
Contents
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Pedestrian and Fireman Pedestrian and Fireman
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Reading and Freedom Reading and Freedom
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Bradbury and the Dystopias Bradbury and the Dystopias
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The Politics of Fahrenheit 451 and Symbolism of Fire The Politics of Fahrenheit 451 and Symbolism of Fire
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Suburbia and Consumerism Suburbia and Consumerism
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Nuclear War Nuclear War
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Pastoral Apocalypse Pastoral Apocalypse
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Fahrenheit 451 and Cinema Fahrenheit 451 and Cinema
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Further Adaptations Further Adaptations
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Cite
Abstract
This chapter analyzes Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 (1953) and its dystopian contexts. The novel widely is recognized as a classic among postwar American dystopias. It belongs in that body of science fiction published just after the Second World War, which gradually took over the function of social criticism previously performed by realist fiction. The novel shares an overall pattern common to two of the most famous dystopias of the period: Frederik Pohl and Cyril Kornbluth's The Space Merchants and Kurt Vonnegut's Player Piano (1952). All three novels focus on a protagonist working within an organization with which he becomes increasingly dissatisfied. Under the impact of a catalytic character or event, these dissatisfactions gradually come to a head and result in final separation from that organization.
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