How Does Bradbury Use Technology In Fahrenheit 451

Ray Bradbury’s dystopian novel, Fahrenheit 451, utilizes characterization and comparison to display how technology affects Mildred’s interactions with others in her society and how she becomes mechanical and emotionally desensitized. At many points in the book, Mildred shows a lack of knowledge and is immune to the world around her. This concept that Bradbury has laid out also applies to our world today. In our current society, people have become so used to technology that it has become difficult to interact with others. In Fahrenheit 451, technology has become a guiding factor in Mildred’s life and it has caused her to be very self-absorbed and live her life in a bottled up rage in which she does not externally show any empathy towards others.

One point in the story when this is relevant is when Montag tries to get Mildred to read the books that he stole, but Mildred instead goes to answer the phone and starts talking to someone about a television show that is playing. This shows that Mildred may have a short attention span and does not care about anything but her television. When Montag gets fed up with the constant background noise echoing from the parlor room walls, he asks her if her television family loves her. To this, Mildred looks at him with confusion and asks him “Why [he would] ask a silly question like that” (73). This proves that Mildred is so consumed by technology, that she doesn’t even realize the grasp it has on her. This contributes to the overall dystopian theme of this society because it displays how people have normalized this addiction to their electronic devices. Furthermore, Bradbury includes another example of Mildred’s dependency on technology when her friends come over to her home. The women were all peacefully watching a show playing on the parlor room walls, but

An example of this being applied is when Mildred and her husband are talking about the passing of their next door neighbor, Clarisse. While Montag is shown to be very melancholic about this tragic event, Mildred says that they should “talk about someone alive, for goodness’ sake” (68). This shows how Mildred, someone who is clutched into the depths of technology, is emotionally numb when compared to someone like Montag, who lives his life free from it. On the other hand, Bradbury also compares Clarisse and Mildred indirectly. Clarisse is a curious individual who wants to know more about the world, while Mildred’s favorite subject is herself. Clarisse is the polar opposite of this, with her favorite subject being “everyone else, and [Montag]” (68). This shows how technology has made Mildred very self-absorbed and lacking feelings for others. It is also shown that Mildred may bottle her frustration and then express it in violent ways. This is shown when Mildred compares Clarisse’s uncle to Mildred through their behavior when driving on roads. Clarisse tells Montag that her uncle, who is described to be a peculiar character, “drove forty miles an hour and they jailed him for two days” (6). Mildred, on the other hand, was