Fahrenheit 451. It's the temperature at which books burn. This story is set in a future where all books are burned, where the disposal of the written word is an unquestioned law. Guy Montag is a "fireman", one of the men hired by the government to burn down any houses in which books are hidden. For ten years he worked at his job, loved the job, never questioning if what he did was right. But that all changes when he meets Clarisse, a seventeen-year-old who does dare to question.

Clarisse is considered an oddball by society, but to Montag she seems wonderful. She asks questions he had never imagined, notices details he had never considered, comes up with ideas he could never have conceived. On the night Montag meets Clarisse, she asks him, "Are you happy?" And he realizes, for the first time, that he isn't. His wife spends all her time watching TV and never talks to him. She even attempts suicide, but won't admit it.

Montag is curious to find out what is inside of books, what power they hold that is so great the government must ban it. So he decides to try to change things, calling on the help of a retired English professor to steal books and plan a revenge on firefighters everywhere. But when Montag's treachery is revealed, he is forced to flee town, narrowly escaping the police. Winding up with a group of professors-turned-hobos, Montag learns of their work to preserve great literature and decides to join their ranks.

Fahrenheit 451 is a very interesting novel. For one thing, it takes place in an unusual and intriguing setting. Although the story was written in the 1950's, it occurs in "the future". Ray Bradbury came up with some fascinating innovations, such as jet cars that can go hundreds of miles an hour, surround-screen, interactive TVs, mechanical hounds than can sniff down and kill or capture criminals, and fireproof houses. Bradbury also presents creative questions about the results of these innovations. If cars were able to go faster, would billboards have to be made longer to enable drivers to read them? And if you only saw things at high speed all the time, would you picture them as the blurs they appeared? Would there have to be a minimum speed limit?

One of the best aspects of this novel were the characters. Creative, appealing and well-developed, the people in the book are one of the main motives to keep reading. First there is Montag, the protagonist, but a far-from-perfect hero. He is quick-tempered, blundering and often acts rashly or ignorantly. But behind the clumsiness is a passionate yearning for knowledge, reason and meaning that everyone can relate to. So in spite of, or perhaps because of his flaws, the reader truly sympathizes with Montag. A more perfect main character would have made for a boring read.

Then there is Clarisse McClellan, who is spite of her youth seems to be the most mature. Her tantalizing questions and innocent curiosity are what motivate Montag to action. There is Faber, a retired English teacher, whose strange cowardice doesn't prevent him from assisting Montag behind the scenes. And finally there is Captain Beatty, the "bad guy", a man of remarkable persuasiveness and power. Beatty is alluringly evil and mysterious: He is remarkably well-read, yet has a passionate loathing for books. Beatty's death is no less fascinating than his character, and it leaves the reader satisfied yet thoughtful.

Contrary to the interesting characters and setting, Bradbury's writing style is less than could be desired. The book is written in a random, scattered, meandering way. At some points the story begins to flow, but then Bradbury throws in some confusing imagery or an obsolete reference or an unneeded, prolonged comparison. This distracting description can sometimes go on for pages, and soon the reader begins to wonder how it relates. The novel also has a very distant tone. Perhaps because of the choppy style, the reader never gets very close to the characters or the plot. This does not make for a compelling read.

However, in some parts, Bradbury gets it right. The suspense builds, the references make sense, and theoretical situations become alive and vivid in the reader's mind. For example, the author does a great job of describing fire and the fireman's job. While others might have left the reader confused at to why anyone would ever consider burning books for a profession, Bradbury makes it clear. It is exciting and powerful to destroy with color and heat and constant, shifting movement. It is like an obsession and a dream to Montag. This is why he never even considered the consequences of what he was doing.

Bradbury also does a good job of conveying powerful themes about censorship. He uses Beatty as a persuasive tool to show the reader how it would be possible, in the future, for the government to completely ban anything that might make people think at all. How in the desperate search for happiness, any choices, controversies, or complex thinking might be abandoned for wild, mindless, exhilarating games. He makes the reader appreciate all the literature and culture that our society preserves.

The ending of this novel is surprising but satisfying. In a matter of seconds, Montag's world is completely destroyed, but a new and more promising future rises from the ashes. Full of death, yet unemotional, this novel is obviously not meant to be sentimental.

Overall, Fahrenheit 451 was a worthwhile read. Although the plotline is choppy and the tone is distant, the story contains invaluable lessons and reminders about the daunting possibilities of censorship in the future

Always reading,
JasmineK