Montag reads forbidden poetry aloud to Mildred’s friends to show them what society was like when people were not trained to be conformists. The women were horrified because they were so convinced that reading poetry was a crime. They lacked the ability to keep an open mind, and think for themselves as individuals.
As evidence shows, Montag is developed as a rebel and a non-conformist. Throughout the book his character changes from being static to being round and dynamic. Montag did not take the road most traveled. He choose his own path, thought for himself, and developed his own