preview

Guy Montag's Changes Through Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury Essay

Decent Essays

People can change due to the influence of other people. Guy Montag changes from being a book burning monster to an independent knowledge seeker due to the influences of Clarisse McClellan. Montag in Fahrenheit 451 by: Ray Bradbury shows how he acted before he changed, after meeting Clarisse, and after meeting Faber. Most people, without influence of other people, stay the way they already are. Guy, before he was influenced by Clarisse, acted as everyone else did in his futuristic society. “It was a pleasure to burn.” (Bradbury 3) Bradbury here states that burning books was an occupation of this society. The people obviously don’t want to do anything with the books or read them, so they burn them instead. This shows that people like …show more content…

Montag grew closer to Clarisse each time they talked, and he enjoyed that. So this shows that Montag, when he talks to Clarisse, gets to be himself and become independent and has to think for himself instead of everyone else thinking for him. People can change their views on topics with the influence of other people. When Faber and Montag met, the old English professor told Montag the wonders of books and how they influence people. “‘Books can be beaten down with reason. But with all my knowledge and skepticism, I have never been able to argue with a one-hundred-piece symphony orchestra, full color, three dimensions and being in and part of those incredible parlors’” (Bradbury 84) Faber tells Montag why people would rather choose their parlor in their houses over books. The parlor of these houses in this society are the main source of entertainment in the house, with TV’ s on the walls and a virtual ‘family’ that you call your own. Montag disagrees with this because he does not like his own parlor family that is in his house. Montag would rather be reading a book. So even though everyone else has their own parlors and other entertainment, Montag became wiser by thinking for himself and enjoying a book. “‘I don’t want to change sides and just be told what to do. There’s no reason to change if I do that.’ ‘You’re wise already!’” (Bradbury 92) Montag was talking

Get Access