Following Rules In Guy Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451

In this society, we have many rights as a citizen. For example, we are asked to follow rules, or laws made by the government. Now, some of us chose to follow society’s rules, and some of us don’t. Guy Montag, the main character in the novel Fahrenheit 451, chose to be one of the ones who doesn’t follow rules. During Montag’s career as a fireman, he stole books from burning houses, even though it was illegal, very dangerous, and could possibly cost Montag his life. Throughout the story, the reader meets many characters that impact Guy, the way he thinks and the way he views society as a whole. Clarisse McClellan helped Montag discover that he wasn’t happy, while his fire captain Beatty, taught Montag that life isn’t just a straight path, it

She was said to be an antisocial, meaning she didn’t fit in. Clarisse was a thinker, she wanted to observe things and understand why certain things happen. It is believed to think that her death was not an accident, but a murder. It also occurred to Montag that she might have been killed for having books. Montag believes that also ties into her death. The only reason Guy states that he wanted revenge for Clarisse is because she was the one who made him think. Clarisse was the person who put the idea of happiness into his mind. Before she came along, Montag was in this endless cycle of living but not living. He was looking, but he wasn’t seeing. He was breathing, but he wasn’t alive. When Clarisse died, Montag wanted to feel what she felt when she read books. When Beatty said, “‘…You think you can walk on water with your books…’” (Bradbury 111-112). Montag felt threatened by him, and he felt anger for what he had said about books. “‘…Well, the world can get by just fine without them…’” The world can get by just fine without them, without Clarisse, without anyone who decides to think differently. He wanted Beatty to feel the same thing Clarisse felt when she died. Just like Jan Zabinski did during World War II. Jan would poison the meat that was going to Nazi soldiers as a part of the rebellion to make them feel the same way the Nazi’s did. Montag wanted Beatty to feel remorse for Clarisse.

Guy had a beetle in his ear, who spoke the voice of Faber. Faber is a retired English professor who had lost his job when the last liberal arts college had been shut down for lack of people’s will to learn. Faber stated to Montag the night they met, “‘I don’t talk things, sir. I talk the meaning if things, I sit here and know I’m alive…’” (Bradbury 71). When Guy was trying to understand why the books made people feel certain ways, or what the words on the pages meant, he knew he needed help. Montag traveled there, knowing that Faber didn’t want to see him, because he was afraid of what Guy would do, or why he wanted to know so much about the Bible. When Montag got there, Faber and he came up with a plan. A plan that was risky, and could possibly get them both killed. He called Montag into his office, and gave him proof of his cowardly ways. For years, Faber was creating an ear piece that looked like a Seashell Radio, expect it allowed him to hear what was going on from the comfort of his walls, from the comfort of something he has been in for years; his home. (Bradbury 87). Skipping ahead to the night of the accident, Faber was in Montag’s ear, listening, evaluating and trying to keep Montag safe from the wrath of his fire captain. When Beatty struck Montag, the green beetle flew out of his ear and Faber was almost caught. “… ‘We’ll trace this and drop in on your friend.’” (Bradbury 112). Montag became protective over the only