Fahrenheit 451: Tone

                The tone of Fahrenheit 451 is very dark and dramatic. The tone adds to the mood of the novel in that it makes it seem more mysterious and futuristic. When we think of the future, and what life will be like, we think of shiny, new, and technological things. Bradbury makes a darker and dramatic version of what the future may be like. The semi realistic world sets the stage for the over the top characters to stand out. Beatty is an evil and crazy boss, Mildred is a crazy, distant wife, Clarisse is what we think of as hippie like, but is a crazy young girl to the other characters, and Faber is the all knowing old man (Bradbury). These characters are one that could come from a movie, but make the book and tone much more dramatic and intense.

                The events in the novel also add to the tone. With the fire and burning houses the novel seems extra intense and dramatic. The world fears fire and with the constant threat of being burned or sent away to an asylum, it makes the characters live a life always being scared to mess up. Along with the fire the bombs also add the same effect, only even more scary and fatal than the fires. The bombs fall at the end of the novel, Guy knows that his wife is about to die (Bradbury 161). “The smell of death followed" (Bradbury 160). He makes it seem as though it is not all that big of a deal. If that were to happen today it would be not only a national tragedy, but a global tragedy. This is just what Bradbury wanted in order to make the book have the right tone of gloom and drama. The tone is carried out all the way through the book which makes it very memorable.

Bradbury, Ray. Fahrenheit 451. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1967. Print.