Ray Bradbury's novella Fahrenheit 451 illustrates a world run by technology; this world parallels the one we live in today. The book and the world today are similar because of medicine, communication, automobiles, advertising, and the increase of violence.
In the book Mildred attempts suicide by taking more sleeping pills than she should normally be taking. Two guys that look like plumbers, and are not even doctors, come to the house and give Mildred a blood transfusion. All of these things are like today's world in medicine. Suicide rates are getting higher each year. This is partly because of the increase of technology. This is because technology can increase the loneliness in a person, because they are usually shut off from the outside world. In today's society if something is wrong, a pill is perscribed. This is not always the right thing to do. Today medicine is so advanced that we are able to do blood transfusions as a more regular procedure than fifty years ago.
Communication in the book is seen through televisions, the seashells, and the bullet. “It'll be even more fun when we can afford to have the fourth wall installed.” (19). This quote is said by Mildred to Guy. She says this because she is upset by the fact that there are only three wall televisions instead of four. She says that it will be more fun because that means she can interact with four people by ways of the television, thus shutting herself away from the real world even more.
The seashells can be seen worn by people in the book. “And in her ears, the little seashells, the thimble radios tamped tight, and an electronic ocean of sound, of music and talk and music and talk coming in, coming in on the shore of her unsleeping mind” (12). This is the reason that Mildred has sleeping pills, because she can not let go of technology, not even to sleep. The bullet is a small device that can fit easily into somebody's ear, allowing two people to communicate.
Today, televisions are becoming a little interactive. There are some shows for little kids that have the characters asking the viewer questions, then little kids watching will give their answer. Also video games can be put into this category. Video games are becoming a way to socialize with people with online play. The seashells in the book are similar to the mp3 players that are around today. The bullets are the cell phones of today's world. It is almost a must-have nowadays to have a cell phone.
In Fahrenheit 451 the automobiles are little beetles. “I always like to drive fast… You get it up around ninety-five and you feel wonderful.” (64). Mildred said that she would just drive on for fun because of the fast speeds. Today's society cares about how fast we go. Even one of the most growing sports is NASCAR.
Advertising in both the book and in today's world is everywhere. Advertisers just try to get the consumer to remember their product. In the book this was shown on the subway with everybody singing the jingle for Denham's Dentrifice. Today, there are commercials everywhere you turn; television, radio, billboards, and even in the newspaper. All of this an effort to make us remember their product when we are shopping.
Kids in Fahrenheit 451 go to Fun Parks after school. This is a place where the kids just destroy things. “I'm afraid of children my own age. They kill each other. Did it always use to be that way?” (30). This is said by Clarrise to Guy. This shows that violence is on the rise and you can see that in today's society. There is more crime and murder today than 50 years ago and TV, movies, and video games could probably influence this. Most of these show violence and these are the things that kids today are into.
These reasons show that there are many ways that both our world and the one that Ray Bradbury created are parallel to each other.
