Plot Analysis- Fahrenheit 451

Literature

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Plot Analysis- Fahrenheit 451

A majority of good stories begin with the basic framework of constituents that include the situation, conflict, climax, suspense and as well as the conclusion. Besides, prominent authors sometimes include the recipe of their stories by adding some spices. Ray Bradbury wrote Fahrenheit 451, and the author has incorporated the five elements of the narrative structure that forms the basis of the plot. The plot depicts the composition of the story and reveals the transcriptions of the events and conflicts within the setting of the story.

Exposition

The introductory part of the story to which provides the reader with the background information introducing the setting, the characters as well as the main conflicts. The exposition usually occurs at the beginning of a story and can either be long or short. Fahrenheit 451 is a novel that has its setting in a dystopian community where the firefighters burn books rather than putting out fires. As the statement describes, the kind of the society to which the novel is set is displeasing considering that it’s normal for a firefighter to extinguish fires in burning places but to this particular incident, the fireman works in contrast by starting the fire. Besides the firemen initiating the fires, the society is prohibited from the possession of books. It shows a lost entirely society that works against the moral expectations of normal society. Montag is a firefighter who meets his neighbor Clarisse McClellan who is a 17-year-old girl and who in turn becomes the agitator for the fireman’s awareness. Clarisse asks the fireman whether he is happy with his life. Although the question seems to be innocent, it intrigues the awareness of the fireman compelling him to evaluate his life.

Conflict

Refers to the section of the narrative where the round characters are developed, the conflicts are increased and acted out in various ways, things happen, and the motive of the story is introduced. The rising actions involve the series of events that are responsible for accelerating tension, propel the plot forward and as well lead to the climax of the story. From the novel Fahrenheit 451, the author introduces the conflict through a woman attempting to commit suicide. During a regular call, the fireman observes a lady, Mildred trying to perpetrate death by putting her books on the fire. Montag, the fireman, instinctually gets a book from her house. It is prohibited to possess books, and the fireman hides the book under the pillow. The woman’s near death along with the nonchalance of the firemen indicate that Montag is not the only person with problems and further implies a flawed society as it is full of crisis.

Rising action

At this stage, Captain Beatty has a suspicion the Montag the fireman has stolen a book and with immediate effect begin to lecture him on the obligation of damaging books. The captain is informed with literature notwithstanding the censorship rules that are set by the society. The captain provides Montag 24 hours to have a glance through the book to prove that literature is void of meaning. It is unlikely that we find the captain who has been mandated with the power to enforce the destruction of books giving an opportunity for other people to learn about literature. Everyone seems to go against the rules of the society. Montag contacts Faber, a retired English professor in the anticipations of getting a better understanding of literature.

Climax

Refers to the part of the plot to which is the point of the highest tension in a work of literature and the turning point in the action, occurring after rising action and before falling action. Montag, the fireman, recites the poem ’Dover Beach’ to his spouse and her colleagues who came over to watch the television. Mrs. Phelps cry and the women storm out of his house feeling disgusted, offended and even threatening to file a complaint against him. Montag’s wife calls the fire authorities to report that her husband is hiding a book.

Falling action

It is the part of the plot in a work of literature to which follows the climax and ends in the resolution phase. It is a contrast to the rising action which leads up to the plot’s climax, and it is the part to which is responsible for diminishing the tension before the solution is set. In the novel Fahrenheit 451, the falling action is achieved through the act by Montag, who after being asked to blaze his books spatters the flamethrower at Captain Beatty killing him and the other fireman. Montag then escapes and eventually fleeing the city. He progresses down the river following the railway tracks up to the point where he meets a group of ‘Hobo’ intellectuals who are in love with books.

Resolution

This is the conclusion of the plot’s conflict and the complications. The events immediately come after the climax and involve providing solutions to the problems of the story. After fleeing out of the town to the group of scholars, Montag is taught how to recite books from a recall in hopes of producing written works in the future. Jets fly over bombing the city to which Montag had fled, and he begins to advance to the society to finally rebuild an intelligent civilization prior to the previous ignorant society that advocated for the burning of books. It is here that the solution to the banning of books is resolved through Montag’s devotion to creating a literate society. The bombing of the city indicates the closure of an old chapter and introduction of a new phase that is characterized by light and conformity to the conventional norms.

From the above explanation, I can, therefore, attest that Bradbury in his novel Fahrenheit 451 has incorporated the concept of the narrative structure. Thus the reader has been taken bit by bit from the introduction, conflict and the resolution thus leaving them with no doubts. The novel ends with the intellectuals searching for the bomb survivors to rebuild civilization. The solutions offered in the resolution phase, may not necessarily what we expect but as long as the conflict is solved.Work Cited

Bradbury, Ray. Zen in the Art of Writing. RosettaBooks, 2017.