Quotes from 451 degrees Fahrenheit are some of the most popular in American literature. They are repeated and copied by schoolchildren. Writers of the 20th century and modern authors make references to them in their works. This is one of Ray Bradbury's most famous science fiction novels. He has not lost his relevance and popularity so far.
Roman Bradbury
Quotes from 451 degrees Fahrenheit are included in the best science fiction books. This science fiction novel was first published in 1953. In his epigraph, the author notes that the burning temperature of the paper is 451 degrees Fahrenheit, which corresponds to 233 degrees on the more familiar Celsius scale.
At the center of the story is a society of the near future, in which mass culture prevailed. Residents rely solely on consumer thinking, forget about honor, conscience, intelligence, they are only interested in the most primitive needs.
The main threat to such a society is books. Here they are subject to destruction. Especially those that make you think about the meaning of life and the place of man in society and on Earth. The main crime in such a society is the possession of these books. For this, you can easily get behind bars.
The main character
The main character of Ray Bradbury’s novel is Guy Montag. He works as a firefighter. But this is not our usual profession of rescuers who fight fire. On the contrary, the task of Guy is the destruction of books. Moreover, both he and his colleagues are sincerely confident that they are working for the benefit of society and those around them.
However, during the course of the work, Montag is disappointed in his ideas and ideals. As a result, he quickly becomes an outcast, which most do not accept. All that remains for him is to join a small group of opposition marginals. The main goal of its participants is to memorize as many books as possible. The best books. In this way to save at least part for future generations.
Ray Bradbury
It is worth noting that the author of this novel, Ray Bradbury, is one of the main American science fiction writers of the 20th century. Moreover, the quotations and aphorisms from the book “451 degrees Fahrenheit”, as well as the collection of short stories “Martian Chronicles” and almost completely autobiographical novel “Wine from Dandelions” brought him the greatest fame .
In total, during his literary career, he created more than 800 works of various genres and formats. Among them are hundreds of stories, dozens of dramatic plays, as well as several novels and short stories. There are also journalistic articles and poems in his arsenal. His works have been repeatedly staged at theaters around the world. Dozens of directors took up the film adaptation of his literary works.
Chief in science fiction
Ray Bradbury is rightly called a classic of American science fiction, even though many of his works can be attributed to fairy tales, fantasy or parables.
If his prose and dramaturgy were successful with the public, then the verses are little known and unpopular. The main success that Bradbury achieved, according to the universally recognized literary critics, was the interest that he managed to arouse among readers in such a genre as science fiction. Before this, books in this direction have long been on the sidelines of culture.
Quotes about books
Since in fact the main intangible hero of this novel is books, quotes about them play a key role in the work. They are remembered by everyone who has read “451 degrees Fahrenheit” at least once. Quotes about books teach us to truly appreciate them, to respect the knowledge that is embedded in them.
For example, old Faber, a friend of the protagonist, a professor of English in the past, who remembers many of the best poems of American poetry by heart, says that he finally understood why books cause so much hatred. I understood why they are so scary for modern rulers. According to an elderly professor, they show society the pores on the face of life. But those people who want stability and peace in life do not want to see them. They need a life as smooth and smooth as a wax face. Without hair, pores and expressions.
Quotes from the book "451 degrees Fahrenheit" about books teach us to better understand why books should be read. The same Faber tells Montague that everything he is looking for already exists in the world around us. But an ordinary person can only realize from this one percent of knowledge. To know everything else, you need to read books.
Faber Quotes
Quotes from the book "451 degrees Fahrenheit", which pronounces the old man Faber, generally one of the key in the work. After all, it is he who is the bearer of book knowledge, which many contemporaries of the heroes of the novel have already lost or did not have at all.
Despite the fact that he condemns and cannot accept the work that Montague does, he treats with understanding that he does it sincerely and with good intentions. So, once he jokes ironically that it’s not scary that Montague was doing such an absurd thing, because he did stupid things because of the matter.
He also teaches the protagonist not to swim against the tide, but to try to correct at least something on his own in this world. Encourages him to create at least something that will help save this world. And if in the process of creation you have to drown, then at least you will know that you were moving in the right direction.
Many quotes from the book "451 degrees Fahrenheit" in English, the original language, sound clearer and clearer. So, for example, Faber explains that even a dwarf, if he climbs onto the shoulders of a giant, will see beyond him. Here he draws a direct analogy with a person reading a large number of books and due to this becoming even smarter and more visionary of others.
The main thing he calls for is not to be afraid to make mistakes. After all, mistakes, according to Faber, are sometimes useful.
Montag Statements
Of great importance are quotes and sayings from the book "451 degrees Fahrenheit", which belong to the main character of Montague.
For example, it is worth noting that this is a very honest and sincere person, which may be why he so eagerly and diligently performed the work of burning books, sincerely believing in the correctness of his work. So, on the pages of the book, he discusses the moment at which true human friendship is born. Comparing this process with a vessel, in which one drop falls after another, but at some point the vessel overflows, so in human relations one kind kind deed overflows the heart and gives rise to friendship.
At some point, he comes to the realization that a specific person is behind each book. With your thoughts and ideas. He spent a lot of time in order to write them down and put them in order. Each book is the result of this difficult mental activity.
Beatty Quotes
You should also pay attention to the quotes from the book "451 degrees Fahrenheit", which pronounces fireman Beatty - the chief of Montague in the service. It was he who laid the concept that their work brings benefit to society, and to all mankind, in the main character's idea.
Moreover, Beatty appears in the work as understanding and respecting the subordinate boss. When Montag stumbles and hides a book from one of the houses in which the firefighters cleaned up, Beatty gives him time to change his mind and improve. And eventually bring a hidden book and burn it. After all, according to him, the main purpose of destroying all the books on Earth is to make everyone happy.
He is a very mundane person who has his own, very primitive concept of education. For example, he suggests clogging his head with anything - remembering the main cities of the states, competing, who remembers the words of popular songs, memorizing useless facts. All this will help people, he said, to believe that they are educated.
Of great importance for understanding the novel are quotes from the book "451 degrees Fahrenheit." Ray Bradbury laid in them everything that he wanted to convey to his reader.
Novel influence
The novel "451 degrees Fahrenheit" had a great influence on the society in which he appeared. It is worth noting at least the fact that the work itself was subjected to sharp criticism and censorship. More than one year passed before it was printed without cuts. Particularly serious problems were with the option designed for study in American high schools.
Critics and censors did not miss the classic copyright curses in the school version, as well as references to the heroes' desire for an abortion. Two fragments of the work were completely rewritten. Moreover, there were no notes on corrections in the publication, so readers did not even suspect that they were not the original text.
Subsequently, the novel was repeatedly filmed. One of the first to do this was the famous French director Francois Truffaut in 1966.