By KAROLINA GRANDA, Velocity Contributor
To define a human being is to do the impossible. There does not exist a particular grouping of words or phrases that can explain why we are the way that we are. This also holds true for the nature of our relationships and how we choose to love.
That being said, one common theme holds true among all people – we are selfish.
When necessary, we choose what’s best for ourselves as opposed to what is best for others. Authors Ray Bradbury of Fahrenheit 451 and George Orwell of 1984 The Graphic Novel prove this concept to hold truth through the traits and actions their characters possess. Both stories take place in a dystopian society in which peoples’ freedom to act, speak, learn, and even think is heavily limited by an established dictatorship.
Those holding power in Fahrenheit 451 have made it their goal to rid society of all books by burning them along with those possessing them and have switched people’s entertainment source over to electronic devices such as “telescreens” to distract them from coming to terms with the fact that they’re being stripped of education and knowledge.
The dictator in power in 1984 The Graphic Novel, who goes by the title Big Brother, limits citizens to books, television programs, jobs and even vocabulary selected by those in power. On top of that, they are constantly monitored through cameras in every location, including their own homes, to make sure they are living the way Big Brother intends them to.
Both stories center around characters who are intelligent and brave enough to go against governmental order and form their own identities. Readers learn, however, that these characters’ individualistic ideologies do not interfere with the concept of selfishness among the human race. In the end, these characters ended up destroying relationships and friendships in order to maintain an honorable relationship with themselves and their personal values.
When it comes to the nature of love and human relationships, readers of Fahrenheit 451 learn how people end up choosing what is best for themselves as opposed to the best for those close to them when needed.
In Fahrenheit 451, the central character, Montag, recalls memories of his wife who he knows is in the midst of war. He confesses to his new comrade, Granger, “It’s strange, I don’t miss her, it’s strange I don’t feel much of anything. Even if she dies, I realized a moment ago, I don’t think I’ll feel sad. It isn’t right. Something must be wrong with me.”
At this point, Montag has successfully escaped the knowledge-oppressing, technology-absorbed city that his wife is still trapped in. He feels slight feelings of guilt and sadness for leaving her behind; otherwise she wouldn’t have crossed his mind at all. However, at this moment, he is his own priority.
Those holding power in Fahrenheit 451 have made it their goal to rid society of all books by burning them along with those possessing them.
By leaving her, he was able to find people such as Granger who share the same morals and beliefs as him, allowing for him to create an environment that best supports him and his desire to learn and expand his knowledge. Earlier on in the book, readers saw Montag attempting to save his wife on multiple occasions by introducing her to books and explaining the detrimental nature of constant telescreens and surrounding technological devices that only distract her from reality.
Unfortunately, his wife ended up sticking to a life of distraction. In the end, Montag chose to maintain his morals and beliefs by leaving all those who didn’t support them, thereby freeing and saving himself.
Similarly, prioritizing oneself as an aspect of human nature and love is shown within the deterioration of a romantic relationship in the 1984 The Graphic Novel. In the novel, Julia and Winston make a verbal promise to commit to loving each other and never betray the other. They spend every free moment with each other, and every moment apart thinking of one another. However, when it was necessary, both Julia and Winston proved that at the forefront of those thoughts and feelings for each other were the thoughts of best interest for themselves.
They ended up breaking their verbal commitment by betraying each other to save themselves.
When they met up after their mutual betrayal, Julia tells Winston, “Sometimes they threaten you with something–something you can’t stand up to, can’t even think about. And then you say, ‘Don’t do it to me, do it to somebody else, do it so-and-so.’ And perhaps you might pretend, afterwards, that it was only a trick and that you just said it to make them stop and didn’t really mean it. But that isn’t true. At the time when it happens you do mean it. You think there’s no other way and you’re quite ready to save yourself that way. You want it to happen to the other person. You don’t give a damn what they suffer. All you care about is yourself.”
As she confesses, Julia perfectly explains the common mentality behind betrayal. She never goes on to say that she lost her love for Winston, even in the moment in which she betrayed him, but she explains how being placed in such a situation of life or death makes you come to terms with the fact that your love of survival will always outweigh your love for another person.
Readers learn that in Winston’s case, being faced with rats–his ultimate fear–causes him to betray Julia. The novel does not specify the great fear that Julia is faced with, but we learn that she chose herself over Winston when she was given the option.
Going beyond romantic relationships, the theme of selfishness as the nature of human relationships is presented in an employee/employer dynamic in Fahrenheit 451. Montag is employed as a fireman and Beatty is his captain, so he dictates and decides appropriate work protocols for Montag. There is an aspect of respect presented from Montag toward Beatty as he obeys his orders.
Generally speaking, a person’s boss is someone whom they should avoid betraying, as it could negatively impact the employee’s chances at maintaining his job. In Montag’s instance, once Beatty no longer benefits him after he shows up to destroy his home and his access to books, he no longer has reason to put up his respectful facade toward his employer.
Which he showed by murdering Beatty using a flamethrower!
After doing so, he thinks to himself, “Beatty…you’re not a problem now. You always said, don’t face a problem, burn it. Well, now I’ve done both. Goodbye, Captain.” This act of violence demonstrates how humans will go to any extent to save themselves even if it means betraying another.
In yet another life-or-death scenario, readers learn the extent to which one will go to sacrifice another’s life for their own survival. In 1984 The Graphic Novel, Winston is forcefully faced with his greatest fear, rats, in an attempt to brainwash him into obeying the government and disobeying his beloved Julia. Previously, Winston promised Julia that he would never betray her.
On top of that, they are constantly monitored through cameras in every location, including their own homes, to make sure they are living the way Big Brother intends them to.
However, as the rats are brought closer to his face, his verbal contract toward her is broken as he admits, “‘I don’t care what you do to her. Tear her face off, strip her to the bones. Not me! Julia! Not me!!’” Winston’s immediate confession of loss of feelings for his partner in an attempt to save himself proves that no brainwashing was truly required to get him to do so. Betrayal and selfishness were in him all along; it was part of his human nature.
In the ironic words of American psychologist Paul Bloom, “Humans are social beings, and we are happier and better when connected with others.” Bloom’s philosophy on human connection holds aspects of truth as we see within our own lives as well as the lives of characters Montag in Fahrenheit 451 and Winston in 1984 The Graphic Novel.
In Fahrenheit 451, Montag ends up finding a group of people outside of his city who connect with his educational ideologies. In 1984 The Graphic Novel, Winston sought out Julia in order to have someone who he could relate to about his desire to alter the way their society functioned. In both of these examples, the underlying goal these characters have is to fulfill their own needs and morals by developing a community that supports them.
When it comes to our social decisions and general life choices, they begin with us. We must choose ourselves, understand ourselves, and stay loyal to ourselves in order to assist others and be social creatures. At our core, we remain selfish.
Velocity 
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