Montag as Hero in Fahrenheit 451 Essay -- Fahrenheit 451 Essays Papers

Montag as Hero in Fahrenheit 451 Ray Bradburys Fahrenheit 451 was first publish in 1933, and its story entails a futuristic world in the middle of a nuclear war. The totalitarian government of this future forbids its people from reading or taking a part in other acts that involve individual thinking. The law against reading is, presumably, fairly new, and the government is faced with the enormous task of destroying all in all of its citizens books. This disposal of books is the profession of the main character, cat-o-nine-tails Montag, who is officially titled a fireman. He and his crew raid libraries and homes, burning any books they find before scads of overjoyed onlookers. Throughout the beginning of the novel, Montag appears to be a ruthless, detestable human being. Surprisingly, however, it is Montag who emerges as the protagonist at the end. Montag is a dynamic character he is endlessly learning, changing, and keeping the reader interested. Ray Bradbury is able to incorpo rate careful details and ideas which change the readers opinion of Montag and allow him to become the hero of the story. As Fahrenheit 451 begins, Guy Montag is burning the books of a house, and is thoroughly enjoying his feast of flames. Bradbury places several subtle metaphors in this section that cause the reader to equate Montag with a detestable, serpent-like human being. As Montag stood with this salient python spitting its venomous kerosene upon the world, the blood pounded in his head. . . (19). Montag even takes on the appearance of a monster in the line, . . . and his eyes all orange flame with the thought of what came next. . . (19). It is difficult to understand why Montag loves burning so much, and the fact that he receives so much pleasur... ... story progresses, Montag completely turns his belief system or so and becomes an advocate for the salvation of books. He is cast out of his own job and home, but at the last moment his decision saves him from certain destru ction by a nuclear bomb. Montag becomes a hero, one of the last few remaining with the power of literature contained in their minds. Fahrenheit 451 shows that a characters personality may book many much facets than are first visible. Bradbury is able to refract the crystal of Montags character, so that it reflects into each readers heart a different aspect of humanity. Once Montag becomes more human, Bradbury makes it nearly impossible for the reader to hold grudges about his past. Using this as a tool, Montag, the first apparent antagonist of the story, overcomes the government, which is the real antagonist, and emerges as the hero.