Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 Comparison to the Matrix

Ray Bradbury's novel Fahrenheit 451 speculates on a future society in which there is no real knowledge, just a façade of lies because there are no testaments of truth, books. This book shares a plot much like that of the Warner Brothers' blockbuster, Matrix, in which the human race is kept in the shadow of the truth by being put into a virtual reality. In both stories a destroyed civilization is being suppressed by an evil leader. Also, in both of these works have an average man rise from the ashes of his previous life and become instruments in the changing of the way life is. Of course, no story would be complete without the tenacious leaders who push the chosen ones to become what they are. Morpheus is the leader of the light, as is Faber, Beatty is the evil which replicates himself onto others to keep them in ignorance, just like Agent Smith physically replicates himself. And the powerless which becomes powerful, the one, Neo is the mirror of Montag, the fireman.

To begin our examination on the similarities of the two works, Faber is the inspiration behind Morpheus. They are like mirrors. These two men are veterans of the struggle between light and dark. Faber lives in his hole of a home, remembering what life used to be like and yet does nothing to stop the change. Morpheus says, ? It is this feeling that has brought you to me.? That quote is almost mirrored in reverse by Montag telling Faber, ? We have everything we need to be happy. Something?s missing.? The matrix was created to make everyone happy in the beginning, yet it failed. People would not accept being happy. The books that Faber protects and tries to explain to Montag release him from his internal imprisonment of lies, just as Morpheus releases the chosen few from...

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...ot feel right. Through his tireless journey he stumbles upon Morpheus, the one who takes Neo in from the rain. Montag goes out on a limb and exposes himself when he tells off Mildred?s friends and tells them how stupid and conceited and ignorant they are. This outburst seals Montag?s fate as a renegade of the truth. The urge Montag has from his new epiphany is so powerful that is escapes his lips. These simple statements can lead to his death or the liberation of a world.

Both Fahrenheit and Matrix, having a savior, a teacher, and an evil villain, are one of many stories that are parallel, yet, as one can see, Matrix and Fahrenheit 451 are almost exact copies. A soldier for the truth tries to enlighten the world after he, himself, is enlightened. In the end all the characters mirror each other. It?s easy to see that Ray Bradbury?s book was the basis for Matrix.