Obviously, this is a society based on instant
gratification. The citizens have been desensitized to the violence present in the
book. The society has been dumbed down in such a way that mindless TV shows, driving
super fast, and kids killing one another is commonplace. Mildred is the model citizen
in that she has been completely consumed by the TV family, and wants no part of Montag's
awakening in the novel. Sadly, the society has accepted that death and destruction is
okay, as long as insurance has been purchased, so that no one will lose financially from
the impulsive acts of others. I think this was a novel written as a cautionary tale.
Bradbury was well aware of the atrocities committed by Hilter in WW II, and how Hitler
wanted to control his society by taking away the power of the people. One of his
tactics was to burn books. Knowledge is power. By creating this society in which
citizens aren't allowed to think for themselves, debate, critique, etc. many of the
actions that we find appalling in the book, would stand to be perfectly normal. This is
a society where you are suspect if you were a pedestrian, but killing innocent people
because you are required to drive fast is considered normal. Conversation, enjoying
nature, (EX: Clarrise and her family) would indicate the need for a file. The book
represents the morals of the business world, and the morals of a corrupt government with
no checks and balances. Unfortunatly is was modeled after occurances from history, and
there is much to be learned from this book to be applied to our society
today.
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