Mustakim Choudhury

2nd Hour
5/25/19
Fahrenheit 451 Analysis Essay

People go through many life-changing experiences that can impact their lives and change

the way they think about something. This can happen when a person realizes an idea or concept

that they have been following their whole life is actually false. In Ray Bradbury's novel

Fahrenheit 451, the novel’s main character Montag enters an era of disillusionment. Montag was

essentially hypnotized by the government to believe that books shouldn't be part of their life. His

realization of the settings he interacted with led him to develop a better sense of what books are

and how society is restricted without it. The Fire Station and his home were the places Montag

had the most contact with. Both areas cause to take a different perspective on what his

association with society is; similarly, it causes Montag, as a firefighter, to rethink about the

actions he took involving destroying the books. He finds himself wanting to learn more about

books because of the settings changing his view on books.

One of the most influential places Montag was in contact with was the fire station. While

at the Fire Station, Montag is in an atmosphere that is very provoking on the fact that burning

books is the center of his society. When Montag is at the Fire Station waiting to respond to a

book sighting, he often feels connected to each event of a book getting destroyed. He reflects

every time after burning someone's property down on why he or she so connected to the books.

Montag witnessed a lady commit suicide over her books being destroyed. He was in awe after

this to the point where he questions his occupation. It caused him to rethink about the actual

reason behind burning books. He wanted to know whether there is something more to books if

people are trying to read them so badly.

 Montag’s home is a setting which influenced the way he thinks in a very negative way.

Your home is supposed to be a place of comfort, security, and happiness. But Montag views his

home as a cold, dark, and lonely place. Montag often thinks about the negative aspect of his life

while at his house. His wife, the only other person living with him, is often connected to some

sort of technology and hardly ever notices Montag’s presence. This resulted in the relationship

between Montag and his wife, Mildred, to be very distant. Montag even thought that “she was so

strange that he couldn’t believe he knew her at all” (Ray Bradbury 20). This resulted in Montag

feeling as if he is at another person’s home. But while at the Fire Station, Montag feels more

comfortable than at his home because he feels that he actually belongs there. Montag’s home led

him to be more reliant on himself and be more independent. He realized that he could only count

on himself and go with his gut because no one else can see through his perspective of books.

Montag’s view on books was influenced and shaped by two key settings in his life, his

home, and the fire station. While Montag was at his home he realized the reality of his society.

He knew that the government was hiding something right in front of him. He wanted to know

why. He came to this acknowledgment when he realized how controlled his society is and how

people are so desperate to read books. Montag describes his home as being a dark and cold place.

His wife is always glued to some sort of technology distracting her from giving any attention to

Montag. This is what he would come to at the end of his shift. Due to the different atmospheres

each place presented to Montag, his overall characteristics changed. Montag became more

focused and connected to what message his occupation and society are actually sending to him.

He wanted to know the truth of what books actually meant and what they are capable of.