Comparison essay, Levonova.

                                                    “Fahrenfeit  451” Vs “Detachment”

Films about anti-utopian future usually bring us to rethink our time of living. Problems, caused by our generation will become circumstances of everyday life for those who will live after us and that is why every step of modern society is being observed and attentively evaluated. Process of educating heirs of our époque requires considering the transferring of values. One of the most efficient and timeless methods of implementing such a transfer is through books. Both in 1966 and 2011 world cinematography reflects to this important issue in “Fahrenfeit  451” and “Detachment” – films, which in different ways show the same problems.

The problem of reading books is the main and the most important for the societies illustrated in both films. Life without literature is shown in “Fahrenfeit  451” as one in which books are forbidden to read and to save and that is why a special service works on burning them every day. Firemen are taught how to find the books hidden and working on it rarely causes the feeling of doubt. There are no books and consequently nobody reads. Another reason why people do not read is depicted in “Detachment”. There are a lot of books to read in modern world but people do not need them. The level of society development including economic and social problems does not incorporate reading books as “having rest” or “relaxation”. Young people, demonstrated in “Detachment” see no use in wasting time for such a useless activity. Educational system is not efficient solving this problem.

Obeying the system is one of the consequent features of such social development. In both films people are the victims of the temporal conditions. In “Fahrenfeit  451” characters do not remember their past and that is why do not have feelings about it. In “Detachment” students do not have an idea about their possible future and prefer not having any feelings about it. TV-screens are the only accessible sources of lifestyle, people around are the only authorities. Both films show us bright examples of disobedience: old lady is dying with her books and young girl is killing herself with her problems. The world around does not perceive those who prefer not to accept the world as it is.

Comparing these films it is clear that the fireman and the teacher are opposite characters: first one destroys the books, the second promotes them. When looking closer it arises that the fireman who starts reading becomes a part of marginal group, where its participants are supposed to become a kind of prophets for next generation and bring the knowledge to the masses. The teachers are these prophets in modern world and the work they do is not easily accepted by the problematic society. Implementing literature into the world which ignores it despite its being institutionalized is a real hardship.

Modern society has problems with deep historical roots and solving them requires time and patience. The message given by films “Fahrenfeit  451” and “Detachment” inspires to understand these roots and after that to solve the problems. Not only revoking the demand of reading, but also to pass it to next generation – that is the main and most important step towards establishing vital values in the society.