Quotes from Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451

Introduction

Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 is a dystopian classic that has inspired generations of readers. It is the story of a future society in which books are banned and firemen are tasked with burning them. This is a novel that speaks to the power of knowledge and the value of books and literature to our civilization.

The novel is full of thought-provoking quotes that address censorship, knowledge, freedom of expression, and other topics that can cause readers to pause and reflect. Here are some of the best quotes from Fahrenheit 451.

Quotes from Fahrenheit 451

On Censorship

"The good writers touch life often. The mediocre ones run a quick hand over her. The bad ones rape her and leave her for the flies."

"We need not to be let alone. We need to be really bothered once in a while. How long is it since you were really bothered? About something important, about something real?"

"If you don't want a man unhappy politically, don't give him two sides to a question to worry him; give him one. Better yet, give him none."

On Knowledge

"It was a pleasure to burn. It was a special pleasure to see things eaten, to see things blackened and changed."

"There must be something in books, something we can't imagine, to make a woman stay in a burning house; there must be something there. You don't stay for nothing."

"Stuff your eyes with wonder ... live as if you'd drop dead in ten seconds. See the world. It's more fantastic than any dream made or paid for in factories."

On Freedom

"The books were to contain whatever the citizen needed to know. But what the citizen needed to know never changed. So the books didn't have to change."

"You're a hopeless romantic. You ought to be taken outside and shot!"

"You don't have to burn books to destroy a culture. Just get people to stop reading them."

Conclusion

Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 is a powerful book that speaks to the importance of knowledge and freedom of expression. The quotes in this book are thought-provoking and speak to timeless themes that still have relevance today.