Hello, friends! I am so ready to dive into the dystopian world of Fahrenheit 451. But before I do, let me tell you why I’m excited about jotting down my thoughts on these books. First, words are difficult. Have you ever tried to tell a friend about some incredible experience you’ve had, but the words to express its awesomeness wouldn’t come? Same here—someone asks me why I love a book, and I’m taken off guard. I know that I love it, but expressing that love takes much more thought and energy (at least for me). So, I’m writing to organize my thoughts and have an answer ready for next time someone asks.
Second, books have important things to say underneath the text and in the tiny fibers of their pages. Digging up these important things takes interpreting the book, talking about it, and sharing our thoughts with others. In the end, all this sharing of information makes society a better place. So, basically, I’m trying to change the world one obsessive, well-thought-out sentence at a time. With that, let’s begin.
Writing Style
Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 is a book that shouts, “Look up, notice things! The world is bigger than you think!” Bradbury penned the tale in 1953 out of his love and concern for books (hey, that’s the reason we’re here!). The novel takes place in a futuristic, American society where books are banned, and firemen start fires rather than put them out. Bradbury writes in stunning, image-packed prose that grabs your attention and makes you want to read more, and then suddenly you’re three-quarters of the way through the book in an afternoon.
“Stuff your eyes with wonder…live as if you’d drop dead in ten seconds. See the world. It’s more fantastic than any dream made or paid for in factories” (183).
There are many things I love about the novel as a whole, but today, I’ll focus on writing style. Bradbury’s writing is poetic, intentional, and fanciful. For example, here’s the sentence that opens the novel: “It was a special pleasure to see things eaten, to see things blackened and changed” (33). First of all, the imagery in this sentence is spectacular. The descriptive words “blackened and changed” add a vivid picture of how the personified fire “eats” piles of books in this scene. Horrific, yet somehow stunning.
SPOILERS AHEAD!!!
Word Choice and Motivation
It’s clear from this sentence that the main character, Guy Montag, very much enjoys watching the fire. The quote gives us a peek into Montag’s mind: how he views his job and his feeling of power when burning things. The quote continues, “With the brass nozzle in his fists, with this great python spitting its venomous kerosene upon the world…his hands were the hands of some amazing conductor playing all the symphonies of blazing and burning to bring down the tatters and charcoal ruins of history.” Incredibly vivid (if a bit melodramatic) and revealing for Montag. He sees burning books as power and art as well as destruction. All of this comes from one sentence describing a fire hose. And it makes us, as readers, understand where he’s coming from. It also makes us anxious for when Montag finally sees the light and begins hiding away books in his house and under bushes! His change of heart becomes that much more drastic.
Description and Clarisse
Fahrenheit 451’s writing style is fanciful. For goodness’s sake, a fire hose is also a python and books “leapt and danced like roasted birds, their wings ablaze with red and yellow feathers” (142). Bradbury rarely describes things plainly. His pages are sprinkled with metaphors and symbolism that add meaning to each scene. From the quote, we realize the books are burning, but not only burning…they’re dancing around in a way that expresses the panic of a frightened flock of birds. That’s the wonder of Bradbury’s metaphor.
Speaking of wonder, I have to mention a character in the book who radiates whimsicalness and wisdom. Clarisse is written like she’s a being from another world. Everything she does is so contrary to the dystopian, media-steeped surroundings in which she lives. She brings ordinary, beautiful things to Montag’s attention, like dew on the grass and myths about dandelion flowers. Here’s a quote describing the kind of aura she gave when first introduced to Montag—“It was not the hysterical light of electricity but—what? But the strangely comfortable and rare and gently flattering light of the candle” (37). By comparing “hysterical” electricity and Clarisse’s softer “light of the candle,” Bradbury makes clear to us that Clarisse lives in stark contrast to the zombie-like lives of Montag and others like him. Her character’s journey shows the reader how to stop and smell the roses. Take deep breaths. Remember the important things, like nature and face-to-face conversation.
When reading carefully, it’s easy to discover some incredible details in the language of Fahrenheit 451. The writing style invites us to pay attention and vividly picture what’s being described on the page. Bradbury is a master of description, metaphor, and fanciful writing. One sentence can add leagues of depth to the story simply by describing a scene or a character! As a result, we see the acts of reading, learning, and paying attention in a new light and brighter colors.
Bradbury, Ray. Fahrenheit 451. Simon & Schuster Inc. 40thAnniversary ed., 1953.
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