The language of power and the power of language. Analysis of propaganda’s narrative in Fahrenheit 451

Abstract

Ray Bradbury’s book is a narrative, in a dystopian context, of how the language of power manages to be pervasive, to infiltrate reality, in people’s experiences, in the consciousness of an entire society, so as to powerfully transform the meanings of commonly used words, as well as the normative qualifications of acts and professions. A reflection will be proposed on some “semantic spies” present in Fahrenheit 451, to highlight the centrality of some uses of language, aimed at influencing not only the behaviour of the members but also at modifying some institutions, manipulating rules and procedures, for the benefit of those who social control operates by administering power. The proposed intervention will deal with the specific function of propaganda language. Finally, a reflection on the power of the word will be proposed, as a tool capable of fully understanding the present and allowing all individuals to lay the foundations for new social, legal and political realities for the future.