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Kris Latour
Mrs. Cramer
HON English 3
2 June 2025
Censorship and Values: Shaping an Identity.
Censorship can restrict access to information, hindering an individual’s ability to form
their own decisions, viewpoints, and understanding of complex issues. Bradbury introduces Guy
Montag, a fireman who lives in a dystopian world, where the access to books and information is
forbidden. Firemen are instructed, by law to burn the books and arrest the people who own them.
Censorship takes the form of banned books and restrictions on information, which are enforced
by the government. In Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury conveys the idea of how censorship plays a
vital role in the formation of identity and values by emphasizing conformity and compliancy and
devaluation of knowledge that leads to a loss of personal thought.
Conformity within Fahrenheit 451 is highly valued and enforced. Everyone is expected
to follow and abide by the laws set in place. Those who do not follow the laws set by the
government face social ostracism. Clarisse, a girl Montag becomes familiar with throughout the
novel, explains her views that heavily differ from those others hold, she specifically faces
alienation from her peers. As Montag and her speak, Clarisse begins to explain him why she does
not go to school and her relationship with her peers, she states, “I’m antisocial, they say. I don’t
mix. It’s so strange. I’m very social indeed. It all depends on what you mean by social, doesn’t
it? Social to me means talking to you about things like this”, (Bradbury, 26). This can show her
disconnection from others, those who do not have the same thought process as her and has a loss
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of understanding communication. Like her, Montag has a strained relationship with the enforced
societal norms. At the start of the novel, he is a law-abiding fireman, specifically enforcing those
laws that attribute to the widely accepted conformity. As the story progresses, he begins to
question the values he has held onto for so long and was compliant to. As Montag talks to
Mildred, he begins to express his developing interest in questioning the books and their contents
that contribute to the established conformist values, “There must be something in books, things
we can't imagine, to make a woman stay in a burning house; there must be something there"
(Bradbury, 48). The devaluation of knowledge is widespread, especially in the context of the
burning of books, this promotes the idea of the loss of personal thought and critical thinking.
The devaluation of knowledge plays a crucial role in censorship, driving the idea that
information is not necessary for society to function. The absence of knowledge in Fahrenheit
451 creates a loss of meaningful connections with others, which leads to a lack of empathy. This
is seen within Mildred and her friends, they have little to no connection with each other, their
conversations empty and meaningless. They begin to discuss politics with Montag, Mrs. Bowles
begins, “I voted last election, same as everyone, and I laid it on the line for President Noble. I
think he’s one of the nicest looking men ever became president” (Bradbury, 93). As the women
have their conversation, it is unintelligible. Mrs. Bowles has little care for whom she votes for,
she only cared that he was good looking, not his abilities as a president. Their little amount of
knowledge due to the censorship in their society affects their abilities to think critically and make
well informed decisions. Their lack of empathy is also derived by the idea of censorship. The
women also discuss the war, their conversation is discussing it very nonchalantly, not having a
care for what is going on within their world. Montag disconnects the TV as the women watch it,
bringing up the thought of the war: “When do you suppose the war will start?” he said. “I notice
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your husbands aren’t here tonight”. Mrs. Phelps replies to him, “Oh, they come and go, come
and go,” (Bradbury, 90). They have a lack of care for what is happening to their own husbands.
They do not seem worried about what could potentially happen to them while they are away.
Their lack of knowledge and complete void of empathy for those around them show the effects
of censorship within their society.
In Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury shows the idea of how censorship plays a vital role in
the formation of identity and values by emphasizing conformity and compliance and devaluation
of knowledge that leads to a loss of personal thought. This thought continues to be relevant today
as the world continues to develop. Many things that are relevant in the story relate to today,
especially within censorship and free speech. Censorship can affect the ability to express oneself
through their speech, which is a fundamental right. Though, this right has seemed to decline into
censoring speech that does not fit others agenda, especially when relating to the political climate
now.
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Work Cited
Bradbury, Ray. Fahrenheit 451. Simon & Schuster Paperbacks, 2012.