Influence of Humans - Losing the Essence of Humanity

Losing the Essence of Humanity

When one glances around the world around them, they can easily pick up on the weaknesses of society. In the novel Fahrenheit 451, the author Ray Bradbury illustrates a future without the great works of literature and where heroes have become the villains. These firemen were once looked upon, however, the government wanted to keep the equality of the people. Eventually these people began to lose the essence of who they were as individuals because of all this equivalence. In the novel Fahrenheit 451, Bradbury often criticizes a society set in the future however; readers soon learn that he is in fact critiquing current society's faults such as human nature and equality.

In the novel Fahrenheit 451, Bradbury critiques society's human nature. For instance Mildred says, "If we had a fourth wall TV, why it'd be just like this room isn't ours at all but all kinds of exotic people's room" (Bradbury, 21). This passage demonstrates Mildred's constant hunger for fulfillment. Though she does not realize it, she secretly longs to be someone else. In this society full of rules, regulations and equality it is quite difficult to be divergent from other people who are all indistinguishable from one another. Even though these people are all the "same" they are all equally alone. In order for Mildred to feel like she belongs she, like much of society of today, is constantly hoping to fill the emptiness inside with all these materialistic items that she yearns for. This has a contradictory effect and only leaves her desiring more. She desires to have this fourth TV wall because the people in these TVs are unrealistic, but, they are more 'exotic' and 'happy' than the individuals observing them. Bradbury criticizes human nature to want to be a different person and the constant hunger for fulfillment. Another example is of Faber,"'I grunted a few times and subsided, for there were no others grunting or yelling with me, by then'" (Bradbury, 83). Faber symbolizes the coward within everyone. No matter who they may be people always desire to follow masses. It is human nature for people to not be the one with the diverse opinion. Nevertheless, much like people do now, they just let it happen. Much like when a child picks on another child, the rest of the children may not like but are too afraid to be different, to speak out for what is right. Towards the end of the novel, Faber begins to gather up the courage to do what is right. This represents that the coward in everyone can be overcame. Using Mildred and Faber, Bradbury criticizes the very essence of human nature.

Bradbury also critiques society's idea of everyone being equal and perfect. An exemplification of this is, "'We must all be alike. Not everyone born free and equal, as the Constitution says, but everyone made equal. Each man