Fahrenheit 451 is a novel written in 1951 and depicts a future American soceity in which books are outlawed. The book follows protagonist Guy Montag. He works as a fireman, which in this furturistic society no longer has the meaning one would think - firemen find people who have books illegally and they burn the books and arrest those caught with them. Guy never questioned the reasons the government would have for banning books, but after meeting a girl named Mildred he begins to doubt the laws of this Big Brother-like society. He begins collecting and reading books in secrecy until his own friends and family turn on him. Eventually he is found and taken in by a group of other readers like him and the book ends with Guy and these people memorizing books to pass on the stories.
* For a more detailed description - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fahrenheit_451
Fahrenheit 451 has been banned and challened by schools for many reasons since its release. The intial complaints, and the lightest ones, were the usage of the swear words "hell" and "damn." Later on parents began to complain that because the books were being burned within the story that there are too many references to the burning of bibles in various instances. Some felt this either pushed a Christian ideal on children, others felt that it mocked it. The largest reason for the book's banning during the decades right after its release, were the ideas of an oppressive political force taking away freedoms. In the 1950s, the advocacy of the government was seen as a bad thing. Most schools do not ban this book today, but it took many decades for schools to welcome it with open arms because of the heavy political undertones (and overtones).
* For more information on the banning of this book - http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Why_is_Fahrenheit_451_banned
* And for more - http://www.st-charles.lib.il.us/arl/booklists/banned100.htm
Do you think that schools should avoid books that contain such strong ideas and theories on goverment authority? Is it the place of teachers to expose students to issues such as government control? Do think a book like this would open the minds of students or corrupt them?
* 5 points extra credit
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