Farenheit 451....

I believe it’s presumptuous to assume that Ray Bradbury thinks books are better than T.V. I do not believe Fahrenheit 451 necessarily makes that claim seeing as towards the end Guy destroys both his books and his T.V. However, I do believe Bradbury is making the claim that reading gives access to a more analytical kind of knowledge, in which you must allow your brain to make inferences on a particular material rather than have that process done by someone else and have their vision projected on a screen for you. This sort of limitation does not necessarily promote exercising your brain, by using it to retain information, make inferences off the information, and be inspired to: believe, create, and change something. I believe there is something vastly intimate about a book. It is easier on the eyes for me and worth purchasing, in my own personal opinion. I can’t imagine reading a novel on a screen but I don’t mind watching a movie based on a particular novel on my television. When it comes to things like a Kindle I’m not convinced. For those who appreciate the art form of a book there is something about the format, style of a page, even the front cover, that is more inviting than the “any color you want” Kindle. Even though they both may contain the same story or information, a Kindle does not necessarily have the same aesthetic appeal as a book. Overall, I do not believe Bradbury was making a claim on books for what they physically are but more for what they represent. Books are a representative of knowledge, and I believe Bradbury was trying to assert the notion that we shouldn’t allow the government to have so much say on what we view, and what were exposed to. In this society the government exerted way too much control and concern on what the people thought. They were very aware that books could transmit as well as ignite ideas. This is something I believe that Bradbury was aware of and therefore it would be contrary to assume he thought books were better than T.V.'s because T.V.'s can also be used for propaganda. This is why Guy was always being watched.I believe he was trying to make a stance on censorship more than he was pro-books.