“It was a pleasure to burn…”

One good measure of a book is the impact it has on readers and the length of time said impact lasts. Ray Bradbury’s opening line to Fahrenheit 451 was such a line that has stuck in my mind for 30 years.

Crazy.

The power of words must never be under-estimated and the power of the author and poet, while oft ignored, is significant in comparison to all other forms of power.

Ray Bradbury died yesterday at the age of 91 and with him the world lost  significant power. Known for his science fiction, he wrote the genre as it was originally visioned (arguably first in 1726 by Jonathon Swift in Gulliver’s Travels) – as a commentary/critique and satirical look at society.

His book Fahrenheit 451 is as relevant today as it was when it was first written in 1953. A sharply critical look at censorship gone awry and the abuse of authority by government the book did what so many brilliant masterpieces do – it took a system of rules and government authority that we so often ignore in our tendency toward apathy and it humanized the issues to a point where we got it. We understood the dangers that could overwhelm us if we do not keep careful watch.

While I appreciated F451 I must admit my favorite story of Bradbury’s will always be Something Wicked This Way Comes. The brilliance of the novel starts with the title which is a quote taken from Shakespeare’s Macbeth and needs to be understood in context (students of literature take note – you need to understand history and biography too). 

The words of the title first appear on the lips of the second witch in Act IV, scene 1 and are filled with irony as they refer to the approach of the protagonist Macbeth. It is ironic because Macbeth perceives himself to be just and good while the witches are certainly an image of evil. With this the scene is set for Bradbury and the story is framed – a story of good and evil and the often difficult task to differentiate between the two.

Bradbury was brilliant. He will be missed. His legacy will live on and he should stand as a an example.

I would like to especially point out to parents who are not fond of their children exploring the realms of fantasy, science fiction, comics etc. that Bradbury demonstrates (as do others) that it is in these realms that some of the strongest lessons of morality and humanity are forged and learned. It is in these realms that a social consciousness can be developed and matured – all of which serve us well. All that to say children should not be discouraged from science fiction, fantasy etc. but they should, with all effort, be directed toward them.

I learned these things from Bradbury and artists like him…may there be many more.