What genre is “Fahrenheit 451”?

"Fahrenheit 451" is a dystopian novel, a genre that often depicts a futuristic society characterized by oppressive government control, dehumanization, and other forms of societal dysfunction. The book explores a world in which books are banned and "firemen" burn any that are found, and follows the journey of a fireman named Guy Montag who begins to question his role in society and becomes determined to preserve knowledge and free thought.

Ray Bradbury himself considered "Fahrenheit 451" to be a work of science fiction, a genre that typically explores the impact of technology and scientific advances on society. In an interview with The Paris Review, Bradbury said, "Science fiction is any idea that occurs in the head and doesn't exist yet, but soon will, and will change everything for everybody, and nothing will ever be the same again. As soon as you have an idea that changes some small part of the world you are writing science fiction."

However, while "Fahrenheit 451" certainly contains elements of science fiction, its primary focus is on the dangers of censorship and the importance of free thought, making it a classic example of a dystopian novel. As Bradbury himself put it, "Fahrenheit 451 is not, he says firmly, a story about government censorship. Nor was it a response to Senator McCarthy, whose investigations had already instilled fear and stifled the creativity of thousands. This, despite the fact that reviews, critiques and essays over the decades say that is precisely what it is all about."