In the novel Fahrenheit 451, Guy Montag is a dynamic main character whose dreams and philosophy of life develop and evolve throughout his journey. At the start of the story, Montag is a proud, third-generation fireman and a model of blue-collar professionalism in his society. He is a rule follower and enforcer who relishes his responsibility to maintain order by blazing all illegal books.
Over the course of the story, Montag gradually becomes dissatisfied with his monotonous and mundane marriage. He sparks up a friendship with his neighbor, Clarisse McClellan, and through this relationship discovers that his current existence as a rule follower and rule keeper in this dystopia is a joyless one. Montag envies Clarisse’s love for and fascination with nature, and he begins secretly reading books, developing an appreciation for the beauty of differing opinions and discourse.
Through this awakening, Montag’s view of his career shifts drastically. He becomes obsessed with the Book of Ecclesiastes, which has as one of its themes that there is an appropriate time and place for humans to experience and enjoy the various pleasures and pains of life. This philosophy is diametrically opposed to the views of Captain Beatty and the authoritarian government which he serves. Beatty believes that happiness is achieved through indulging oneself in meaningless entertainment and avoiding dangerous and destructive elements, such as personal thoughts and emotions.
Though the external surroundings around Montag are destroyed and have a negative appearance, Montag’s outlook is optimistic. The knowledge and experience that he has gained through reading and through Faber’s lessons have liberated his mind and his passions, enabling him to envision a future where books and free flowing ideas will serve as humanity’s salvation.
In Fahrenheit 451, Clarisse awakens some of Montag's long latent desires; he realizes after his encounters with her that he has been more or less asleep inside. He starts to long for experiencing nature and for real conversation and for real living. From there, it is not long until he becomes interested in books.
By the end of the novel, Montag's often inchoate thoughts about what he wants coalesce as a nuclear strike destroys his city. He knows Clarisse is dead already, that Faber has escaped, and that Mildred has likely been killed. As he enters the area where the dissidents and fugitives live, he thinks about how he will finally be free to experience life directly and authentically. He will now assimilate the direct experience of life so that it becomes a part of who he is. Earlier, he had with satisfaction destroyed the view screens on Mildred's parlor walls. Now, he is taking the next step in his vision. His life will henceforth be the one he desires and has dreamed of, an existence without too much technology dulling and drugging him. As he thinks:
We'll just start walking today and see the world and the way the world walks around and talks, the way it really looks. I want to see everything now. And while none of it will be me when it goes in, after a while it'll all gather together inside and it'll be me. Look at the world out there, my God, my God, look at it out there, outside me, out there beyond my face and the only way to really touch it is to put it where it's finally me, where it's in the blood, where it pumps around a thousand times ten thousand a day. I get hold of it so it'll never run off. I'll hold on to the world tight some day.
Throughout the novel, Montag dreams of reading and understanding the texts that he comes across. Montag even visits Faber to ask for help comprehending the texts he had read. Montag’s motivation to read literature is driven by the fact that he has lived a meaningless life. After Clarisse helps Montag realize that his life is superficial and unhappy, Montag dreams of having a better life where he can thoroughly enjoy his relationship and occupation. After speaking with Faber, Montag has a passion for preserving knowledge and adamantly defends literature in front of Mildred and her friends. Montag then becomes an enemy of the state and flees the city where he joins a group of traveling intellectuals who teach him how to remember books. At the end of the novel, the city is destroyed by a nuclear bomb. After witnessing the destruction, Montag slowly begins his journey towards the city with the hope of rebuilding a better, literate society. Montag has a vision of sharing his knowledge with those who have survived the blast to start a new society that accepts intellectual thought.
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