Fahrenheit 451 Research Paper

Words: 862
Pages: 4

The Cost of Happiness As once said by an American minister, activist, and political philosopher, Martin Luther King Jr. that “Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed.” This idea, shared by Luther, can be seen throughout many works of dystopian literature such as the novel Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, Anthem by Ayn Rand, and Harrison Bergeron by Kurt Vonnegut. Having freedom and full control over oneself, having healthy interactions and connections with others, and truly understanding and accepting oneself is what makes humans truly happy. For humans, it is very desirable and significant for most to have freedom and full control over themselves, as it is an essential part of their path to happiness. One …show more content…
The joy and grace in this quote demonstrate a strong sense of happiness and positivity in the atmosphere, countering the sad and depressing society that it is supposed to be. Also, the characters jumping in the air resemble them in a state of rebellion and defiance against the oppressive rules of society. Paired with the happiness being felt in this scene, there is also sadness coming from “George and Hazel” as they watch their child Harrison being killed on television, giving rise to the “tears on Hazel’s cheeks” as they are wiped away within a minute because “she’d already forgotten for the moment what they were on about” (872). This tragic part in the story insights the sadness being felt as they are being restricted by society, having their freedoms taken by the oppressors, wiping their memories, along with their emotions. Freedom is also displayed in Harrison’s state of mind, thinking he is “the Emperor” and that “everybody must do what [he] say[s] at once!” (874). His words display his confidence, exemplifying his happy state of mind, thinking he is better than everyone because he is