Knowledge and ignorance seems to be a conflict which plagues Guy throughout the novel. Does ignorance, or knowledeg bring bliss? Montag, all his life has only known ignorance (no pun inteneded haha) decides to risk his life to fight against a society that embraces and lives off of ignorance. Thus he explores the second possiblty of hapiness which the first failed to achieve.
The fireman's job is to burn books, and therefore destroy knowledge and thus promoting ignorance to maintain the retardation of society. After speaking with Clarisse, Montag realizes his life is meaningless because it lacks truth and happiness. After having his epiphany, Montag fights against ignorance, trying to help others become enlightened. An example is when he forces them to listen to poetry despite their objection. Although they become angry after listening to the poetry, they have the luxury of experiencing true emotion for once. In Montag's aqcuired view, emotion will give these women and the world less retarded.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Guy Montag
In the post-apocalyptic world Fahrenheit 451 takes place Guy Montag is seemingly perfect. He is a strong fireman, having the uniform dark features such as "black hair, black brows…fiery face, and…blue-steel shaved but unshaved look."
Guy loves his job as the incendiary of knowledge which ironically gives him the opportunity to drain his collapsing world the only chance it has to regain intellectuality and stay afloat. He is officiated by every aspect of being a fireman such as the smell of kerosene, every one's fear of him, and
letting small animals loose and betting on which ones the Mechanical Hound would annihilate first. However, as the book progresses his seemingly ideal mental state seems to undergo a metamorphosis after meeting the neighbor girl, Sara McClellan. While every house is filled with darkness and every person with fright, she and her family seem to be a surviving anomaly. Her house is bright with light and her heart lacks fear. She and Guy have the first intuitive conversation in his life that makes him open his eyes and see his world for the first time. He sees his terrible, suicidal marriage for what it is, he questions his job, and he questions society. The girl's death places guy on a quest what he has spent years destroying, knowledge. Guy chases this until he arrives at a paradox, the fireman begins to read. He realizes individuality and his soul is worth breaking the shackles of stupidity by which conformity has bound him like many other heroes of literature.
Guy loves his job as the incendiary of knowledge which ironically gives him the opportunity to drain his collapsing world the only chance it has to regain intellectuality and stay afloat. He is officiated by every aspect of being a fireman such as the smell of kerosene, every one's fear of him, and
letting small animals loose and betting on which ones the Mechanical Hound would annihilate first. However, as the book progresses his seemingly ideal mental state seems to undergo a metamorphosis after meeting the neighbor girl, Sara McClellan. While every house is filled with darkness and every person with fright, she and her family seem to be a surviving anomaly. Her house is bright with light and her heart lacks fear. She and Guy have the first intuitive conversation in his life that makes him open his eyes and see his world for the first time. He sees his terrible, suicidal marriage for what it is, he questions his job, and he questions society. The girl's death places guy on a quest what he has spent years destroying, knowledge. Guy chases this until he arrives at a paradox, the fireman begins to read. He realizes individuality and his soul is worth breaking the shackles of stupidity by which conformity has bound him like many other heroes of literature.
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