Thursday, July 21, 2011

Fahrenheit 451- Question 8

I think the author does believe certain responsibilities exist between groups in society based on the book, although I might be laughed at when I explain what they are. I also think that the author was probably influenced by a great love of great literature, and a desire to protect it from alteration and other such horrible nonsense.

My idea about the responsibilities the author believes in comes from the fact that books started being banned because they offended someone or other here and there (Bradbury 57). I think that perhaps there is a certain responsibility to offend and be offended every once in a while. Offense makes a person stop and think about things sometimes, and a society without disagreements between different groups just is not natural. When people do not fight with each other, something is essentially wrong. It is sad but true. Beyond that, there is a certain responsibility to respect other people’s right to offend you. Freedom of speech being taken away is what really caused some of the more horrible parts of the future in the book, like the long list of banned books (Bradbury 34). Being offended really is not a fun thing, but not being allowed to voice an opinion when it is really important is not much fun either. Of the two, I would think the muzzle would be worse.

I am pretty darn sure that the author wrote this book because he loved books, and wanted to make sure that nothing happened to them in the future. Most people take for granted that they can read whatever they want. A book like this makes a person want to go out and read the most radical book they can find, just because they can. The book makes you realize just how wonderful it is to be able to go out and buy whatever book you want. The author was influenced by his love for books, and his writing about a world without them makes other people realize that they feel the same way.

Bradbury, Ray. Fahrenheit 451. New York: Ballantine, 1996. Print.

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