Book Evaluation

The book Fahrenheit 451 carries with it vivid imagery and a high-speed plot, but what makes it stand out from the movie is its focused plan. There is hardly anything random in what Bradbury wants to show the reader; his words are clear and their meaning sharp.

Fahrenheit 451 is about a fireman by the name of Guy Montag who is impeccably skilled at what he does: burning books. His job gives him pleasure, and he is described at the beginning of the book as an enjoyer of the blaze. However, it is to his realization that he is, in fact, empty; his new neighbor Clarisse McClellan reveals this to him through her comments and questions of his life (or lack of.)

The book examines Montag and the world he lives in from Montag's point of view, from his first step out of a Matrix-styled world to his first free step by the rusted train tracks towards a ruined city.

I believe that there are two main things that the book reigns over the movie: focus and execution.

The focus of the book Fahrenheit 451 is to make the reader feel everything that the author wants him or her to feel, to see this Brave New World-esque community as a very possible future threat to society today. Without the backstory Bradbury provides the reader, the book may even feel somewhat bland or empty, as if it were just another book on censorship.

In terms of execution, Fahrenheit 451 succeeds in concentrating on a slew of characters without making the reader as bored as a viewer would be were the movie to delve so deep into the details of each character. Every character, from Mildred to Faber, is important to the realizations Montag finds about himself and his beliefs.

For an excerpt from the book: link to Amazon.com's reader