Fahrenheit 451 Research Paper

Words: 1651
Pages: 7

The issue of banning books has been around since the first piece of literature. Book banning falls under the umbrella of censorship and the suppression of knowledge. A wide range of thoughts exist regarding the ethics, morals, and logistics of the situation. One person loves a piece of media while another despises it and actively tries to rid the world of it. In a society where the pursuit of knowledge is being questioned every day, it is important to ask: what is censorship, does it inhibit the First Amendment, is banning books beneficial, and most importantly, does censoring media ultimately hurt or help society? Knowing what censorship is is key to knowing the background of the situation. Anyone could go into a library, find a dictionary, …show more content…
By looking at the world of Fahrenheit 451 and comparing it to today’s society, it can offer some perspective on censorship. While banning books is controversial, it is important to see if it has ever benefited society. Past legal decisions have been made regarding the issue. The most influential cases have generally ruled against banning books. Specifically within schools, the idea is that dictating which books can and cannot be read for a curriculum is a clear abuse of school boards’ power. These books that are labeled controversial are often the ones that help show the struggles and issues experienced by certain groups. This can benefit these groups by helping them feel seen and heard. Even if the topics discussed in some books are violent and obscene, they offer a view of different times that people can learn and grow from. Books can even teach people how to act and treat others in positive ways, effectively shaping readers into good members of society (King). Plus, it is not just books that have bad content in them. Other media utilize controversial topics and issues that do not garner the same amount of backlash as books