| In the book Fahrenheit 451, author Ray Bradbury paints a grim assessment of mankind's future: a society in which the quest for knowledge and individuality is pushed aside in favor of the pursuit of happiness and anonymity. In this seemingly perfect world, anything that triggers independent thought is banned and burned to eliminate unhappiness. Everyone must be similar to everyone else in order for happiness to exist. However, not all are content with the way of life forced upon them, and the main character, Montag, joins them in this mindset. Montag is a hero in that he realizes that the utopian society is wrong, rebels against mainstream thought, and struggles to define himself.
As the novel begins, Guy Montag is seen as one of the many interchangeable zombies in his society. He takes great pride in his job as a book burner or fireman. But everything changes one night when he meets Clarisse, an innocent, young girl untouched by the woes of society. Slowly, through many different occurrences, he comes to realize that there is something profoundly wrong in his utopia. Montagˇ¦s wife, Mildred, is emotionless and without thought, the complete opposite of Clarisse. She spends all her time with tiny radios tamped in her ear and watching the parlor walls which she calls her family. After meeting Clarisse, Montag comes home to find that Mildred has overdosed on sleeping pills, and she almost dies. While watching the impersonal medical emergency staff matter-of-factly remove the contents of his wife, Montag realizes that he would feel no sorrow if she were to die. The relationship of Montag and his wife is like that of one between two strangers. It is on a routine call to an old woman's house that makes Montag wonder about the influence and importance of books. Instead of leaving her house, the old woman chooses to die with her books as they burn. Possessing and reading books are illegal, but Montag itches to know why they are so forbidden. While the fireman are destroying books, Montagˇ¦s hand, out of his control, snatches a book from the air. As the story progresses, it is revealed that Montag has been secretly hoarding books and now, with newfound courage, he removes them to be read The writings cause him to think and to feel; they remind him of his life and help him understand it. But Mildred disagrees, and soon she places a call to the fire station. Under orders by Captain Beatty, Montag burns his house to ashes. Then as he is about to be arrested, Montag aims his flame-thrower at Beatty, killing him. Now Montag is on the run from the authorities, but he makes one stop before heading to the river that separates one world from the other, the ignorant from the intellectual. It is at the home of a fireman where he plants a book and then places an alarm. Across the river, Montag meets and joins Granger and the society of book people. They memorize books and then burn them, preserving them for when knowledge will be welcomed back into the world. In the beginning, Montag was content with the work that he did but after witnessing the death of the old woman, he regards his coworkers in a new light. Worse yet are the likewise mindless friends of Mildred. Montag forges a friendship with Faber, a fellow nonconformist, in order to understand the books. Faber becomes his partner and the voice in his head through a two-way radio. Another friend who influences him is Clarisse. Upon her untimely demise, contrary to expectations of that time, Montag mourns her and she continues to influence his actions. And most of all, Montag gleans ideas and stimulus from the books. From the automaton he used to be, Montag emerges from his cocoon as an intellectual, independent thinker. Rooted in humanity, Montag accepts his responsibility of rebuilding the world from the devastation. | ||
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Plot & Themes FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION? - science fiction story Repressive society story Yes Repressive because: Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book Descript. of chases or violence - 10 % planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 40 % Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 30 % Descript. of society, phenomena (tech), places - 20 % Main Character Identity: - Male Profession/status: Age: - 20's-30's Main Adversary Identity: - society How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - a substantial amount How sensitive is this character? Sense of humor - Cynical sense of humor Intelligence - Average intelligence Setting Earth setting: - near future (later in 21st century) Takes place on Earth? Yes Writing Style Accounts of torture and death? - moderately detailed references to deaths scientific jargon? (SF only) - none/very little science jargon needed How much dialogue? - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog |
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