Fahrenheit 451

Seeing the movie Fahrenheit 451 two weeks ago, I was fascinated by the meaningful plot and the allegory behind the scenes. The movie was filmed in 1966, directed by François Truffaut, an influential French director, and played by Oskar Werner and Julie Christie, who also known as a famous actor and actress. The film is based on the novel written by Ray Bradbury. The name “Fahrenheit 451” refers to the temperature at which books and papers start burning. The movie takes place in an unspecific future, and the main character, Montag, a fireman whose job is not put out fire, but burning books instead. In his world, books are dangerous and forbidden because they help people think independently. Those people who being reported reading books would be sent to mental hospital and the books would be burned into ashes. At beginning Montag is enjoy in his work burning books. One day after back from work on his way home. He accidentally meets his neighbor Clarisse, whose free-thinking spirits force him to question his life and the definition of happiness. Returning home, he finds his wife Linda asleep with an empty bottle of sleeping pills next to her and he calls for help. This incident forces him to question the state of his society and prompts his motive to read books. As the plot progressing, the development would become unpredictable and interesting later on.
By observing Montag’s characteristic changing from obedient to independent thinking. His transformation inspired and reminded me that everyone is one of the kind, everyone is special. Moreover, for me the movie is also like a soothsayer, presenting an ideal of a future formed by non-thinkers and non-readers and people with no sense about their history. From the film, recalling the book burning part, I keep wondering the meanings behind this film, trying to read between the lines. Should government repress people’s rights of reading books? The government plays a controlling role to dominate the people in society. In this film they try to keep people from reading books just like the governor in our world tries to repress people, for instance, Main Land China is controlling the mass media and the Internet which prevent their people to know the negative truth of the government. Why are people in our society sitting in the couch watching TV instead of reading books? This is another issue that comes up in my mind. Most of people today are not read books as often as before. They rather spend their time with their computer and TV. That brings one more problem which they do not spend time with their friends nor family neither. I think that is the reason people ignore the significance of the relationship with others and the cause of bringing so many social problems. These questions should take seriously by our society. However, this inspiring movie indeed gives me several issues of my life to think about.

Film introduction from Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fahrenheit_451

Written by William(491)