Fahrenheit 451 Literary Analysis

“Remember when we had to actually do things back in 2015, when people barely had technology and everyday life was so difficult and different? When people read and thought and had passions, dreams, loves, and happiness?” This is what the people of the book Fahrenheit 451 were thinking, well that is if they thought at all or even remembered what life used to be like before society was changed.
Fahrenheit 451 is a book that takes place in the future. In a society that has been modernized to a lack of knowledge, there is one key factor that plays a role in ,not only the book, but to the reason these people are so oblivious to life. The reason is simply that their knowledge, and all information of history and reality was cut off at the source.

Books. They were banned, burned and said to be horrible things. In this book, about a world without books, there is a character named Montag (the main character). Montag is a “firefighter” , in his world that means he burns books that are found illegally. Clarisse McClellan is Montag’s young friend who, unlike the rest of society, has a very smart and different outlook on the world. Mildred is Montag’s wife and needless to say is not very smart.
Clarisse helped Montag in a sort of way because she opened his mind to new ideas, or just ideas in general, and knowledge. Where Mildred on the other hand, did the opposite. She, being stuck in her unintellegent ways, was not helping Montag.
Clarisse talked to Montag and all she needed to do was be herself and speak what she thought, which she always did.

And everything she said made Montag start to think. While Montag and Clarisse were walking, Clarisse asked Montag “ How long is it since you were really bothered?” she said knowing he didn’t think enough to even be bothered by something. “About something important, about something real?” He heard this question and never thought about it, he reacted impulsively and thought she was crazy for asking such a question. Clarisse later asked him a very deep question and said “Are you happy?” Of course Montag said the first thing that he thought he felt, and said that yes, he was happy. but clarisse knew the truth, that he didnt know what happy was to be able to say that and thats why she asked. Even though Montag didnt think about the question then, once he enters his house he cant shake the question. When clarisse asks these questions she asks them seriously. However when Montag hears these questions he thinks they are obscure and laughs as if his answers are obvious. So clarisse asks him another brain teasing question and says “You laugh when i haven’t been funny, and you answer right off. you never stop to think what i have asked you.” This really gets into Montags head, weather he knows it, or not. And things Soon begin to change.
On a different note as things start to look up for Montag’s mind, thanks to clarisse, there is a someone pulling him down. Mildred. Mildred

negitivley effects Montag because she thinks the way her society does, by saying things like
“if you dont want a house built hide the nails and wood. If you dont want a man politically unhappy then dont give him two sides to a question t worry him; give him one. Better yet give, him none.” Mildred is explaining to Montag in this qoute why she thinks their society is correct. And this is the way of thinking she and everyone, but clarisse, have adopted and accepted. When Montag says to Mildred, after having thought about what clarisse said to him, “Im not happy.” Mildred replies “I am. And proud of it.” Mildred is so blind-sided that she truly believes she is happy. Montag knows that she doesnt not turly know the things she believes. Like when he asks her “Millie does the white clown love you? does your “family” love you, love you very much, with all thier heart and sole, Mille?” Montag asks her this to try and make her realize how rediculous she is thinking, even though she never does.
Montag, however, does.

Montag is realizing wrong his world really is. He wants to change it too. He says “ Im going to do something, I dont know what yet but im going t do something big.” He doesnt know what to do yet because at this point he hasnt figured out the “missing peice”. Montag says “ I dont know. we have everything we need to be happy, but we arent happy. Something is missing.” then he starts to understand that books are the key to knowladge and knowledge is what they need. he says “There must be something in books that we cant imagine, to make a woman stay in a burning house; there must be something there, you dont stay for nothing.” And this is the turning point of the book because now montag is ready to take

action.
Fahrenheit 451 is a book with twists and turns and a book full of true wisdom that only a writter like Ray Bradburry could write. But the thing i loved most about the book is the message that it sends. This book tells a story about life that people often forget. Ot makes you revisit happiness and the importance of knowladge and books that we actually take for granted. I didnt nessarily enjoy the book itself but i am glad we read because i enjoyed parts of it and learned alot.