Character Change In Fahrenheit 451

Montag’s Internal and External Conflicts People sometimes have a great effect on other people, even if they do not realize it. That is what happens to Guy Montag, a main character in Ray Bradbury’s science fiction novel, Fahrenheit 451. In the novel he comes across many characters that change him. In the novel Ray Bradbury uses conflict to show the knowledge and ignorance in the characters. Ray Bradbury uses Montag’s internal and external conflict throughout the book to show how he is changed by these things.

In Fahrenheit 451, depression caused Guy Montag to become irrational. Ray Bradbury who is the author of Fahrenheit 451 simulated a world, where depression causes Guy Montag to choose irrational actions. Ray Bradbury shows the reader the importance of depression by creating a character named Guy Montag, who begins to question everything he has ever known, and slowly sinks into a depression. At first Guy Montag thinks that he's a happy man, an ordinary man with an ordinary job. Everyday is the same for him, except for one day in particular, when he meets Clarisse McClellan.

He is shaken by their meeting at first but then finds himself considering her ideas about nature and the other fireman, and he begins to think about straying from his society’s ideals. Montag does not fully accept Clarisse at first, saying to her “You think too many things” (9). Montag becomes uneasy because it is the first time his conformist way of thinking and his obedient actions have been challenged. At the end of their first interaction, Clarisse asks whether he is happy or not. After being caught off guard by her question, he hastily responds that he was happy with his life, and afterward thinks that the question was meaningless and silly.

From one of his first experiences with Clarisse, Montag feels something that he realizes he never felt before in his daily life. He ponders to himself, "How rarely did other people's faces take of you and throw back to your own expression, your own innermost trembling thought?" (Bradbury 8). What Montag is pondering about is how she behaved so attentive and natural towards

What does she think?”(Bradbury 8) It can be seen that Montag isn’t sure he is happy or he wouldn’t have to tell himself that he is happy. The last example is Clarisse; she shows that not being ignorant

" Montag is really not sure because he later realizes that he really wasn 't happy when she asked that. I believe he shows his pessimistic side through all the characters except Montag and Clarisse and through the plot of the

Soon, he began to wonder why he was not satisfied with his life, he began to question why nobody had the time to sit back for a minute and reflect upon their lives. He discovered that nothing he had done through out his life defined his character; everything Montag had done was merely influenced by his community. He had adapted an image of someone that was not him. He had to met Clarisse in order to realize that his behavior and his way of living was not who he wanted to be. Subsequently, he began a desperate quest to find his true character and comprehend his purpose in

Books have a history of impacting the views of the masses, influencing thought and bringing about the most spectacular inventions; the Bible, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, The Republic, and so many more. With books playing such a role in society, it is hard to imagine a world without literature. This is the goal of Ray Bradbury’s book, Fahrenheit 451: to explore a world where reading is outlawed, and to show how books, or the lack of, change the way people feel and connect. The general people who do not read, including the protagonist, Guy Montag, seem discontent with their lives and derive no real joy. Conversely, the readers and the thinkers are kinder, bolder, and humorous; Faber and Clarise, for example, leave powerful impacts on Montag with their thinking.

As Clarisse questions why Montag begins to think about his actions and how they affect people as well as society. The reader realizes Montag is a puppet in the dystopian society following the protocol as he is told by society. Montag’s inability to reason with what he is doing makes him gullible. Montag’s society would consider him dangerous within his society, but in reality he is escaping what is a dysfunctional.

The displeasure these characters feel, for Montag, this begins with Clarisse. Meeting her was not the changing point but when she asked the question “Are you happy?” This the beginning of Montag questioning his life. It is shown how these feelings truly blossom by small actions Montag does. Montag not watching T.V., questioning his feelings for his wife and continuing to talk to Clarisse show how he is slowly changing in

In other words, Clarisse embodies joy because she fearlessly talks about things that in any other case would be considered awkward. For example, while walking back home, Clarisse remarks, “ Are you happy?”(Bradbury 7). Her question is simple, yet for some reason it leaves Montag bewildered. This quote is significant because it paves the way for a new outlook on his life. In other words, Clarisse’s question leads Montag to finding that he is actually very unhappy with his current existence.

Montag eventually reaches a point where he can’t stand his normal life anymore. Clarisse, intentionally or not, has shocked Montag back into his childlike curiosity. All he wants to do is learn, something he’s never felt so attached to before. This is how Montag becomes comfortable enough with his wonder to start reading books. Within just a few moments of interaction with her, Clarisse was able to bring back the curiosity in Montag’s

    To begin, the rising action of Fahrenheit 451 includes Montag’s internal conflict. This internal conflict initiates doubt in Montag. When Clarisse asks Montag “‘Are you happy?’”, he initially responds “Of course I’m happy” (Bradbury 7-8). However, it is evident that doubt has been planted in his mind, “What does she think? I’m not?”

(pg. 8). Montag does not respond, but it does make him think. After hearing this question Montag goes home, greeted by his cold, sterile home, questioning his life and whether he is happy or not. Later, Montag is influenced

Until Clarisse inadvertently forces him to accept the truth, Montag denies his unhappiness to himself as well as to everyone else. He fervently denies the suggestion that he is not in love with anyone, claiming without hesitation that he is “very much in love” with Mildred (Bradbury 22). In light of the emotionally vacant and meaningless interactions between Montag and Mildred, the assertion that such a relationship is ‘love’ seems absurd. Montag never stops to wonder whether the things he says are true or not; there is no reflection of himself in his words. Montag’s defensive, almost automatic, responses are characteristic of a man who voices only what he thinks he is supposed to feel, not what he truly feels.