What universal theme does Fahrenheit 451 address? What does the author understand about human nature?

In Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451, the universal theme that is addressed is the need for books and philosophy in society. In this novel, we see the impact that lack of thought has on Guy Montag's world. Everyone is just breezing through life and not taking anytime to actually cherish it. This can be seen especially in Montag's wife, Mildred. She spends all her time in a room with wall to floor screens on three sides of the room. All she does is sit in this room and interact with virtual people that she calls her "family" (Bradbury 73). The thing about the "family" though according to Faber, is that you can't argue with it for you have the power to make it into anything you want (Bradbury 84). Books on the other hand cause the reader to truly think and use reason to beat it down. Books are something that you cannot control and that what makes them crucial. When reading a book, if you come across a philosophy you don't like, you cannot simply take it out. All you can do is think about it. Books and philosophy is needed in society because books are concrete and cannot be changed with people's whims. This is especially needed in a world like ours, where mankind tries to control everything.

The author understands that human nature needs thought. In this book many people do not take the time to really think about things, but after awhile of that kind of lifestyle they began to seek much more in life. The primary example of this is Montag. He is a firefighter and loves his job burning books, until he meets a girl that asks questions (Bradbury 9). These questions cause Montag to truly think and change his whole outlook on life. This lack of serious thought in the world makes Montag yearn for something more in life and take a stand in the corrupt society he lives in (Bradbury 86). While Montag was one of the few characters in this book that yearned for thought, he was a person who would be unlikely drawn to thought being a fireman and all. This shows that anyone can decide that they want life to be meaningful and people crave thought and philosophy.

Bibliography:

Bradbury, Ray. Farenheit 451. New York: Ballantine, 1953. Print