How Did Montag Change In Fahrenheit 451

Like the phoenix, Montag rose from the ashes of his past and was born into someone new. Montag goes through a drastic change in Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451. He breaks away from the confines of his society causing him to be labeled as an outcast, a danger, and even a terrorist. He goes from being a fireman, someone who burns books, to a reader. Montag experiences an irreversible change, and it forever impacts who he is as a person.
Montag goes from one extreme of society to another. He transitions from a fireman to a reader. The difference between the two sides is black and white. In the beginning of the story, Montag is a fireman who spends his days burning any books that might remain in a country in which having books is a crime. Montag

He is seemingly proud and passionate for his job while remaining completely oblivious to the true nature of the society. Montag lives a simple life with very little thinking or feeling. He is numb to the problems with the world and lives surrounded by technology that replaces true human connection. Montag’s perspective begins to change after Montag meets a girl named Clarisse. Clarisse is seen as strange and abnormal compared to the average citizen. She spends time thinking, exploring, and engaging in conversation. These actions make her an outcast. The first hint of Montag’s doubts about his society emerge when Clarisse asks Montag, “Are you happy?” (Bradbury 7). Montag is taken aback by this question, as it is something he has never contemplated previously. He claims to be happy, but after pondering the question further, Montag recognizes that he truly is not happy in his life. He realizes that “he wore his happiness like a mask and the girl had run across the lawn with the mask and there was no way of going to knock on her door and ask for it back” (Bradbury 9). This highlights the beginning of his shift as he realizes that his joy is purely a

The change is exceedingly significant. Montag never questioned anything and was never a thinker. Once he starts thinking, he is never able to turn it off. An alarm has gone off in Montag's head and this revelation sparks him to correct his society and fix others’ distorted views. Montag’s dissatisfaction for his society spurs him to change the rules instead of simply conforming to fit the mold. One instance in which this change is apparent is when the novel states, “[Montag] pressed at the pain in his eyes and suddenly the odor of kerosene made him vomit” (Bradbury 47). This differs immensely from his initial viewpoint in which Montag states, “Kerosene… is nothing but perfume to me” (Bradbury 4). This demonstrates that Montag views the society, his life, and his profession from an entirely new lens. Montag begins to look upon his profession with disgust as he realizes the severity of his work. He is removing these books from the world that contain valuable information and stories. He sees that damage that he has caused as a fireman and he becomes bothered by his society. This causes Montag to pursue change in his broken community. His beliefs about books are altered and he sees them in a whole new light. Montag realizes the importance of books and of knowledge and the impact they have upon the world. He gains an appreciation for the little things, similar to Clarisse. The defining moment in Montag's