A psychological book with lessons on censorship; a bit too deep for young kids.
Plot
In a futuristic world, Guy Montag, a so-called "firefighter", burns books in order to get rid of ideas which his captain, Beatty, says will make people too opinionated. But when he discovers what is really in these books, he learns that the human race has strayed off of the path of knowledge.
Morality
Beatty and everyone else at the fire department believe that books are useless and that there is no point in reading them or owning them. Montag, on the other hand, believes that they should be preserved and that everyone should be entitled to their own opinion. There's really no distinct morality in the novel, but Beatty is obviously the antagonist whilst Montag is more of a tragic hero.
Spiritual Content
One of the books that Montag happens upon is a Bible.
Violence
The novel opens with a scene of Montag burning books. A few main characters die, one behind-the-scenes. Other violent occurrences are not explained in detail. The Mechanical Hound (a robot firehouse dog) is a figure of menace and kills small animals by injecting fluid into them.
Drug and Alcohol Content
Some firefighters smoke. A few scenes of drinking.
Sexual Content
No sexual scenes or content.
Crude or Profane Language or Content
A lot of four-letter words (mainly "d-mn" and "h-ll") and the Lord's name is taken in vain.
Conclusion
"Fahrenheit 451" is a very deep novel driven by the scare of the Cold War in the mid 20th Century, when the book was written. It almost applies to today as well. But whatever your views are on censorship, "Fahrenheit 451" is sure to make you think. It's an engaging novel, with believable characters that you end up sympathizing with by the end of the book. I highly recommend it, whether you like science fiction or not.
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