Ignorance in Fahrenheit 451

“Knowledge will forever govern ignorance; and a people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives” ~ James Madison

Everyone has ignorance and it will always be present. It is a matter of how knowledge intervenes that judges the outcome. James Madison describes a similar aspect. He mentions knowledge as the power that relieves ignorance and allows people to be their own governors. In Fahrenheit 451, the character of Montag is a great example. He is once an ideal, ignorant citizen, but it all changes once he meets Clarisse, who unlocks a vault full of knowledge to him. Moreover, the crave for knowledge grows and Montag meets Faber who helps reveal the meaning of knowledge, allowing Montag to get rid of his ignorance. At last, the conversation with Beatty destroys Montag’s ignorance completely and allows him to be his own governor. Through Montag’s experience with Clarisse, Faber and Beatty, Ray Bradbury establishes the theme of knowledge destroying unquestionable ignorance leading to enlightenment in his novel, Fahrenheit 451.

Montag’s interaction with Clarisse opens a world full of knowledge to Montag when she forces him to remember the past. Initially, Montag is ignorant towards learning about the past but it all changes when Clarisse questions him about the history of firemen:

“‘Is it true that long ago firemen put fires out instead of going to start them?’ ‘No. Houses have always been fireproof, take my word for it.’ ‘Strange. I heard once that a long time ago houses used to burn by accident and they needed firemen to stop the flames.’”(6)

When Clarisse says that firemen used to put out fire, Montag’s ignorant character is expressed immediately through his statement “No…take ...

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...tion of ignorance with knowledge leading to enlightenment by the interactions of Montag with Clarisse, Faber and Beatty. Clarisse unlocks a world of knowledge to Montag and Faber further strengthens it. In the end, the knowledge vaporizes Montag’s ignorance showing him the right path when he murders Beatty, who insulted Clarisse and Faber. In doing so, Montag changes completely. He becomes more enlightened and caring person from an ideal, ignorant citizen who has no knowledge. A change that is not possible without the power of knowledge that Montag acquires from Clarisse and Faber. As James Madison said, “Knowledge will forever govern ignorance,” so as long as knowledge exists, there will always be a way to overcome ignorance and allow people to be their own governors.

Works Cited

Bradbury, Ray. Fahrenheit 451. New York: Simon & Schuster Paperbacks, 2012. Print.