Guy Montag, the main character in Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, goes through a huge change in his life. He changes from a typical fireman who follows the laws, into a person who challenges the law. Montag wakes up from being numbed and realizes that he is unhappy. Montag's wife, 'Mildred', who is addicted to Television and radio, did not care about Montag's feelings. However; Clarisse and Faber played a big role in Montag's life. Montag is a metaphor for a numbed society and his courage is demonstrated as he wakes up and evolves into his real human self throughout the book. Montag's first awakening starts when he meets Clarisse,.
A 17 year old girl, who liked to smell things and look at things, and sometimes stay up all night walking and watching the sun rise. She asks Montag about his life and asks him, 'Are you happy' . At that time Montag was laughing and did not really think about what Clarisse asked him and why is she asking him these kinds of questions. But later on, Montag questions life and his happiness, 'He was not happy' . When he realizes that he is unhappy, he starts thinking about Clarisse and the questions she asked him. He knew there is something missing in his life that makes him unhappy.
Another thing that Clarisse's questions made Montag think about his wife Mildred. Whether they love each other or not. Montag asks Mildred is she remembers where they met the first time, 'when did we meet? And where? ' . This really shows the affect of Clarisse's questions on Montag's sudden changes towards his life and the society around him. And also proves that Montag is looking forward for his missing happiness. Before Montag meet with Clarisse, he did not think about his life, and he never thought that he is unhappy and there is something missing in his life.
He realizes how hopeless his relationship with his wife Mildred , who is unwilling to deal with realty and chooses to deal with the virtual world provided by her radio and Television. Another effect of Clarisse's question on Montag is 'reading'. Before Montag and Clarisse meet, Montag never thought or reading a book because he thinks it is against the law. But after, he starts challenging the laws by reading books that he took from burning houses, because he thinks he could find his happiness in it. Books shows a big change in Montag's personality and thinking towards the numbed society he lives in.
Montag's life got messed, he does not know what to do or where to go. He admits that he did something while feelings something else, 'I went around doing one thing and feeling another' . This proves how Montag is confused about his life. Montag's changes in life is fast, he can not believe how fast he changed from on day to another, 'it was only the other night everything was fine and the next thing I know I'm drowning' . This means that Montag is analyzing and thinking about his past, his work, his wife Mildred, and the society he lives in.
After Clarisse is gone, there was no one to advise and question Montag about reality and life, and no one to influence him more to change to a better way of happiness. Further in the book, Montag meet Faber; a retired old professor. Who admits that the current state of society is due to the cowardice of people like himself, who would not speak out against book burning when they can do it to stop it. Montag seeks Faber's help and advise in most of the steps that Montag's take. Faber was the only man that Montag could trust, and he was the only person that could understand what Montag is going through.
Montag explains to Faber how no one care about him, not the walls, not his wife because she listens to the walls,' Nobody listens any more. I cant talk to the walls because they are yelling at me ... I just want some one to hear what I have to say' . At that point Faber tells Montag what is missing in Montag's life. He also tells him that it is not the books that Montag is missing, but three other things. Firstly, is 'quality of information' . Secondly is, 'Leisure' . Thirdly and lastly is, 'the right to carry out actions based on what we learn from interaction of the first two' .
Faber changed Montag from being a confused man, to an aware, thinking and analyzing person that is deferent from the society he lives in. after killing Beatty, the chief fireman at the station who has read many books and memorized most of them. Montag seeks Faber's help again, he was confused did not know where to do to escape from the mechanical hound that was running after him. Faber tells Montag to go to the forest, where Montag rested and thought about what happened and whether he did the right thing or not.
At the forest, Montag meets a group of men that was lead by Granger; an author who is the leader of a group that hopes to re-populate the world with books. Another incident that stayed in Montag's mind is the old women who set her self and her books on fire. However, Montag tried stopping her by telling her that the books were not worth her life. Before she burned herself, Montag took one of her books and kept it. At that time Montag did not think about what did the old lady burned herself with the books, he did not think about it might be the value and morals that books hold to teach is.
The old lady knew the importance of these books and what do they have, so she preferred to burn herself with them, and not watch the firemen burn them, who do not even know the importance of books. But they do know that books are unreal and there is so importance of them, plus they are against the law! The message and the themes of this book that the author was trying to express in his book without directly saying it was a possible future if we do not do something to prevent it and keep the books alive by reading them and protecting them.
The another message that the author is trying to say is the governments wanted total control of the society by taking away all things that would allow free thoughts and opinions, which were books. The government is smart enough to know that the books are important to grow our minds and to make people stand up for themselves and for their rights, or even go against the government if it is wrong. Or else, the government would not choose to burn the books and make it against the law. Work Cited - Bradbury, Ray Fahrenheit 451 U. S. Random house, 1953
Author: Arron Johnston