone hates. Absolutely no one questions this order, because they are happy with this life. Until... a young girl named Clarisse steps in and warps Montag's mind. The author, Ray Bradbury, sure had a deep train of thought when he was designing these intriguing characters. Clarisse was always the odd one, questioning things around her. This influences Montag to do things with his life, not just burn books all day. Montag ponders this, and it troubles him deeply. It's not what he's told to do with his life, it's what he wants to do.
There are a lot of confusing terms here and there, so I would recommend reading this book with a dictionary close at hand. The characters have unique personalities too. Clarisse, who I mentioned earlier, is the girl that just doesn't fit in. She questions society and all that comes with it. Montag, however, is the man opposite of the scale. He's the one that fits perfectly in, until the two meet, talk, and discuss a time when books were read, firemen stopped fires, and knowledge existed. In this bleak future, Montag is very surprised at this shocking past. However, in all exciting stories, there is at least one bad egg. That bad egg, intriguingly, is a fellow fireman. He is the bad guy, who just hates books. However, at first glance, he doesn't seem bad. That, my friends, will change very soon. His name is Captain Beatty. At first, he's just a poker playing fireman. However, he notices Montag and what he's doing. You'll have to read to find out what happens.
The theme of this story: books. Books, books, and more books. However, books are very scarce in Montag's world, and if one is found reading them, they will receive a heavy, undesirable punishment: their houses being burned down. This twisted world revolves around the way of the flame. There is no knowledge, no books, only fire. It is once said in the book: “It's perpetual motion; the thing man wanted to invent but never did. Or almost perpetual motion. If you let it go on, it'd burn our lifetimes out ... It's real beauty is that it destroys responsibility and consequences. A problem gets too burdensome, then into the furnace with it.” That's what firemen do. They lift the “burden” of books off of the people's backs. However, it's all a lie. People don't even know how important books are.
This book is literature at it's best. The writing style is so immersive and descriptive; it tells of every little part of the picture. You can almost see the scenery, feel the emotions hopping out of the book. “There must have been a billion leaves on the land; he waded in them, a dry river smelling of hot cloves and warm dust.” It's almost like you are Montag, watching the world get destroyed bit by bit. It's so descriptive, it's like a movie that you control. The author provides a black and white world, you provide color. In this way, each reading is different, but the same.
In conclusion, this is a great book to read. It's no big series, nor it is well known, but as I said before, it's one of a kind. The plot is highly original; a big plus for any book. After all, how many books are about burning books? This book probably ranks up on my top ten. I've read a lot of books before, but this one keeps me wanting more. It has been one of the more interesting titles in the library. It's definitely a good read for anyone, but it's more enjoyable from ages 11+. I give this book a 5/5, for keeping my eyes glued to the book till the very end. -Ethan ★★★★★
