Fahrenheit 451 has been written by Ray Bradbury, an American author who has received numerous awards. This work is paramount for the writer because he wanted to express his concerns about the future. It is ironic that this book has often been censored and even expurgated because of the events that are described. Nowadays, this novel is viewed as a masterpiece by many critics.
The author starts the story with an exposition. The main theme is stated in the very first sentence, and is explored throughout the whole piece. The story takes place in the future, and the society seems to be dramatically different from ours because books are viewed as something evil that should be exterminated. The reader is also introduced to main characters and their occupations. Guy Montag is a protagonist in this story. He is married but feels lonely and thinks that something is missing in his life. The author proceeds to describe a series of events that would lead to the central point in the story. One incident was especially critical because it made the main character doubt his views.
He has to burn a collection of books and lady decided not to leave the house that was on fire. It was hard for Guy to understand the reasoning behind such actions because he has been taught t that literature should be destroyed. He becomes interested in books and discusses it with Faber, a professor whom he previously met. The decision to recite poetry in front of people was a start of the conflict between him and his wife. She decides to report the main character and leave the apartment because she was not able to handle what was going on. She did not understand the actions of her husband because she was satisfied with her life the way it was and did not care about the oppression at all. Guy has changed completely, and he was not a person that she has previously known. It can be said that he has shown his true self.
The murder is the most intense part of the story because it was not expected, and a reader would not believe that the main character would do it. It is paramount to note that he has used a flamethrower as a weapon. His confrontation with a mechanical dog should also be mentioned. The description of Guy’s escape can be viewed as falling action because the events are not as thrilling and intense as in previous chapters. He asks Faber for help and decides to retreat to the countryside.
The story ends when Guy meets a group of homeless people. The main character likes their ideology and decides to follow them. Their primary mission is to recite books because they think that it is impossible to destroy something when it is recorded in the memory of a person. The leader of the group tells a story about a phoenix, a bird that dies in flames and then is born from the ashes. Guy sees a similarity between this mythical creature and himself and understands that it may be a start of the new beginning. However, it is imperative to learn from the mistakes of the past, and they should not be repeated. A new and better society should be built that would understand the importance of books. Overall, this is an excellent example of a novel that follows the dramatic structure.