Guy Montag's Parlors

Mildred, the wife of Guy Montag, accurately portrays one of society’s brainwashed citizens who is controlled by technology so much to the point where she’s emotionally and physically drifted away from her own husband. From whenever Montag tries speaking to her or asking her for assistance, she can never seem to be disconnected from her so-called, “parlors” that symbolizes a modern day TV. She’s constantly referring to the people on her parlors as, “her family”(49), which is quite strange considering that Montag is the only family she has, yet she shows no feelings or contempt for him. Even Montag realizes their distant relationship which is why he, “wouldn’t cry if she died”(44). This implies how a normal person in their society is modernized

When Montag feels sick and not capable to go to work, he asks Millie to grab his medicine, but she simply shrugs off his request by saying, “You’ve never been sick before”(49). By assuming Montag has never been ill, it implies Millie’s incapability of realizing the truth and that in reality, Montag is actually not feeling well. This shows that she perceives him as almost invincible and cannot become harmed in any way so his only job is to work and provide for her which is why she also mentions that, “he’s got to get up”(48) since he’s already late. Millie’s selfishness and lack of noticing Montag’s suffering shows that her mind is fixed on thinking solely about her own luxury and enjoyment. She doesn’t even budge to help Montag, but continues urging him to wake up and leave for work. However, later on, when Beatty arrives at their house to check on Montag, “Millie ran”(53) to go, “shut the relatives up”(53). The fact that Millie proceeded quickly to satisfy the demand made by Captain Beatty shows her arrogance as just earlier, she wouldn’t even take a couple steps to assist Montag’s needs. Millie represents a foolish idiot in this scene because she can’t perceive who’s really the important person that should be prioritized

After Montag escapes the chase down, he peacefully drifts along a river and ponders about life. Within all the harmony and relaxation, Montag remembers Millie and says, “So much silence, Millie,”(141), but then recalls how much she would’ve hated the peacefulness. It wasn’t until he truly remembered Millie’s personality that he was aware she would’ve hated this because it was the total opposite of what she’d enjoy. Because of this, “he felt sad,”(142) because he realized him and Millie never truly shared any similarities. Later, near the end of the book, when the war is it at’s peak, Montag suddenly remembered where he and Millie met. Earlier, when he asked, both him and Millie had no clue or memory about the place where they first met each other, but now, seconds before Millie is about to get killed by the incoming bomb, Montag, “remembers, Chicago a long time ago is where we met!”(160). This shows that they’ve never shared a strong connection with each other and never actually tried creating a strong bond. The lack of communication and recognition between Montag and Millie convey that had an empty relationship without any true