By Lylyan Yenson, Staff Writer & Isabella Purdy, Staff Writer
“Fahrenheit 451” is a novel by Ray Bradbury about a dystopian future where books are illegal. Guy Montag, a fireman, has the job of burning all books that he finds or people own. All goes well for Montag until he begins to question his job after meeting his mysterious neighbor Clarisse.
The main idea or theme behind this novel is that the planned death of intellectualism and individual thought for the purpose of control is occurring in the book. Books are condemned in the narrative’s materialistic society that detests the values of love, friendship, and free thought.
This novel appeals to a wide range of people. It can fit in with people who appreciate science fiction, dystopian worlds and texts with much deeper meanings. This novel is different from the rest because of its deeper theme and warning to us about the future.
Influenced by Cold War ideas as well, this book will forever remain unique for also being the first to picture earbuds for readers and is considered by Bradbury to be his only work of science fiction.
“The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho is a parable about a young boy who simply wants to follow his dreams. Growing up, Santiago’s parents wanted him to be a priest, but he dreamed of traveling the world and seeing what was beyond their small fields. His father told him that the only people who were able to do that in their small rural area were the shepherds. Santiago immediately decided to give up everything and become a shepherd.
Along the way, he dreams about a treasure among the pyramids in Egypt. His mentor, Melchizedek, tells him to follow his dreams and that the greatest lie in life is that people have no control over their destiny. He sold his flock and was on the first ship to Africa to follow his dreams.
On his journey, he met several different people who all taught him a lesson about the world, but the person who changed his views about the world was the Alchemist. The Alchemist made him see the world in a different light and helped him discover the Language of the Soul. At the end of his journey, he arrives in Egypt, but is told the treasure is back in Spain where he started his adventure.
Both classic reads offer different perspectives and struggles that people face. “Fahrenheit 451” is for dystopian society lovers with a slice of historical fiction. The main conflict of this book revolves around the government controlling the citizens and burning books to keep knowledge away from them. “The Alchemist” highlights several important themes and messages about how people should follow their dreams and persevere to achieve their goals in life. Talking about fate, omens, and destiny, this book is for the dreamers and believers in our society.
