How Does Montag Change In Fahrenheit 451

Montag began as an unfeeling follower of his society’s ideas, influenced by fear and ignorant of the corrupt system, but he becomes a rebel and reconstructs his ideals and mentality. Before Montag was introduced to books, he was mindless and unimaginative, and he does not question himself or the dystopia he lived in; however, he transforms because Clarisse McClellan and Faber explain the importance of questioning the government and the world. Montag thought: “It was a pleasure to burn. It was a special pleasure to see things eaten, to see things blackened and changed.” (1) He does not read the books he burns and does not seek their knowledge; he enjoys burning them. His actions are explained by fear, fear of being killed by the government.

When Montag meets Clarisse, she declares, “You laugh when I haven’t been funny and you answer right off. You never stop to think what I’ve asked you.” (6) and later asks him, “Are you happy?” (7) Clarisse’s question provokes him to doubt his beliefs, which sets in motion the rest of the book’s events, including Montag’s eventual betrayal of the firemen and abandonment of the city. After burning down a woman and her house, Montag tells Mildred, "You weren't there, you didn't see ... There must be something in books, things we can't imagine, to make a woman stay in a burning house; there must be something

Montag fears change, which is why he ignores the crimes of his society and settles with being a conformist, but he becomes aware of the dehumanization of his society through books. Montag realizes, "Nobody listens anymore. I can't talk to the walls because they're yelling at me. I can't talk to my wife; she listens to the walls. I just want someone to hear what I have to say. And maybe if I talk long enough, it'll make sense.” (78) Then he asks Faber to teach him to understand what he reads. Montag becomes frustrated at the stagnancy of other’s minds and their silence. Before going to meet Faber, he can no longer tolerate the lack of thinking and becomes deranged on a train. The other reason Montag’s transformation was painful was because he left behind his wife and home, furthermore, he also is grieving for Clarisse. Montag pleads with Faber, "My wife's dying. A friend of mine's already dead. Someone who may have been a friend was burnt less than twenty-four hours ago. You're the only one I knew might help me. To see. To see..." (77) When Montag says this, it is the first time he admits that their society is broken, but he is also broken; later he confesses he did not grieve for his wife when the nuclear bomb hit. Montag