Exposition of Dystopia as a Posthumanist Reality in Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451

Abstract

The literature that preceded the late twentieth century was prescient in its renunciation of the traditional forms of writing and narratives; it predicted a war-torn aftermath and with it, different experimental ways to deconstruct the abysmal state of affairs all around the world and Europe, in particular. The desire for utopia was swiftly overthrown by the reality of a world brought to ruins by powers relentlessly trying to seize control of the citizens. The “dystopian’’ milieu rendered in the works of the twentieth century bears the transition that literature was going through on account of the totalitarian tendencies gaining widespread traction. Dystopian writers highlight the posthumanist condition of man wherein he is viewed as an adjunct to the technological and scientific developments. They use their works to issue warnings about the status of the socio-political construct. With the idea of cultivating a spiritual core and seeking solutions for social problems, dystopian writers call for introspection, progress, and self-improvement. This paper studies Ray Bradbury’s depiction of dystopia in Fahrenheit 451 and how he uses his authorial power to investigate and denounce authoritative monolithism. His presentation of dystopia is looked at from a posthumanist lens. The paper attributes most space to technological domination and its subversive influence on the citizens of a state.