For more than half a century science fiction writers have thrilled and challenged
readers with visions of the future and future worlds. These authors offered an insight
into what they expected man, society, and life to be like at some future time.
One such author, Ray Bradbury, utilized this concept in his work, Fahrenheit 451, a
futuristic look at a man and his role in society. Bradbury utilizes the luxuries of life
in America today, in addition to various occupations and technological advances, to show
what life could be like if the future takes a drastic turn for the worse. He turns man's
best friend, the dog, against man, changes the role of public servants and changes the
value of a person.
Aldous Huxley also uses the concept of society out of control in his science fiction
novel Brave New World. Written late in his career, Brave New World also deals with man in
a changed society. Huxley asks his readers to look at the role of science and literature
in the future world, scared that it may be rendered useless and discarded. Unlike
Bradbury, Huxley includes in his book a group of people unaffected by the changes in
society, a group that still has religious beliefs and marriage, things no longer part of
the changed society, to compare and contrast today's culture with his proposed futuristic
culture.
But one theme that both Brave New World and Fahrenheit 451 use in common is the theme
of individual discovery by refusing to accept a passive approach to life, and refusing to
conform. In addition, the refusal of various methods of escape from reality is shown to be
a path to discovery. In Brave New World, the main characters of Bernard Marx and the
"Savage" boy John both come to realize the faults with their own cultures. In
Fahrenheit 451 Guy Montag begins to discover that things could be better in his society
but, sue to some uncontrollable events, his discover happens much faster than it would
have. He is forced out on his own, away from society, to live with others like himself who
think differently that the society does.
Marx, from the civilized culture, seriously questions the lack of history that his
society has. He also wonders as to the lack of books, banned because they were old and did
not encourage the new culture. By visiting a reservation, home of an
"uncivilized" culture of savages, he is able to see first hand something of what
life and society use to be like. Afterwards he returns and attempts to incorporate some of
what he saw into his work as an advertising agent. As a result with this contrast with the
other culture, Marx discovers more about himself as well. He is able to see more clearly
the things that had always set him on edge: the promiscuity, the domination of the
government and the lifelessness in which he lived. (Allen)
John, often referred to as "the Savage" because he was able to leave the
reservation with Marx to go to London to live with him, also has a hard time adjusting to
the drastic changes. The son of two members of the modern society but born and raised on
the reservation, John learned from his mother the values and the customs of the
"civilized" world while living in a culture that had much different values and
practices. Though his mother talked of the promiscuity that she had practiced before she
was left on the reservation (she was accidentally left there while on vacation, much as
Marx was) and did still practice it, John was raised, thanks to the people around him,
with the belief that these actions were wrong. Seeing his mother act in a manner that
obviously reflected different values greatly affected and hurt John, especially when he
returned with Marx to London. John loved his mother, but he, a hybrid of the two cultures,
was stuck in the middle. (May)
These concepts, human reaction to changes in their culture and questioning of these
changes, are evident throughout the book. Huxley's characters either conform to society's
demands for uniformity or rebel and begin a process of discovery; there are no people in
the middle. By doing so, Huxley makes his own views of man and society evident. He shows
that those who conform to the "brave new world" become less human, but those who
actively question the new values of society discover truth about the society, about
themselves, and about people in general. An example of this is Huxley's views of drugs as
an escape. The conforming members of society used widely a drug called soma, which induces
hallucinations and escapes from the conscious world for two to eight hour periods. Those
very few who didn't, John included, mainly did not because they thought the drug either
unclean or an easy escape, one not needed in a society aiming at making life very simple.
By refusing to "go along" in this escape from reality, John is ultimately able
to break from society and define his own destiny.
In Fahrenheit 451 Guy Montag, the main character, is able to see through the government
and the official policies of his society. He does so by gradually beginning to question
certain aspect of society which most simply accept as fact. Montag's job as a fireman
serves as a setting to show how many people passively accept the absurdity of their
society. Instead of rushing to put out fires, as firemen today do, Montag rushes to start
fires, burning the books and homes of people reported to have books. This was considered
by most people to be a respectable profession. But on different occasions Montag took a
book out of burning homes and would from time to time read them. From this, he begins to
to question the values of his society.
Montag's marriage also serves a setting to contrast passive acceptance versus
questioning of society's values. His marriage is not the happy kind that couples today
experience but more like a coexistence. He and his wife live together and he supports her,
though he apparently neither loves her a great deal or expects her to love him.
This relationship and living arrangement, with its lack of love, is Bradbury's way of
showing what life could be like if people not only stop communicating but stop thinking
and choosing, thus loosing control over their lives. Montag and his wife continue to live
together though people in that situation today would not hesitate to terminate such a
relationship. Montag's wife apparently accepts this relationship because it is normal for
the society in which she lives. (Wolfheim)
Works Cited
Allen, Walter The Modern Novel. Dutton, 1964
May, Keith M. Aldous Huxley. Paul Elek Books Ltd., 1972
Wolfheim, Donald The Universe Makers. Harper and Row, 1971
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