My favourite category of novels is the dystopian variety. There is nothing like the exaggeration of an idea of governance or rule into how it would be in the future if it were let to have its way without being checked. More importantly what always draws me to dystopian novels are the writers responses to such a world as described through the action of their protagonists. Take any dystopian piece of work - "V for Vendetta, 1984, A brave new world, Farenheit 451 in books, "The book of Eli, Wall-E, Elysium in movies - the protagonist is portrayed as identifying the problem with the world through their experiences and thoughts which are nothing but the thoughts of the writers. How the writer would react to such a world is the best part of it all - one cant but begin to think how one would react if they were in that place at that time.
This category of novels opens ones mind to how much a form of governance can impact someones life. While we sit in a democracy whose direct negative impact in our lives is negligible, we do not realize the gravity of how much a totalitarian regime can impact us. While we sit and complain about how a democracy is not efficient we do not understand the alternatives to a democracy (which many do not know exist, because we in most countries have always been gifted with democracy) can mean horrors beyond our wildest imaginations. Dystopian novels, through personal travails of its characters, educates one of how all that we enjoy and take for granted has had to be fought for in a lot of geographies and times and continues to be inaccessible to a large part of the world even today.
Farenheit 451 - the name of the book in itself was enigmatic, what could this possibly mean. In dramatic style the mystery unfolds as you open the book. There is a single line that explains that the temperature at which paper begins to burn is 451 degree Farenheit and that is what the title refers to. A fitting title, as one would see when they read the book. Farenheit 451 is the story of a fireman of the future - Guy Montag. He is the man who is enlisted in times of calamities in a Dystopian world, to put out a threat so dangerous that it could destabilize an otherwise manufactured happy world. He along with his fellow firemen are the ones who are called on to do the honorable job of burning away books when they are intimated of the location of the books. Along with the books, the house that gives them residence shall burn too and the owner of the trash would be incarcerated.
Guy lives a perfectly "happy" life working in the fire department. His wife is a happy go lucky woman who lives with her "family" that lives with her through the 3 screens that adorn their parlour at home. Guy had to invest 3 months of his salary for the 3rd screen and she was already asking for a fourth screen to complete the juggernaut, to be away from him for good. The protagonist has a hunch that there is something wrong with the way things are in the world and the thought is in his head, but nothing much else is happening in Guys world.
One night Guy, on his way back home, runs into a young eccentric girl who spends a few minutes talking to him. They have a wonderful conversation that discreetly places the idea of a not so ideal, but free world outside of the one they currently dwelt in. The girl refers to a time when firemen put out fires rather than starting them. She says she has a uncle who talks about old times when things were different and how he kept running into the law for all his ideas. Guy then walks home to find his wife on the bed after having gulped an entire bottle of sleeping pills. A team of two arrives and saves her. We get to understand that the team has a lot more cases to attend to and this is a normal affair in the world of that time - a side effect of the system perhaps, the author leaves it to us to decipher.
As the idea that has placed itself firmly in Guys mind he is called upon to a house that needs firefighting. He attends the call of duty and is witness to a scene that is the final push into an internal revolution. in his mind.
The rest of the story goes into the scenes of how Guy takes on the system in his own way and how he is aided by an old professor who is a dissenter, albeit a covert one.
The story ends with a view of the world in which all this is happening coming to an end. The ending gives the reader hope and points out how much the written word can impact our lives.
It's a brilliant read, a very small book, but immensely logical in the times we live today where the value of a book is seldom recognized.
This category of novels opens ones mind to how much a form of governance can impact someones life. While we sit in a democracy whose direct negative impact in our lives is negligible, we do not realize the gravity of how much a totalitarian regime can impact us. While we sit and complain about how a democracy is not efficient we do not understand the alternatives to a democracy (which many do not know exist, because we in most countries have always been gifted with democracy) can mean horrors beyond our wildest imaginations. Dystopian novels, through personal travails of its characters, educates one of how all that we enjoy and take for granted has had to be fought for in a lot of geographies and times and continues to be inaccessible to a large part of the world even today.
Farenheit 451 - the name of the book in itself was enigmatic, what could this possibly mean. In dramatic style the mystery unfolds as you open the book. There is a single line that explains that the temperature at which paper begins to burn is 451 degree Farenheit and that is what the title refers to. A fitting title, as one would see when they read the book. Farenheit 451 is the story of a fireman of the future - Guy Montag. He is the man who is enlisted in times of calamities in a Dystopian world, to put out a threat so dangerous that it could destabilize an otherwise manufactured happy world. He along with his fellow firemen are the ones who are called on to do the honorable job of burning away books when they are intimated of the location of the books. Along with the books, the house that gives them residence shall burn too and the owner of the trash would be incarcerated.
Guy lives a perfectly "happy" life working in the fire department. His wife is a happy go lucky woman who lives with her "family" that lives with her through the 3 screens that adorn their parlour at home. Guy had to invest 3 months of his salary for the 3rd screen and she was already asking for a fourth screen to complete the juggernaut, to be away from him for good. The protagonist has a hunch that there is something wrong with the way things are in the world and the thought is in his head, but nothing much else is happening in Guys world.
One night Guy, on his way back home, runs into a young eccentric girl who spends a few minutes talking to him. They have a wonderful conversation that discreetly places the idea of a not so ideal, but free world outside of the one they currently dwelt in. The girl refers to a time when firemen put out fires rather than starting them. She says she has a uncle who talks about old times when things were different and how he kept running into the law for all his ideas. Guy then walks home to find his wife on the bed after having gulped an entire bottle of sleeping pills. A team of two arrives and saves her. We get to understand that the team has a lot more cases to attend to and this is a normal affair in the world of that time - a side effect of the system perhaps, the author leaves it to us to decipher.
As the idea that has placed itself firmly in Guys mind he is called upon to a house that needs firefighting. He attends the call of duty and is witness to a scene that is the final push into an internal revolution. in his mind.
The rest of the story goes into the scenes of how Guy takes on the system in his own way and how he is aided by an old professor who is a dissenter, albeit a covert one.
The story ends with a view of the world in which all this is happening coming to an end. The ending gives the reader hope and points out how much the written word can impact our lives.
It's a brilliant read, a very small book, but immensely logical in the times we live today where the value of a book is seldom recognized.
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