The Effects of Censorship in “1984” and “Fahrenheit 451” As government censorship has increased throughout history, there has also been an increase in the occurrence of excuses justifying censorship as a means of protecting citizens. In actuality, the effect of limiting society's awareness of their country’s activities proves to have a detrimental impact on the psychological well-being of the nation. George Orwell’s 1984 takes place in a dystopian society where citizens are constantly monitored and sources of information are continually altered in the Inner Party’s favour. Similarly in Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451, firefighters use their power to destroy all novels which represent the ideologies and values behind the freedom of thought, …show more content…
One of which involves the use of scare tactics, such as posters featuring a large face with the words, “BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU” underneath in bold, white letters. This should not only be unsettling to the reader, as the intimidating tone of the poster makes citizens believe that their every move is being watched, but it should also be of concern because of the message behind the slogan. It is threatening punishment of those who partake in any actions to undermine the government, thus creating a society in which everyone is afraid of going against the government. The same goes for the Party’s slogan, “WAR IS PEACE, IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH, FREEDOM IS SLAVERY” as the Party is trying to convey the message that the operation of the current societal system, where people are being oppressed from speaking up for their beliefs, is for the benefit of the people (Orwell, 4). This leads many to trust the government’s decisions, regardless of whether they provide benefits to the people or cause more damage to their well-being, resulting in a complete blind following of the government. Another way that the government influences the human mind is through the spread of misinformation of the Party’s intentions or
Fahrenheit 451 and 1984. Both are dystopian books. Even though they are in the same genre, they have their thematic, societal and symbolic differences. One major difference is their form of censorship. In 1984, they censor thoughts against the government.
In the world of Fahrenheit 451 they don't give you enough time to think but in the world of 1984 it is illegal. Fahrenheit 451 by ray bradbury and 1984 by george orwell both are dictatorships that censor the media. 1984 is a harder to overthrow dictatorship in 1984: the government gives no power to people, has more severe punishment and does not give anybody time to think.
The dystopian novel Fahrenheit 451, written by Ray Bradbury, and the political cartoon “Control of Internet Speech” although created in different times have a large amount of similarities regarding the rhetorical devices and themes used. Multiple editions of Fahrenheit 451 have been published throughout the years, however the version this essay will be referring to was published in June, 2013. The book revolves around Guy Montag, a fireman living in a futuristic and technologically advanced world where freedom of knowledge is censored. Forbidding books is a form of censorship(suppression of information) because books are platforms for authors to share their thoughts and readers to gain knowledge. This is achieved through forbidding books and having firemen burn those that are found.
The book Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury and 1984, by George Orwell both use censorship as a main theme. Within both societies, there are wrongdoers just like every society and that is why there are governments and people set in place to punish the them. The amount of wrongdoers in a society depends on how strict you make the society. People such as Montag from Fahrenheit 451 and Winston from 1984 were going against the beliefs of society. That is where O’Brien and Beatty step in to help Montag and Winston remember what the beliefs of society are and show them how to follow those beliefs.
The governmental censorship in both our society and the one depicted in Fahrenheit 451 behave in very similar self-serving
Fahrenheit The book Fahrenheit 451 explains that censorship didn’t start with the government it started with conflict between minority groups and technology that allowed entertainment to be more easily digested without offending anyone. In the book Fahrenheit 451 books have been banned in society by the government itself. If any books are seen they are burned right away and the house of the owners.
