Quotes For Fahrenheit 451

1. Motivation and Values-

In the beginning Montag's goals are simply to go to work and make enough money to buy the things his wife, Mildred, likes. However, after Montag meets Clarisse, his goals differ. His goal now, is to find out the meaning of life, to better understand who he is as a person, and freedom to think as an individual.

Textual Evidence: "It's only two thousand dollars," she replied. "And I should think you'd consider me sometimes.If we had a fourth wall, why it'd be just like this room wasn't ours at all, but all kinds of exotic people's rooms. We could do without a few things." (pg. 18). “Montag had done nothing. His hand had done it all, his hand, with a brain of its own, with a conscience and a curiosity in each trembling finger, had turned thief.. Now, it plunged the book back under his arm, pressed it tight to sweating armpit, rushed out empty, with a magician's flourish!” (pg. 35)

2.

Color-

Green: Enlightenment/Renewal

All his life Montag has only known destruction. Destruction had no meaning to him until he witnessed a woman die over some books that he thought were insignificant to him before. This event leads to him questioning and doubting his society and his beliefs or morals. Once he begins to question himself and his morals he recognizes his actions and decides that burning books was wrong. He comes across enlightenment, in which he realizes that books are more than objects, they are thoughts and ideas that have taken a lifetime to write down, and he can’t just come and destroy it in a couple minutes.

Textual Evidence: “ ‘It's not just the woman that died," said Montag. "Last night I thought about all the kerosene I've used in the past ten years. And I thought about books. And for the first time I realized that a man was behind each one of the books. A man had to think them up. A man had to take a long time to put them down on paper. And I'd never even thought that thought before." He got out of bed. “ (pg.49)

Red, Orange: