The novel, Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, introduces a fireman, Montag, living in a world in which books are illegal. The government even goes as far as burning books and killing innocent people. The book portrays censorship and one mans desire to overcome it. Burning books is used to get rid of information and problems people don't need to deal with, but also deserve to know. The restriction of books leads to the loss of knowledge and history of the world prior to the control. The good of this is so every person will be made an equal.
Disposing of books is the profession of the main character, Guy Montag, who is officially titled a "fireman." He and his crew raid libraries and homes, burning any books they find, in front of dozens of people. The reason for this procedure is to get rid of all published literature. This technique of getting rid of books had begun many years ago, after their nations Civil War. As stated in the book of when this method of censorship began: "Established 1790, to burn English-influenced books in the Colonies." (Bradbury 38) .
"The legal history of media censorship is abundant. It contains exciting stories of individuals and institutions willing to act against prevailing law in the name of free expression. In some cases their action forced the courts to expand First Amendment protections to cover the media. Even when their legal struggles failed in court, they inspired others to pursue victory at a later date." (Questia-the online library).
Anyone who had a book was thought to be a criminal. Just as anyone who was anti-social or seemed separated was a bad person. .
Throughout the beginning of the novel, Montag appears to be a brutal, hateful human being that loved what he did for a living. However, after meeting a young and unusual woman, Clarisse, and an uncompromising woman who is burned to death during one of his home invasion, Montag's true thoughts of censorship are shown.
