Published in October 1953 against the backdrop of the Cold War, the rise of television, and a robust advertising onslaught,

has resonated throughout the decades. The enduring legacy of this novel can be found not only in the classrooms it proliferates, but also in the technology that surrounds us in the 21st century. So much more than science fiction,

challenges readers to consider the distraction of electronic devices; to bemoan the lack of real communication between neighbors, friends, family, and colleagues, and to rethink that anti-depressant or tranquilizer that may be lurking in the medicine cabinet. Prescient and cutting edge even sixty-one years after its initial publication,

remains Ray Bradbury’s crowning achievement.

The first

2788 words

Citation: McQuillan, Jennifer . "Fahrenheit 451". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 05 August 2014 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=5237, accessed 16 April 2024.]