Fahrenheit 451
Born into a futuristic, technologically based society, Guy Montag had never thought to question anything. By accepting the way things were, without questioning anything Montag had lived his life in serenity. He was a fireman, which is a well respected individual in his society. A fireman ignites books and houses that contain them. Throughout the book, Montag began to change after he met Clarisse McClellan. All this time Montag had worn his happiness “like a mask” and had claimed that he was happy, even though he wasn’t. He also changed his views on his occupation. Before he changed, Montag had been proud of his job and had felt it was a pleasure to burn. After he witnessed a woman pulverise herself for her books, he perceived …show more content…
Montag began to change his opinions on the society when he met a seventeen year old girl named Clarisse McClellan as he walked home from work one day. Clarisse was different than most people in the society. She enjoys being outside discovering new things about the world. People lacked individuality. If someone was different, such as Clarisse, they were seen as dangerous to the society and were closely watched by the government. For days after that, Montag met up with her on his way to and from work. His views began to change when Clarisse asked Montag if he was happy. Montag went home and “ He felt his smile slide away, melt, fold over and down on itself… He was not happy. He was not happy. He said the words to himself...He wore his happiness like a mask…” (Bradbury 12). He had feigned being happy and had successfully fooled himself into thinking that he was happy like anyone else in the society. Everyone was impassive and was told that they were happy. Most people in the society went their entire lives without questioning anything. To prevent anyone from having any different emotions, 5 minutes after someone passed away, they were taken to an incinerator to be burned instead of taking them to a …show more content…
He saw her body reduced to embers as it burned.2 The society is strictly ordered and controlled even down to the possession of novels. If citizens were caught owning books, their house was burned and they were arrested. “‘You know the law,’ said Beatty. ‘Where 's your common sense? None of those books agree with each other. You 've been locked up here for years with a regular damned Tower of Babel.’” (Bradbury 38). Books are banished from the society because they let people think on their own and make their own decisions. The people who own them face many consequences, such as their possessions being burned. He wanted to know why anyone would want to die, just because of books. At this point, Montag had not read anything and wondered what was so important about books. However, after experiencing this incident he had a longing to figure out why books were a vital part of some people’s lives. He started to think consciously and ask why. In the novel, Bradbury writes “There must be something in books, something we can’t imagine, to make a woman stay in a burning house; there must be something there. You don’t stay for nothing” (51). He is having these thoughts when Captain Beatty comes to talk to him after he misses a shift at work. Montag feels dismal and does not want to do his job anymore after the incident. Before this, Montag was proud of
Born into a futuristic, technologically based society, Guy Montag had never thought to question anything. By accepting the way things were, without questioning anything Montag had lived his life in serenity. He was a fireman, which is a well respected individual in his society. A fireman ignites books and houses that contain them. Throughout the book, Montag began to change after he met Clarisse McClellan. All this time Montag had worn his happiness “like a mask” and had claimed that he was happy, even though he wasn’t. He also changed his views on his occupation. Before he changed, Montag had been proud of his job and had felt it was a pleasure to burn. After he witnessed a woman pulverise herself for her books, he perceived …show more content…
Montag began to change his opinions on the society when he met a seventeen year old girl named Clarisse McClellan as he walked home from work one day. Clarisse was different than most people in the society. She enjoys being outside discovering new things about the world. People lacked individuality. If someone was different, such as Clarisse, they were seen as dangerous to the society and were closely watched by the government. For days after that, Montag met up with her on his way to and from work. His views began to change when Clarisse asked Montag if he was happy. Montag went home and “ He felt his smile slide away, melt, fold over and down on itself… He was not happy. He was not happy. He said the words to himself...He wore his happiness like a mask…” (Bradbury 12). He had feigned being happy and had successfully fooled himself into thinking that he was happy like anyone else in the society. Everyone was impassive and was told that they were happy. Most people in the society went their entire lives without questioning anything. To prevent anyone from having any different emotions, 5 minutes after someone passed away, they were taken to an incinerator to be burned instead of taking them to a …show more content…
He saw her body reduced to embers as it burned.2 The society is strictly ordered and controlled even down to the possession of novels. If citizens were caught owning books, their house was burned and they were arrested. “‘You know the law,’ said Beatty. ‘Where 's your common sense? None of those books agree with each other. You 've been locked up here for years with a regular damned Tower of Babel.’” (Bradbury 38). Books are banished from the society because they let people think on their own and make their own decisions. The people who own them face many consequences, such as their possessions being burned. He wanted to know why anyone would want to die, just because of books. At this point, Montag had not read anything and wondered what was so important about books. However, after experiencing this incident he had a longing to figure out why books were a vital part of some people’s lives. He started to think consciously and ask why. In the novel, Bradbury writes “There must be something in books, something we can’t imagine, to make a woman stay in a burning house; there must be something there. You don’t stay for nothing” (51). He is having these thoughts when Captain Beatty comes to talk to him after he misses a shift at work. Montag feels dismal and does not want to do his job anymore after the incident. Before this, Montag was proud of