It’s hard to over-appreciate firefighters. The role they play in protecting citizens from harm cannot be overstated. But what if that role were subverted to control minds rather than protect bodies? This is the premise of Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451, in which the greatest danger to stable society is a free-thinking populace. The Firefighter Montag was a firefighter. He and his unit would instantly respond to any emergency, sliding down the fire pole, revving up the fire engine, and taking to the streets. But in Bradbury’s novel, the role of the firefighter has changed significantly. They fight not against fire, but with it. The tools of Montag’s trade are ax, kerosene and lighter. When a hidden library or cache of books were discovered, the firefighters were called. They stormed the building, breaking down doors and hidden walls to expose the offensive material. Shakespeare, Byron, Thoreau, the Bible, the writings of Confucius, the Constitution were all the same; sources of ideas that make people think and reflect on the value and purpose of life. As Montag’s Fire Chief explains, a pluralistic society with diverse ideas and opinions tears itself apart. The firefighter now has a higher calling: to restore order by removing the sources of destructive ideas. The books they find are set alight and wither in flame. The Parable of Witness in Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 Steven Gollmer
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