The Body Paragraphs Fahrenheit 451

Prompt and Thesis PROMPT: Analyze how censorship has long-term affects on society in the novel. THESIS: The obsession with censorship in Fahrenheit 451 has long-term affects on Montag’s society throughout the novel.

Topic Sentences Should act as a blueprint, or map, for the paragraph Need to support the thesis AVOID STARTING WITH A QUOTE! It lacks context and the paragraph will likely deal with more than just the quote

Sample Paragraph One of the most devastating consequences of censorship in the novel is the impact it has on society’s ability to think and feel. Many of the novel’s characters, Mildred included, seem to prefer to be told what to think rather than figure it out on their own. However, this doesn’t really seem to work; Mildred’s suicide attempts portray a society that recognizes that something is missing. While society seems to have everything, from TV parlors to the Hound, the missing human element continues to be problematic. Faber recognizes this issue and explains what the “missing link” comes from: "It's not books you need, it's some of the things that once were in books" (82). The information that was in the books, the stories, the emotions, the conflicts and resolutions, are reflections that help people to feel less alone. Mildred’s suicide attempts indicate a greater societal problem that stems from the censorship of ideas: if people can’t find connections with one another and feel that their problems are part of a universal struggle or truth, their isolation grows to the point where they can’t handle it. Society begins to rip itself apart at the seams because the “human experience” they experience seems to be a dreadful place. Censorship in this sort of society ends up being a death sentence for those who require something more.