When I was in high school, I remember hearing about books students in other classes were reading that I never had to trudge through. One of the books I'd always hear about was Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. Recently I decided to pick up Bradbury's classic, as I was curious why people, high school teachers especially, made such a big deal about it. Needless to say, it didn't take long for me to understand the engrossing qualities about the novel.
If you're unfamiliar with the story, Fahrenheit 451 takes place in a dystopian future, where firemen start fires rather than extinguish them; their alarm rings when they've been tipped off about someone owning books, illegal goods. After a particularly troubling call, Guy Montag's curiosity begins to overwhelm him, causing him to steal and hide books in his home, soon forcing him to run for his life.
Beyond appreciating it as an intriguing read, it made me think about what life would be like if society today or in the near future lived similarly to the dystopia presented in the novel (which your high school teacher probably made you think about). But, despite the increasingly dystopian feeling of modern society, I had a difficult time thinking of Bradbury's society as anything other than fiction, because of how prevalent and important books (whether physical, e-books, or audio) continue to be in our lives.
Since I was a kid, books have been a major part in my life. You can almost always find me with a book in my hand. They're important to me, and I don't see that changing anytime soon. Fahrenheit 451 emphasized that importance, not just for me, but in general. In the book, Montag's superior tells him that books became illegal because they offended one group or another, and because books also tell about life in an abstract, fictional way, which, as another character uses in his argument, is why books are so important.
Like music or film, books have the ability to present social commentary, which could be anything from the meaning of friendship to the meaning of life (42). They invite you to become a part of worlds that aren't you own, which in turn allows you to lose yourself for a few hours and forget everything else happening around you. Even if those books force you to think about current events (*cough* 1984 *cough*), you still draw your own interpretation from them. Books ignite conversations about difficult topics, and bring awareness to the less talked about ones. They bring people together who share a common passion. They can express feelings or thoughts that you otherwise, for whatever reason, are unable to yourself. They remind us what makes us human.
Fahrenheit 451 beautifully illustrates not only the importance and the effect books have on people, but also the necessity. Bradbury reminds us of the power of books, through Montag, and how without the provocation of thought, we allow ourselves to succumb to anything mind-numbing, illustrated through Montag's wife and her TV "family." Even if you aren't a big reader, pick up a book every once and awhile. You'll better understand the world around you, and, if you find one that resonates deeply, yourself.
