Sometimes, people don’t realize how big of an effect someone can have on a life. What someone says can rub off, and if they are a positive person, it can make a person follow in their ways. Fahrenheit 451 is a science fiction novel written by Ray Bradbury, the main character Guy Montag undergoes many changes within himself. Throughout the book, Montag encounters many different people that make him face his real self. Although Montag might not know it, maybe others know a little bit more about himself than he even does. The old lady teaches Montag about sacrifice and sticking to your beliefs no matter what. Then Faber teaches him that books maybe do mean more than just the words on the page. Last, Clarisse McClellan teaches Montag to slow down and appreciate the little things in life that are equally important as the big ones.
Montag changes so suddenly when the old lady shows him who he really wants to be. On his normal night of work Montag will encounter someone who changes his life forever. The old lady teaches Montag to take risks and make sacrifices for what you believe in. She wasn’t going to give up, even if that meant her dying for it. The old lady would really rather die than let her books go. “You can’t ever have my books,” she said (Bradbury 38). This made Montag want to act in the same way and not let society bring him down. He is now not scared to learn books and is interested in to learn more, the old lady knew she had to make someone agree with her before she died, so somebody would carry on in her ways. “Play the man master Ridley; we shall this day light such a candle by God’s grace in England, as I trust shall never be put out” (Bradbury 36). Thankfully, this works for Montag and it changes his whole perspective on books. Montag later thinks about what he has done. It makes him physically sick with guilt and sympathy to think of what the old lady did for books. He now realizes that books must mean