With brilliant ubiquity, coquelicot-hued flames emanate censorious desires as they smolder and consume all content that ostensibly bears offensive intentions. Rife with a similar spectacle, Ray Bradbury’s dystopian novel Fahrenheit 451 details a society that condemns all books to bask in a kerosene-laden inferno because they are capable of affronting certain groups. Through his nightmarish caricature of modern times, Bradbury presents a vatic representation of the absurdity and peril of social reality in which draconian censorship reigns supreme. The story serves as testament to the fact that censorship will eventually remove everything to prevent offending anyone by effacing the substance of all materials and matters and making use of triviality
Throughout the world, censorship is used as a tool to instill certain ideas into the citizens of a society. Although it is effective in conforming a society’s citizens to certain views, is it beneficial? Ray Bradbury explores this theme through the novel “Fahrenheit 451”, where he conveys the message that censorship leads to the conformity of its citizens, which results in a regressive society due to the lack of opposing views. By using the characterization of Montag, the dialog of conformists in the novel’s society, and the inner monolog of Montag, Bradbury explores the ideas of conformity, and how opposing views are stifled by them. Using the characterization of Montag, Bradbury reveals that censorship leads to conformity.
To support his claim, Weller adds that Bradbury’s article for The Nation in 1953 clearly shows that censorship was at the “forefront of his mind” when he wrote the novel. Thus, he successfully clarifies the controversial issue regarding the theme of censorship in Fahrenheit 451. A memorable saying I picked up from this article is, “Fahrenheit 451 is less about Big Brother and more about Little Sister” (Bradbury). By this, Weller explains that in Bradbury’s fictional universe, “Big Brother is less instrumental in the censorship of books than the citizens themselves who no longer care about the joy of reading.” Although Huxley’s Brave New World is similar to Fahrenheit 451, I prefer the latter, because it is simpler and easier to relate it to the world today.
We, as human beings, have always been naturally curious. We are on the search for better, brighter ideas, and new solutions to our problems. Here, in the United States, we know how important the freedom to think and being able to let ideas flow freely is. But, in some societies, people are treated different. Take the society in Ray Bradbury’s novel, Fahrenheit 451, for example.
Ray Bradbury's novel, set in a future dystopian American society, brings the topic of concealing information to light to teenagers. While censorship appears in this futuristic setting, it has been a part of history since the invention of the printing press in Western Europe in the 15th century. One article on this topic explores the history of it in the world as well as different types of information that governments restrict. The article asserts that "Authoritarian governments often use censorship as a way to restrict the information their citizens receive and to maintain power over people" ("Censorship" par. 10). Fahrenheit 451 notably explores the topic of censorship which might be a new concept to certain readers.
For a society so hooked on television and internet entertainment in so many genres, it’s strange how we never know what our government can be keeping from us. In Fahrenheit 451, the biggest topic Bradbury brings up is government censorship to make the reader question whether it’s good or bad. In today’s society, it’s been decided that it is, unquestionably, the worst thing to use concerning control of the public. There’s many cases of people censoring students at schools to avoid conflict, and the government withholding information from its citizens in all media. However, when citizens find out that they’ve been censored, all of these problems resurface.
By true definition, censorship is the suppression and illegalization of speech, public communication, and other information which may be considered objectionable, harmful, or politically incorrect as determined by the government in authority. The purpose of censorship is perhaps to protect the people, however, negative outcomes typically follow when this route is taken to control a governed people. Censorship directly attack the main characters of Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 and George Orwell’s 1984. Although government censorship was perpetuated to create a whole and perfect society, Fahrenheit 451 and 1984 both demonstrate that censorship brought on by the government negatively controls a community’s thoughts, actions, and their people as a whole.
Governments from all over the world take part of censorship because they want to keep the people from explicit content to protect them. However, the government can be excessive in censorship and not tell its citizens enough content that they are left to wonder. Ultimately, the government sabotages any concept that conflicts with its own and the control of the people. First, in Fahrenheit 451 the government censors different forms of literature.
In 1984, somebody could not go as far as thinking for themselves and one’s inner thoughts were even said to be a crime, a “thoughtcrime.” Big Brother is everywhere in 1984, the regime has cameras, audio recorders, the youth reporting on adults, thought police, etc. The government knows, hears, and sees all that is happening in its society. In Fahrenheit 451, the government does not allow any of the people to read or write books because that is the expression of one’s individualism or self beliefs. The government controls how people think and perceive things through the television they watch, and if found with a book or anything in that nature, they will burn it and sometimes maybe even the person involved in