• Compare to present day technology, the rise of VR, the constant use of cell phones

Modern technology is advancing daily, and this is affects work, communication, and leisure. Bradbury wrote Fahrenheit 451 in 1953; think about the technological advances that we have today. Contrast his inventions with things like smart phones and the rise of virtual reality technology.

• Consider the implications and dire effects of technology as a controlling force in society, not just the poison (The Dog) but also the low level mind control of TV walls and VR.

In the novel, technology is used to control the masses and to suppress dissention. Think about the ways in which this is done, and the different degrees of control exercised by these means. Compare the force applied with “The Dog” to that of the TV walls, for example.

• The predictive view of Ray Bradbury: what did he get right, what was he way off on?

With a book written more than 50 years ago, there are some eerie similarities in Bradbury’s made up inventions and those that we use today. Discuss what Bradbury correctly predicted and what he missed. Why do you think this is?

• The question of entertainment against enlightenment, to what degrees do the characters go to avoid knowledge? How far does VR go to replacing family life and true art?

Throughout the book the concept of knowledge is scorned, and entertainment rules the society. Does this have anything to do with the high amount of suicides in the novel? Consider the implications of a society that does not want to learn, that can exist in a peripheral state.

• Government control vs private business in the present, what inherent differences does this imply?

Considering the technology we now use frequently, is there an important difference between private companies supplying these “controlling forces”? Societally we choose to make use of smart phones and virtual reality and pay for the privilege. Contrast this with the idea of a control, dystopian government.

Hopefully these will generate some ideas for your Fahrenheit 451 theme essay. Keep an open mind and truly consider how far technology has come from Bradbury’s time. For more essay topics for Fahrenheit 451 follow the link!