Finding Your Identity
In this novel, Fahrenheit 451, author Ray Bradbury, pushed the limits of our imagination, and challenged readers to think beyond this century’s traditional way of understanding freedom and choice. Montag is challenged with his own identity and wants more than what his day-to-day life provides. Through his personal curiosity, he is filled with sentiment of knowledge from books that has filled his mind. Montag is forced to find his own identity and is challenged to discover his own thoughts and realize the value within them through the symbolic relationships, personal challenges and dramatic tone.
Ray Bradbury presents many challenges to the reader and causes the reader to examine their own happiness. Examples of this are found within the storyline as the characters interact and ask each other of their own destiny. Clarisse asks Montag, “Are you happy?”. She is asking a much deeper question that suggests the world of Fahrenheit 451 is one of unfeeling and passive. Bradbury develops this claim by interweaving what the world looks like without books, imagination, and personal interaction. Then, we see
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Beatty exemplifies these traits and controls society through his fear of what he does not understand. Bradbury presents a society that does not encourage personal thought or opinion; individuals seem to be trapped in their thoughts and are unmotivated to pursue feelings or relationships. Bradbury creates Montag to challenge that tone and remind the readers of the possibilities and consequences when we stretch our individuality. Montag and Faber develop a relationship that honors each other’s individualism and through that friendship created a new life. His friendship with Faber gave him the courage to extend himself to the scholars by the river, which also encouraged individualism. Montag gain strength to pursue individualism and defy