Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

“The magic is only in what books say, how they stitched the patches of the universe together into one garment for us.” 

Fahrenheit 451 is a science fiction dystopian story about a world that has banned books. The world has become increasingly superficial. People are discouraged to think and ask questions. Television shows stimulate the senses and body rather than the brain. The protagonist is a firefighter, someone who burns books for a living. In the beginning, he is content in his life. But as he meets a very curious and unique seventeen-year-old girl, he begins to critically analyse. Through the course of the story, he starts to understand the importance of books in passing knowledge, philosophy and presenting to us both the good and bad in life, society and us.

Bradbury’s work for me was more of a poetic essay. A very short read, a very linear and simple plot but one that is heavily based on philosophy. A complete contrast to the world it presents in the book.  It shows that content ignorance, a world with no controversies, doesn’t lead to a happy life. As we see through the suicidal tendencies of Guy’s wife. Human relationships are also much more superficial, as people became shallower. So, while I agree with a more egalitarian society we cannot let political correctness and fear of offending, stop us from being critical or placing self/society imposed censoring on controversial pieces of work.  

I am personally a part of this problem...

The Giver by Lois Lowry

" The worst part of holding the memories is not the pain. It's the loneliness of it. Memories need to be shared.” – The Giver

Jonas was born into a perfect society. Every little detail was organised and planned, everything was methodical and conventional. No one ever experienced thirst, hunger or pain – no one even knew these things could exist. By the time children reach 12 they are told what they will work as; even though they didn’t have the freedom to choose what area they would work, their job was a perfect reflection of their personalities. Jonas was given the most honourable job as the “Receiver”. He will be in charge of all the memories, therefore no one else has to experience pain but there is one person to remember and not repeat mistakes in history. However, when Jonas starts receiving memories he opens his eyes to a whole other world. No one feels pain but nor do they feel love, everything is the same for everyone but there is no colour – the world is grey - there is no sunshine or soft snow. Jonas realises holding memories may be painful but they hold so much warmth and happiness that everyone should have the opportunity to experience them and most importantly have a choice in life.

The Giver by Lois Lowry is a science fiction book reflecting on the perfect world and the importance of memories, experiences and free choice. Lowry wrote the book after her father lost most of his long term memory. Memories can traumatise someone but they are so important to learn from and to grow from. Memories also contain just as much, if not even more, goodness in them.

Lois Lowry tries to create the perfect world, but the whole concept of perfectness can never be truly established within the limitations of human’s imaginations. It is only subjective to one’s perceptions. Therefore when the characters in the book went through their lives they didn’t question it.