Fahrenheit 451 Technology Analysis

The characters in the dystopian world of Fahrenheit 451 rely heavily on technology to provide entertainment, transportation, and social interactions. Guy Montag, a firefighter who burns books and houses in the novel, usually complies to what society considers normal. His everyday routine shows how immersed he is in the technology around him. The descriptions of the air-propelled trains, an entire room where the walls are made of television screens, and inescapable advertisements are very prominent in the book. On the air train en route to Faber’s house, Montag tries to decipher a Bible passage but radio advertisements constantly disrupt his focus. “The train radio vomited upon Montag, in retaliation, a great tonload of music made of tin, copper, silver, chromium, and

In the novel, Montag simply allows the technology he uses to take control of him. “...he let the escalator waft him into the still night air” (Bradbury 4). Montag’s dependence on technology is highlighted by the fact that he resigns himself to the escalator. Another example of familiar technology is the door-voice Montag and Mildred always utilize (Bradbury 72). The door-voice lets them know when someone comes to their house, before the visitor even reaches the door. In today’s world, many people have doorbells equipped with a camera that is sensitive to motion. This alerts the homeowner while showing a live video feed of the person outside. Seemingly simple technologies like these may become omnipresent in the near future, as described in Fahrenheit 451. Cell phones and computers are already heavily relied on for transportation, news, entertainment, information, a sense of security and all sorts of social interactions. It gives a sense of instant gratification, as it did for the characters, but this level of dependence on technology might have unforeseen consequences over