In Fahrenheit 451, owning and reading books is prohibited. Members of society only focus on entertainment, instant gratification, and speed in life. If books are found, they are burned and their owner is immediately arrested. If the owner refuses to abandon the books, however, he often dies, burning along with them. Near the beginning of the novel, an old woman burns next to her books. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay His life has been doomed as everything he loves and believes in is about to be destroyed when the firemen arrive: "'Play the man, Master Ridley; today, by the grace of God, we will light in England a candle which, I hope, will never be snuffed out'” (Bradbury). He may hope that his sacrifice will awaken people to the meaning and importance of preserving records of the thoughts and deeds of great men and women Montag, which is part of the team who came to set fire to the books, is troubled by the woman's refusal to leave her house. Throughout Fahrenheit 451 the author does not provide a clear explanation of why the lawlessness of books has become so widespread in this society Rather, the author provides only a few allusions to possible causes. Fast cars, loud music, and massive advertising create an overstimulated society with no room for literature, self-reflection, or appreciation of nature. People with interests outside of technology and entertainment are seen as anomalies and possible threats. Bradbury gives the reader a brief description of how society slowly lost interest in books, first condensing them, then relying simply on titles, and finally forgetting them altogether. The technologies described by Bradbury in Fahrenheit 451 are all the result of a society that preferred entertainment to knowledge. In Fahrenheit 451, censorship is shown through the fire brigade system, a system that prevents education and freedom of expression by burning books. Censorship is shown through books being burned. People are not allowed to read books and this is the most extreme form of censorship there is. Not only that, but people who speak up are despised. The opening line of Bradbury's novel is: "It was a pleasure to burn" (). The firefighters seemed to relish their status as book burners. The banning and burning of books creates a dystopian society. This society is made of unhappiness and pain. The censorship in Fahrenheit 451 causes the characters to become mindless. The characters have no control over their lives. Millie's dependence on her TV family played a role in Montag's obsession with finding out what made books so evil. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay What was so bad about they had to be banned? Seeing Millie become so obsessed with television programs was very disturbing to Montag: (cit.) He saw how Millie was becoming brainless, unable to think for herself.