Fahrenheit 451
ANALYSIS
Guy Montag

A fireman and the book's protagonist. As the novel opens, Montag
takes pride in burning books and the homes of people who illegally
own books. After meeting Clarisse McClellan, however, he begins to
face his growing dissatisfaction with his life, his job, his marriage, and
the pleasure-seeking, unthinking culture in which he lives. In fact, he
has been secretly hoarding books, without actually reading them.
After Clarisse's death, he eventually begins to read the books. From
that point on, there's no turning back, and Montag begins to take
action against his oppressive society.
Montag’s Identity Crisis: Early

“It was a pleasure to burn.

It was a special pleasure to see things eaten, to see things
blackened and changed. With the brass nozzle in his fists, with the
great python spitting its venomous kerosene upon the world, blood
pounded in his head, and his hands were the hands of some
amazing conductor playing all the symphonies of blazing and
burning to bring down the tatters and charcoal ruins of history.”

“it {kerosene} is nothing but perfume to me.”
Montag’s Identity Crisis

"his body divide itself […], the two halves grinding one upon the
other."

Montag imagines that his new, rebellious half isn't him at all, but is
actually Clarisse. When he speaks, he imagines her talking through
his mouth.

Later, when Faber ends up inside Montag's head via the earpiece,
we see more confusion of identity. Montag even distances himself
from his own hands, which in his mind are the dirty culprits breaking
all the rules. (Guilt)

Thinking (Happiness, Books)
Clarisse McClellan

She prefers to walk, engage in conversation, observe the natural
world, and observe people. Her questioning, free spirit starts Montag
thinking about his own life and his place in society.

“He saw himself in her eyes, suspended in two shining drops of bright
water, himself dark and tiny, in fine detail, the lines about his mouth,
everything there, as if her eyes were two miraculous bits of violet
amber that might capture and hold him intact. Her face, turned to
him now, was fragile milk crystal with a soft and constant light in it. It
was not the hysterical light of electricity but- what? But the strangely
comfortable and rare and gentle flattering light of the candle.”
Clarisse McClellan

Mildred’s Foil

“Are you happy?” -serves as the catalyst that impels Montag toward
a painful but necessary self-examination.

Her Christian name is based on the Latin adjective clarus, which
means "clearly". It may be understod as a telling name referring
both to her outward appearance and to her character.

Her terrible death underscores the rampant dehumanization of
society and the resulting random acts of violence.
Faber

A former English professor who describes himself as a coward
because he did not act to try to change the direction in which
society was headed. He uses a two-way radio to direct Montag
through situations in which he is too frightened to place himself. He
provides a counterpoint to Beatty's arguments against literature and
thought. Faber is named after a famous publisher (Faber & Faber)
and a brand of pencils.
Captain Beatty

Familiar with the Bible “Tower of Babel”
Captain Beatty

Beatty as a paradox?

Paradox: A paradox is a statement that contradicts itself and still seems
true somehow. Fancy that. Everyday examples include, "Nobody goes
to the restaurant because it's too crowded.“

Paradoxes in literature are often less about logical conundrums and
more about illuminating meaning. While paradoxes may seem totally
contradictory, literary paradoxes are often totally true at the same time.
Allusions

An allusion is a reference to a mythological, Biblical, literary, or
historical person, place, or thing or any reference to another work of
literature.

Allusions are usually brief and passing.

Allusions can enrich our reading of one text by causing us to think
about another text.
Tower of Babel

“Where’s your common sense? None of these books agree with
each other. You’ve been locked up here for years with a regular
damned Tower of Babel. Snap out of it!” –Captain Beatty

His mention of the Tower of Babel is an allusion to a story in the Bible.

In the Old Testament book of Genesis, everyone spoke one language.
The people built a huge tower, trying to get to heaven. God realized
they needed to be restrained from accomplishing so much. He
confused, or mixed up, their language so that everyone spoke different
languages.

Mention of the Tower of Babel now means confusion and corruption of
language, the disagreement between different languages, or the inability to
communicate.

What do you think Beatty meant by saying this to the woman?
"Play the man, Master Ridley; we shall this day light
such a candle, by God's grace, in England, as I trust
shall never be put out."

This quotation refers to Hugh Latimer, the leading English reformer of
the sixteenth century and Nicholas Ridley, Anglican bishop: they
refused to recognize Roman Catholic doctrine and therefore were
burnt alive for heresy in 1555. In a similar way the old woman refuses
to sacrifice her views; therefore her death puts Montag's
development into motion: she becomes a candle which will last him
the rest of his life (cf. p. 51). The analogy between the fate of the
reformers and that of the old woman is quite obvious.
Censorship

"Bigger the population, the more minorities. Don't step on the toes of
the dog lovers, the cat lovers, doctors, lawyers, merchants, chiefs,
Mormons, Baptists, Unitarians, second-generation Chinese, Swedes,
Italians, Germans, Texans, Brooklynites, Irishmen, people from
Oregon or Mexico. The people in this book, this play, this TV serial are
not meant to represent any actual painters, cartographers,
mechanics anywhere. The bigger your market, Montag, the less you
handle controversy, remember that!... Authors, full of evil thoughts,
lock up your typewriters. They did."