Themes of Mental, Emotional and Genealogical Equality in...

Literature and media have constantly contemplated the idea of a singular, united mindset and sometimes even genealogy in a group or nation of people. Examples of this idea or plot would be Lois Lowry’s The Giver, the movie Equilibrium, or even Alan Moore’s V for Vendetta. These three examples give three completely altering views on human equality and likeness presented in different ways. In The Giver, it presents a world without color or choices: mental equality. In the movie Equilibrium, it ponders a world where people cannot feel: emotional equality. Lastly, in the graphic novel V for Vendetta, it reflects an England without racial diversity: genealogical equality. In Fahrenheit 451, all of the above equalities have come to be but not†¦show more content†¦Education is nonexistent, feeding the people facts only to keep them satisfied. While this situation seems to be only possible in the realm of fiction, the ugly truth is that this degradation of thought is happening every day. For example, instead of doing summer reading, many students choose to read SparkNotes © or watch the movie. They choose to simply not think, as that would take a deeper plane of understanding that they are too lazy to reach. As a strong advocate of reading, I continue to wonder how people choose to lose the beauty of words for a mere plot outline. Although to the work laden student this seems to be no large issue, it reflects a society that refuses to think more than it needs to or wants to. Secondly, a theme in Fahrenheit 451 is emotional equality. An example from above, the movie Equilibrium, is a perfect example for this point. Equilibrium is the story of a utopian society that has given up, through advanced medicine, the ability to feel emotion. In fact, those who feel illegally (called â€Å"sense offenders†) are taken and incinerated quickly thereafter. While the people in Montag’s world were not completely emotionless, their emotions w ere vapid, empty, and meaning nothing. For example, after reading poetry to his wife’s friends in their parlor, he is confronted by a surprised and crying Mrs. Phelps. Mrs. Phelps had obviously not felt such