##bury's Characters In Fahrenheit 451, By Ray Bradbury

“If someone tells you what a story is about, they are probably right. If they tell you that is all the story is about, they are very definitely wrong.” (Neil Gaiman). This quote connects to how stories, are not just based off of one topic, but are based off of several topics that can all relate to the central idea or message. Similarly, it represents how others’ perspectives on what the meaning of a true story is can be different from others. In this case, Fahrenheit 451 is a dystopian novel written by author Ray Bradbury, in which the protagonist and firemen, Guy Montag is required to burn and destroy books in the homes of citizens. Montag does not usually question why he does this, until he meets a fellow young

“There must be something in books, something we can imagine, to make a woman stay in a burning house; there must be something there. You don’t stay for nothing.”(Pg. 51) Main character Guy Montag is a servant to a society that is controlled by censorship and the fear of knowledge; Montag has spent his life burning books, to prevent the spread knowledge. But a series of events cause Montag's mind to change, and result in him breaking free from his society. The internal struggle of dynamic character Guy Montag, as to whether he should go on believing the lies his society has told him, or risk his life for something as simple as words on a page, brings readers into the corrupt society of Fahrenheit 451. In the novel Fahrenheit 451 author Ray

In the end of the book, Censorship is displayed by the use of imagery. By using this, the reader can really connect with the author and receive a better idea of what is happening in the story, it paints a picture in their mind. One way imagery is portrayed in the book is when Montag was forced to set his own home on fire. Specifically, “A great nuzzling gout of fire leaped out to lap at the books and knock them against the wall… the books leaped and danced like roasted birds, their wings ablaze with red and yellow feathers.” (Bradbury 110). Bradbury did an exceptional job of using imagery in Fahrenheit 451, readers can easily visualize and imagine themselves there. It supports the theme by illustrating how people are forced to destroy their own homes and books because they are deemed illegal.

Fahrenheit 451 is a book that uses a lot of imagery in order to convey its message written by Ray Bradbury an American author and screenwriter who let himself through his imagination. Theis novel book is set in a futuristice American society where people are not allowed to read books. The story revolves around the main character, Montag, a fireman whose job it is to burn books, and the people that he meets and experiences that challenges him to his societaly beliefs. Fire is one image that is used as something that represents distraction. Sad,unhappy and not adventurous are a way to describe Montag.

Fahrenheit 451 is a book that surrounds a fireman named Guy Montag and his revelations of the world he lives in. He becomes aware of the horrible things that occur around him and begins to notice them more. As a fireman; which is a person that burns books in their world; Montag is faced with several choices to make. Finally, he decides to take action as he reaches out to a man called Professor Faber and they develop a plan to curve the course their world is taking. However, throughout the book, several surprising dilemmas occur with other characters of the book like Mildred Montag (Guy Montag’s depressed wife) and Captain Beatty (chief of the fire department) that help steer Montag into the choices he makes.

Ray Bradbury’s novel Fahrenheit 451 presents readers with multiple themes. In the fictional society of Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, books are banned and firemen create fires instead of putting them out. Bradbury portrays the society as dystopian. Bradbury crafted the novel to be interpreted intellectually. The characters claim to be happy. However, the reader can conclude otherwise. Bradbury creates a question for the reader to answer: Is ignorance bliss or does the ability to think for oneself create happiness? Bradbury shows the importance of self-reflection, happiness and the ability to think for oneself as well as isolation due to technology, and the importance of nature and animals. In Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury conveys the stories’ themes through characterization and symbols.

The book Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury is about a man named Guy Montag who lives in this futuristic society without books. Bradbury uses symbolism multiple times throughout the novel. However, books are considered dangerous since the power of knowledge is influential. They have these TV walls which can symbolize the lack of real relationships in this society. Montag’s captain at the firestation, Captain Beatty, is also symbolic, he could be viewed as Satan because he burns down houses and he seems to be the one ordering everything to be done. Seemly toward the ending of the novel Beatty says ,”A book is a loaded gun in the next door. Burn it.” If they decided to read books, and use what they gained from reading it, then and only then, could they really be dangerous. Also at the ending of the book the city is destroyed by an atomic bomb in the very quick war, it is suggested that the city will be rebuilt like the Phoenix always comes back from being burned. Bradbury's use of symbolism digs deeply beyond their literal meaning and gives a whole new perspective of the novel.

Fahrenheit 451 is one of the hundreds of books that contains multiple instances of social commentary. In the novel, Ray Bradbury critiques the citizens as well as their home society, which refer to the censorship the government imposes on the society. Notwithstanding the possible effects, the citizens’ minds drastically change due to the amount of brainwashing they received throughout the years to destroy all of their community’s past. Initially, we can see this when we read that the firemen are completely different than what we know today in comparison to what they formerly were. Firemen now burn houses that carried traces of books on fire to substitute the old style of extinguishing already lit fires. Little do they know that what they’re doing has a lasting impact on the people of their communities.. We see this when Montag ultimately realizes why they burn the books after talking to Clarisse McClellan, the young, perfect-looking woman that Montag finds waiting outside of the fire station one night. Montag couldn’t let anyone know what he was thinking or doing unless he wanted his life to brutally come to an end. Bradbury grew up during the times of censorship as well as the technological advancements. With these changes, a lot of the people worried about the lives of their people, Bradbury consisting of this population of people. He wrote this Novel to demonstrate what life would be like if these changes grew out of hand. During the time Bradbury wrote the book,

