The book "Fahrenheit 451" by Ray Bradbury does a good job at reflecting the history, behavior, and social issues of the time period and setting. The time period of the story is not specific. It only implies that it takes place a few generations in the future. The setting is also not specified. The book simply says that it is an American city. We learn about the history of this futuristic time period through the characters and what they talk about. Examples of this would be what Faber tells Montag about the past, what Clarisse tells him about her family and their experiences, and then what they read in books. The behavior of this time period and setting is also reflected in the book. Through the setting, we can easily learn that the behavior of this society is futuristic. We know this through all of the technology. Examples of this would be the seashell radios, the parlor walls, and the robotic hound dog. Other behaviors are reflected through the characters of this time period. One behavior I noticed the characters do not act with is love. It seems almost non-existent. Examples of this would be the way the women talk about their husbands and will not think twice about if they died. Social issues are also reflected in "Fahrenheit 451". The number one social issue is obviously the books and the need to burn all of them in existence. This was what Guy Montag's job was. "With his symbolic helmet numbered 451 on his stolid head, and his eyes all orange flame with the thought of what came next, he flicked the igniter and the house jumped up in a gorging fire that burned the evening sky red and yellow and black" (Bradbury, 3). The book's symbolic significance I think would be the control of a government and taking away the freedoms of its people. The thematic significance I think would be the value of literature and the need for it in society.
Bradbury, Ray. Fahrenheit 451. New York: Del Rey Book, 1991. Print.
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