Character Analysis-Montag Guy

Baylie Miller
Per.2A
9/27/12
Fahrenheit 451 Character Analysis Guy Montag is a firefighter, where instead of being the “hero” or saving lives by putting out the fire, he starts them. Montag comes from a very unique society, where synergy with environment and books is inconsequential. Montag is not a chronic character, he is not competent with his own charisma. He feels the need to recuperate his personality traits to find a satisfactory way to live and love the society he is displayed in. Montag accepts the perception that he is being restrained by his subconscious mind, Bradbury casts this conception throughout the book, but specifically on page 24 where Montag says, “He felt his body divide itself into hotness and a coldness, a softness and a hardness: a trembling and a not trembling, the two halves grinding one upon the other.” This is a direct quote that shows Montags first episode of psychological distress in Fahrenheit 451. This identity crisis is delivered upon Montag when he meets a 17-year-old girl by the name of Clarisse, who asks Montag questions that put him in a moment where he is in a desperate investigation to a more relevant meaning to his life. He goes through a stage where he enters this intense desire to accumulate knowledge. Although Montag gets an excessive “pleasure to burn,” stated on page 3, he develops this immense amount of bravery and literally steals books from the residence of the criminals who are not supposed to conceal them. Bradbury utilizes fire as a major symbol in Fahrenheit 451, especially in relation to Montag and the hardships he has to attempt to destruct.

Mildred, Montag’s wife, is Montag’s communication source. Throughout the novel Montag vents to Mildred about his liberate thoughts, unfortunately Mildred has tuned herself out of society and is not willing to listen. Specifically shown on pages 18-19, where there is a scene in the story that Montag is trying to simply tell Mildred about the previous night, but since Mildred is too consumed in the thought that she is hungry, Montag goes unheard. This is a mental conflict with Montag through the duration of the whole story, he is constantly feeling unheard within himself. He fights his conscious thoughts, attempting to convince himself that he does not actually feel this distress, therefore he doesn’t withdraw to protect himself. This is where Faber, a professor, comes into the story as Montag’s friend for recommendations and information on all of the hardships Montag is encountering. These two characters have a particular way of communicating when Faber creates a two-way radio that fits in the ear, this creation is a dependable source for their connection to continue throughout the story. This foreshadows Montag’s emotions and the immediate amount of relief he feels when he has a connection with someone he can trust. This is the first indicator that Montag is changing from an independent individual to becoming more comfortable with relying on others.