Synopsis
Guy Montag is a book-burning fireman undergoing a crisis of faith. His wife spends all day with her television "family", imploring Montag to work harder so that they can afford a fourth TV wall. Their dull, empty life sharply contrasts with that of his next-door neighbour Clarisse, a young girl thrilled by the ideas in books, and more interested in what she can see in the world around her than in the mindless chatter of the tube. When Clarisse disappears mysteriously, Montag is moved to make some changes, and starts hiding books in his home. Eventually, his wife turns him in, and he must answer the call to burn his secret cache of books. After fleeing to avoid arrest, Montag winds up joining an outlaw band of scholars who keep the contents of books in their heads, waiting for the time society will once again need the wisdom of literature.
For some reason this is an often referred book, that is never discussed. It does however do for censorship what Animal Farm does for Marx.
As a read, it is a little dull to read, as might be expected from a short story revised heavily to make it long enough to be a novel, but is well considered, if bleak. And is the inspiration not only behind the film of the same name (1966 and 2005) and I suggest Equilibrium.
Unlike many such books, it did leave me with two sad observations.
After so many years trying to bring education to the peasent mass, it is only a matter of time before those in charge realise: a/ Education of the masses is a bad thing and b/ The masses are all too willing to give up education for themselves.
The other is that it is all slowly becoming true
Guy Montag is a book-burning fireman undergoing a crisis of faith. His wife spends all day with her television "family", imploring Montag to work harder so that they can afford a fourth TV wall. Their dull, empty life sharply contrasts with that of his next-door neighbour Clarisse, a young girl thrilled by the ideas in books, and more interested in what she can see in the world around her than in the mindless chatter of the tube. When Clarisse disappears mysteriously, Montag is moved to make some changes, and starts hiding books in his home. Eventually, his wife turns him in, and he must answer the call to burn his secret cache of books. After fleeing to avoid arrest, Montag winds up joining an outlaw band of scholars who keep the contents of books in their heads, waiting for the time society will once again need the wisdom of literature.
For some reason this is an often referred book, that is never discussed. It does however do for censorship what Animal Farm does for Marx.
As a read, it is a little dull to read, as might be expected from a short story revised heavily to make it long enough to be a novel, but is well considered, if bleak. And is the inspiration not only behind the film of the same name (1966 and 2005) and I suggest Equilibrium.
Unlike many such books, it did leave me with two sad observations.
After so many years trying to bring education to the peasent mass, it is only a matter of time before those in charge realise: a/ Education of the masses is a bad thing and b/ The masses are all too willing to give up education for themselves.
The other is that it is all slowly becoming true