With the advanced technology we enjoy today, information is more accessible than ever before. Anyone can pick up their phones and acquire an unlimited amount of knowledge. However, this knowledge can occasionally be used in a harmful or destructive way. This is demonstrated in the stories By the Waters of Babylon by Stephen Vincent Bent and Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. While there are some evident differences in theme between the two stories, the similarities are pronounced. Deception or misinformed societies and the danger and importance of knowledge are both prominent themes discussed, however, these themes are shown in differing ways that have a clear impact on the stories.
In both the novel and the short story, knowledge is shown to be dangerous and destructive yet important. This theme profoundly impacts the plot of each story and the actions carried out by the main characters. In Fahrenheit 451 when Montag is called to Mrs. Blake’s house to burn the books, the woman refuses to leave her house:
The woman on the porch reached out with contempt to them all and struck the kitchen match against the railing I want to stay here (40).
Mrs. Blake’s insistence on staying in the house and burning with it demonstrates her passion and need for books and shows that even though they are portrayed as dangerous in society, she is willing to die because of their importance to her. Furthermore, Montag truly learns the importance of books when he reconnects with Faber. Faber’s experience as an English teacher has given him great wisdom and knowledge:
I don’t talk things, sir, said Faber. I talk the meaning of things. I sit here and know I’m alive (75).
Faber’s deeper understanding of information greatly impacts Montag in a way that makes him curious about books and what information they hold. This creates a passion and hunger for knowledge in Montag and leads to his rebellion against society, which he would never have done without Faber. On the other hand, John from By the Waters of Babylon learns of the danger of knowledge after he visits the Place of the Gods. After having visions of the downfall of the past society, John thinks,
It was not idly that our fathers forbade the Dead Places Perhaps, in the old days, they ate knowledge too fast (184).
This illustrates the past society’s use of knowledge in such a dangerous way that it eventually led to their demise, and also the current society’s recognition of their mistakes. The prohibition of the Dead Places implies that the post-war society does not want people to acquire access to the information there in order to prevent the same mistakes that occurred in the past. Nevertheless, John believes the information that the gods had is exceptionally important and that he can use it wiser than his ancestors to rebuild his society.
While the societies in both stories are led to believe knowledge is dangerous, this is shown and interpreted in different ways. The symbols of knowledge in each story differ, which creates different emotions and reactions in their respective societies. In Fahrenheit 451, knowledge is portrayed in books, whereas it is entrusted to the Gods in the short story. John’s society believes in intelligent and knowledgeable Gods that used to occupy a large city, which is forbidden to go to. During John’s journey east, he describes, …
When I came to the Place of the Gods, I was afraid, afraid I could feel evil spirits about me (179).
This helps explain the fear of the Gods that people hold and the beliefs of the reborn civilization. If such fear was not invoked, people might travel east more frequently and learn the same things that John has. In contrast, the government in Montag’s city has censored books in an attempt to hide the sometimes controversial intelligence that they hold. While Beatty is talking to Montag when he is sick, he says, You must understand that our civilization is so vast that we can t have our minorities upset and stirred. People want to be happy (59). This shows the reasoning for the censorship; sadness and other negative emotions are associated with books, thus they have been censored. As a result, the citizens believe the books are both useless and problematic. For instance, after Montag burned down Mrs. Blake’s home and returned to Mildred, he says,
There must be something in books, things we can’t imagine, to make a woman stay in a burning house; there must be something there. You don’t stay for nothing (51).
This implies that the public thinks there is nothing in books and thus do not care about them, yet the people that read books and appreciate them are able to see their importance. The distinct differences in the way knowledge is portrayed greatly impact the reaction society has to it and the events that occur in the stories.
Lastly, deception and misinformed societies are prominent in both Fahrenheit 451 and By the Waters of Babylon. In both civilizations, the truth is being withheld, causing certain individuals to seek answers. On one hand, the citizens living in Montag’s city have been led to believe things have always been the way they are currently. For instance, one day when Clarisse is talking to Montag, she asks,
Is it true that long ago firemen put fires out instead of going to start them? [Montag responds, ] No. Houses have always been fireproof, take my word for it (8).
This proves that everyone has been deceived into thinking things that are not true, and some people have become curious enough to question about it. Clarisse’s questions and unique personality lead Montag to become more curious, and eventually learn more about the information his society has been wrongly taught. On the other hand, John and his people believe that the Gods were ethereal and possessed magical powers. However, at the end of the story, John has visions about the demise of the Gods and sees a dead body in a chair and thinks, … For then I knew he was a man – I knew then that they had been men, neither gods nor demons (184). This realization is surprising to John because it greatly contrasts what his civilization has been taught to believe. This truth is extremely little known, which is why it is illegal to journey to the Place of the Gods. Furthermore, John thinks,
…I wished to tell all the people but he showed me otherwise It is better the truth should come little by little (184).
This proves that the society is so misinformed that they could not handle the truth all at once. The theme of the deception of society impacts the novel and the short story similarly and clearly contributes to the overall message of the two stories.
Although there are pronounced differences in the stories in that they portray the themes in different ways, it is clear that the similarities in the themes of the danger of knowledge and deception of society have greater importance in each story. Knowledge leads to the destruction of society in both stories, yet this is displayed in different forms such as Gods and books. In addition, both civilizations are misinformed about this danger, which causes certain individuals to seek the truth. Overall, the themes in these stories show that even though knowledge can be used in a dangerous and destructive way, it can conversely be important to the development of society and to eliminate inanity from life. The realization of this by John and Montag cause them to rebel against society and change for the better; as Confucius once said, Real knowledge is to know the extent of one’s ignorance.
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