Fahrenheit 451

The novel shows how censorship severely limits people’s interests, intellectual abilities, and creativity. The society in Fahrenheit 451 has a thirst for simplistic and often violent forms of entertainment. Clarisse alludes to the number of deaths from dangerous driving, and the hunt for Montag transforms into a grotesque TV show that sucks in countless viewers all over the city. A key reason for this degradation is the lack of meaningful leisure pursuits, such as taking the time to enjoy a book. This world has banned most forms of literature, and people are so over-stimulated that there is simply no place for more restrained activities. Indeed, pursuing intellectually or creatively stimulating interests like the arts is discouraged.

In the novel, Captain Beatty is the mouthpiece for the benefits of censorship. In his speech to Montag, which critiques intellectualism, Beatty justifies censorship with his classroom anecdote about the “exceptionally bright” (39) kid at the back of the class who makes everyone else feel stupid and inferior. By banning books, Beatty believes the government has created an equal society where people are happier. This is the idea behind populism, which champions “the people” over “the elite.