How Does Montag Take Action In Fahrenheit 451

“There are risks and costs to action. But they are far less than the long range risks of comfortable inaction” ~ John F. Kennedy. The novel Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury portrays the theme of action vs. inaction as the main character Guy Montag chooses to take action for what he believes in, while others are too afraid to express how they actually feel. Bradbury predicts a future in which the government is mostly under control, and firefighters burn the homes of people with books as a punishment for breaking the law. Montag begins to see that books are valuable, so he takes action and plots a plan to try and save his society. Coincedently, the song “Brave” by Sara Bareilles corresponds with the same idea of taking action. Several lines from

Clarisse and her family were different from everyone else in the society where Montag lived. Every night they would sit around the table and talk for hours, which was not very common. She inspired Montag to be brave and express himself like she did everyday. As stated in the novel, “ ‘Are you happy?’ she said” (7). After Clarisse said this, Montag realized he really was not happy. These three simple words caused him to entirely change himself for the better. The rest of the bridge of the song “Brave” also shows a connection-- “Maybe there's a way out of the cage where you live / Maybe one of these days you can let the light in / Show me how big your brave is” (Antonoff and Bareilles) These lines closely relate to what Clarisse is telling Montag when she asks him the life changing question. She helped Montag to take action and be brave. Before Clarisse came along, Montag was in a “cage” that he could not get out of. She influenced Montag to be like her just because of her normal and everyday actions. In conclusion, Clarisse influenced Montag to take action for what he believed in and finally break out of his