Emma Morrison
Lisa Altepeter
English Honors
22 March 2023
Culminating Essay Final “We burned a thousand books. We burned a woman” (Bradbury 47). Fahrenheit 451 is a dystopian novel written by Ray Bradbury. It tells a story about what life would be like in a society where books are illegal. Bradbury wrote this novel during a time when few shared his fear of television, so this was his way to warn the world of its danger. Moreover, the characteristics of society impact an individual’s ability to access information and form their own values and morals to a great extent. The author’s use of imagery and metaphors reinforces this idea. There is no doubt that society largely impacts someone’s ability to access knowledge. Ray Bradbury conveys
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Bradbury’s use of metaphors and the short story “The Lottery” supports this concept. Old Man Warner from “The Lottery” states, “‘First thing you know, we’d all be eating stewed chickweed and acorns. There’s always been a lottery,’ he added petulantly” (Jackson 4). This town has no reason for participating in the lottery other than that it has always been a tradition. Once again, fear has consumed society into dismissing any notion other than tradition. Due to this people will withhold their true morals and values because sharing these beliefs isn’t worth being outcasted by society. Fahrenheit 451 uses a metaphor, “Civilian parlor-sitters who had been woken from sleep a few minutes ago by the frantic sirening of their living room walls to come and watch the big game, the hunt, the one- carnival” (Bradbury 128). The metaphor used by Bradbury shows how society brainwashes its citizens into accepting the norm. There isn’t just a metaphor between Montag’s experience and a carnival, there is also a metaphor to be applied to everyday life. Montag represents an average individual while the carnival comparison shows how society pushes a specific ideology. This ideology outcasts all other opinions, therefore, limiting an individual’s ability to think for themselves. Ray Bradbury’s use of metaphors and “The Lottery,” proves that society restricts one’s ability to create their own values and