Why Students Should Read Fahrenheit 451

Carmen Bray
3 min readApr 19, 2022

One of the novels and stories that I have laid my hands on, and read, Fahrenheit 451 stands out as one of the pieces of literature that talks about the future of America’s books landscape. The novel pictures the Future of an American society where books are banned and Guy Montag (the main character acting as the fireman) burns books any books written.

This novel talks about the future of the learning and teaching world and it’s important for students and the world in many ways.

In this article, I’m going to talk about why Fahrenheit 451 should be taught in schools.

Fahrenheit 451 is a dystopian novel that was first published in 1953 and is still worthwhile to teach students today and in the future.

In the novel, Ray Bradbury, the author presents a story featuring characters that look deeper into the future of society acknowledging that now everything you see, told, or hear is true.

Below, we’ll take a look at why students should read Fahrenheit 451 but before that, here is a quick summary.

Why Should Fahrenheit be Taught in Schools?

There are tons of Fahrenheit essay topics out there that students can explore to understand what the novel entails. Undoubtedly, Fahrenheit 451 is a perennial favorite for students and educators of today. Most of the Fahrenheit 451 essay examples demonstrate exactly how the novel tries to defend literature and censorship.

Read on to learn why students should read Fahrenheit 451.

The Distraction Caused by Technology

In today’s digital world, technology comes as a blessing and a curse. While it has made life easier for many people, it has also been a source of distraction for many.

In the novel, Bradbury creates a scenario connected to our modern lives in the parlor of walls where people, including his own wife Mildred, are glued to their favorite shows. The author paints a picture of addiction to these programs where Mildred can’t get enough of the programs to the extent that Montag starts to see how the technology has distracted them to the extent they can’t recognize how it’s affecting them.

Today’s culture continues to be distracted by interactive apps such as social media, games, and other technologies readily available on our smartphones.

Students should read Fahrenheit 451 to question the extent technology distraction is affecting their lives.

Information Censorship

Information censorship is also another key theme covered in the novel where the author explores how today’s governments try to limit or restrict their citizens from accessing certain information.

The “fireman” burning any book he finds is a depiction of how the government controls what information people should access, read or consume.

Ignorance on Knowledge

The author demonstrates how knowledge is an invaluable tool in the hands of people. From censorship to the burning of books and the killings of people who break the rules enforced by the state is an attempt to keep people uninformed and uneducated so that their will and rights can be controlled easily. Montag meets people who convince him that he should burn books so that people don’t get the knowledge to stay uninformed and uneducated.

He defects when reality hits him as he gains knowledge and the state becomes his enemy.

Undoubtedly, Fahrenheit 451 is a must-read novel since it teaches students and society much about books and knowledge.

Have you ever read this novel?

If not then go ahead and read it. If you have read it, please share what you learned.

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Carmen Bray
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Writer, blogger, academic mentor, tutor.