I am looking for views were the book burning actually helped society. Does anyone have suggestions or comments?
2007-05-04 06:02:07 · 9 answers · asked by Crocker 1 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Books & Authors
You've got a tricky issue here, given that the point of "Fahrenheit 451" was that the book burnings were bad for society.
I guess that you could argue that the book burnings limited the public's exposure to unorthodox or "dangerous" ideas. It taught the public to not think for themselves and to accept whatever the authorities told them to think. It put everyone on an equal footing by restricting them to the same level of ignorance. Basically, it turned the public into sheep that gladly did and thought what they were told to by the authorities.
I'm afraid that I can't see that the book burnings helped society at large - they only benefited those in power by enslaving the general public.
2007-05-04 06:19:37 · answer #1 · answered by Geoff L 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The book burning helped the future society of Fahrenheit 451 by allowing the residents to remain the culturally deprived, mindless zombies they had become. Most people enjoyed their lives of watching televisions that took up every wall of a room, getting information that is entirely censored by the government, and being free from critical thinking and artistic expression.
However, that's the entire point that Bradbury was trying to get across, alluding that such a life was comparable to living under Hitler or Stalin.
So, if you were going to make an argument FOR the book burning, I'd definitely recommend you make it satirical like Bradbury did.
2007-05-04 13:17:40 · answer #2 · answered by Robert 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The burning of the books in Fahrenheit 451 helped to keep society stable, and under control. It prevented things like war and differing opinions, which could be good or bad depending on how you view it.
2007-05-04 13:12:44 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
It relieved people from the difficult process of thinking for themselves. It made them better sheep. Wars still existed, but people no longer questioned the government as to why and how it was going.
It also seems to have removed the need for in depth conversation. There is less personal involvement (thus, less uncomfortable) in surface conversations (about TV shows) than political, religious, historical, etc topics.
Good or Bad? I guess that depends on if you think society should be made up of mindless sheep or thinking individuals. (I hear a lot of baaa, baaaa, baaaa out of people these days everytime I turn on the TV)
2007-05-04 13:55:44 · answer #4 · answered by beth 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Do you mean how the fire fighters/government thought it helped?
They thought they could control the ideas and thoughts of the citizens if their only form of communication was through the TV- which they controlled.
I suppose it kept citizens from forming any rebellious thoughts. So it was good for the government.
I have a feeling I was no help. Lol.
2007-05-04 13:15:55 · answer #5 · answered by Bridget 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The two people above me got it right. If you are writing a paper on this- compare to the election of Bush. He's an idiot. People went for the dumb candidate over the smart one because idiocy is prized in America.
Think about it- how cool is it to read a book for fun these days? How many people on myspace have a book in their hand as opposed to a cup of an alcoholic beverage?
2007-05-04 13:16:00 · answer #6 · answered by kermit 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋
The fire chief explains to Montague in the story how books make people emotional, and how that is bad for society.
2007-05-04 13:12:56 · answer #7 · answered by Niklaus Pfirsig 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
It helped feed the ignorance of America. Which, for some is better than being able to think for yourself.
2007-05-04 13:11:50 · answer #8 · answered by Keta 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Nope!
2007-05-04 13:09:30 · answer #9 · answered by Daniel T 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