DYSTOPIA IN ‘FAHRENHEIT 451’

ABSTRACT

Fahrenheit 451 is a dystopian novel by Ray Bradbury published in 1953. It is regarded as one of his best works. The novel presents a future American society where books are outlawed and "firemen" burn any that are found. The title refers to the temperature that Bradbury asserted to be the autoignition temperature of paper. Science fiction deals with imaginary yet plausible content such as space travels, aliens and future science and technology. Since its settings were always fictional, there was always a need for a considerable degree of suspension of disbelief. Science fiction was equated with pulp fiction and considered to be low category literature. Aristotle in his Poetics considered probability as the seminal criterion of serious work of art. But in the age of techno-culture the very term ’probable’ is disputable. What was considered improbable a century ago is probable today? Ovid’s Metamorphosis is a visible probability in the age of morphing. Science fiction novels try to create a sense of probability through utopias and dystopias where the weirdest of improbabilities has the chance of becoming unquestioned probabilities. Discussion about dystopia is incomplete without utopia. The reason behind the existence of utopia is man himself. Man is that animal who has tried to transcend himself as well as the limitations of nature imposed upon him by imagining a better future. This is reminiscent of the paradise of Garden of Eden unconsciously impressed upon his psyche. Dystopia explains what happens when the immaculate planning of utopia breaks down and backfires. This paper is an interesting travel through the pages of Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit

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