At what point in time is Fahrenheit 451 set?? Please help

Hi muzza. Did you look in the book itself? There might be some clues in there!

I found some of the book quite confusing so i could't really pin point a time. some sources say just after 1990 and some say it's in the 24th century.

I don't think a year is ever specified in the book, so you have to infer when it is set. As far I recall, only one date is ever mentioned, when Montag says "We've started and won two atomic wars since 1960" - so clearly the story is set after that date. (It was published in 1953, so 1960 was the near future at that time.)

How far past 1960 is it set? That's up to you: how much you think the technology and structure of society has changed, and how fast you think those things happen.

But don't be fooled: it's not a predictive work, and it's not really about the future. (Similarly, George Orwell's NINETEEN EIGHTY-FOUR isn't literally about the year 1984.)

I believe it is taking place in the present...

In some ways it's an alternate universe, but even so, a new movie should be made soon before technology renders the story obsolete! Firemen coming along sucking stories out of people's ereader devices just doesn't pack the punch of dudes with flamethrowers!

According to Bradubury's short story "The Fireman" the year is 2052. If you love "Fahrenheit 451," then you should read the stories that led to the book. All the stories are collected under the title "A Pleasure to Burn."
I find it interesting to see the growth of Bradbury's writing and the pointed differences that the short stories have versus "Fahrenheit 451".

quote:

Originally posted by Shortcake:
All the stories are collected under the title "A Pleasure to Burn."

More so in Match To Flame.

Jon Eller's lecture at CalTech a few weeks ago was all about this very topic. And it was excellent!