Bradbury observes that the more addicted people become to technology, the less they socialize and the less they care about other people. Much of the dehumanization that occurs in Fahrenheit 451 has actually come to be true in the beginning of the 21st century. In the world of Fahrenheit 451, books are burned. Guy Montag is a fireman who starts fires rather

"’I feel alive for the first time in years,’ said Faber. ‘I feel I’m doing what I should’ve done a long time ago. For a little while I’m not afraid. Maybe it’s because I’m doing the right thing at last” (Bradbury, 125). Fahrenheit 451 is a novel written by Ray Bradbury, in the setting of the 24th century. It tells the fictional story of the main character, Guy Montag, a thirty year old man who is a firefighter. Contrary to our modern civilization, firefighters such as Montag start fires, burning books and the owner’s belongings and house with it. Montag enjoyed his life until he came across a young lady, who makes him question himself, his job, his life, and happiness.

Fahrenheit 451 is a novel by Ray Bradbury, which portrays Bradbury’s prediction of how one day humans will forget the joy of reading. This story takes place in a future dystopian city, where any actions related to books are illegal. The novel’s protagonist, Guy Montag, is a fireman, whose job involves burning books for a living. Throughout the story, the citizens live their mundane lives, which includes watching parlor walls (television) and having minimal connections with their friends or family. In part three of the novel, Bradbury writes about Guy Montag and how he is on-the-run from the officials of the city because of the many crimes he has committed such as reading books, hiding books, and the act of murder against his boss. Montag then joins a group of literary enthusiasts who are also hiding from the officials. The group is suddenly shocked to see a bombardment happening in the city. As the bombs fall, the passage shows Montag’s inner thoughts, emotions and his perspective on the explosion. This passage may seem like an average action scene at first glance, but through a deeper analysis, one can find Ray Bradbury’s use of contrasting words, variety of languages, and allusions, to suspense readers and foreshadow a new beginning to the meaningless lives of the citizens.

Set in a near distant future, Fahrenheit 451 tells the story of protagonist, Guy Montag who lives in a world where firemen start fires rather than putting them out and people do not read books, enjoy nature, think independently, or have meaningful conversations (“Plot Overview”). Instead, they drive excessively fast, watch needless amounts of television on wall-size sets, and listen to the radio through “seashell” attached to their ears. Unfulfilled by his occupation and discontent with a society unconcerned with reports of an impending atomic war, Montag begins to question the ways of the world (“Fahrenheit 451 Summary”). When he is punished by his boss, the local fire chief, for harboring books, Montag turns a flamethrower on his superior

“Be the change you wish to see in the world.”- Mahatma Gandhi. Fahrenheit 451 is about a man named Guy Montag who doesn’t realize it yet but is one of the most important people in his society. Ray Bradbury wrote this book to show society the change that can and will happened if we keep going the way we are going. Montag has changed through his journey in many ways. One way is Montag has changed from not caring about his wife Millie to caring if she died during the war. Secondly Montag has changed in his journey ever since he met Clarisse, and lastly Montag has changed when he started taking books, reading them, and realizing what him and the other firemen are doing is wrong.

Fahrenheit 451 states, “The woman on the porch reached out with contempt to them all, and struck the kitchen match against the railing” (Bradbury p. 37). The unnamed woman, who undoubtingly set herself and her books on fire, shows that the knowledge within books has great importance. The woman decided to sacrifice her life for books instead of accepting the consequences for owning them because she would rather die than to live in a world where books do not exist. Montag thinks, “There must be something in books, things we can’t imagine, to make a woman stay in a burning house; there must be something there. You don’t stay for nothing” (Bradbury p. 48). This quote shows how Montag begins to question the beliefs of the controlling administration. Montag establishes the belief that the woman attempts to make a stand against the banning of books because she believes there would be more to life and self-happiness with books being in society. Montag states in the book, “And for the first time I realized that a man was behind each one of the books” (Bradbury p. 49). Guy Montag is also beginning to realize that a common person like himself wrote each piece of literature. The writers of the publications lived through the horrid events and took the time to write about them. The roaming intellects at the end of the novel also took the time to memorize peculiar parts of various books which demonstrates that there is value within

“The woman reached out with contempt to them all, and struck the kitchen match against the railing” (37). Montag and the other firemen report to a house that is suspected of harboring books. They are correct, and they find books in the attic of the home. The books belong to an old woman whose name is unknown to the readers, and she was devastated that the firemen were destroying her home and books. Ultimately she kills herself by setting fire to herself, her home, and the books. The very property and books in question that were about to be burned by Captain Beatty. She felt that books were so important in her life that she could not go on without them. Some people would feel that things to die for, like freedom, liberty, and their family would be more important, but this woman chose her books. It seems very clear to me that Ray Bradbury seems to be telling us, the readers, that there are things in life