Leina Nguyen Kalra Period 2 April 3, 2023 Values, Morals, and Other Trivial Matters Many dystopian novels show the ugly side of society and government by creating a world ruled by dictatorship and censorship. Fahrenheit 451 shows just this, a book modernized and set in a society ruled by technology, a realistic fiction that shows the effects of oppression and propaganda. The protagonist in the novel is a middle-aged man named Montag, a fireman who works for the government to burn books, as they are considered a threat to their peaceful lifestyle. Throughout the novel, Montag, the main character, changes and grows as he meets new people and learns to form his own ideologies. He rebels against an authoritarian mindset through a series of …show more content…
His curiosity blooms into a full-blown obsession with literature and the meaning behind complex works. The passage reads, ‘“You weren't there, you didn't see,’ he said. ‘There must be something in books, things we can't imagine, to make a woman stay in a burning house; there must be something there. You don't stay for nothing.’” (Bradbury 48) The quote shows how watching the woman die changed Montag’s perspective and haunted his conscience. Montag defends his books, bibles, and other works with everything he has to offer. Faber helps him and the two of them decide to work together to rebuild society from the inside out. Though infatuated with the written words, Montag is wary of his captain, as it seems he knows about the illicit activities Montag has engaged in. In a fit of passion and impulsivity, Montag angers his captain, who decides to arrest Montag and burn his house. Montag ends up murdering his captain, caught in the moment, and manages to escape safely with his books. Searching for the freedom to read to his heart’s desire, Montag gives up everything he has and braves the wilderness, hoping he can finally be free from the shackles of the authoritarian