Fahrenheit 451

Fahrenheit 451 (1953) is a dystopian fiction novel by Ray Bradbury that was originally published as a shorter novella in the February 1951 issue of Galaxy Science Fiction.

Character Analysis

• Guy Montag is the protagonist and fireman (see above) whose metamorphosis is illustrated throughout the book and who presents the dystopia through the eyes of a loyal worker to it, a man in conflict about it, and one resolved to be free of it.
• Faber is the former English professor who represents those who know what is being done is wrong, but is too fearful to act.
• Mildred Montag is Montag's wife, who tries to hide her own emptiness and fear of questioning her surroundings or herself, with drugs, meaningless chatter, and a constant barrage of television. She constantly tries to reach the glorified state of happiness, but is inwardly miserable. She is used symbolically as the opposite of Clarisse McClellan.
• Clarisse McClellan displays every trait Mildred does not. She is outgoing, naturally cheerful, and intuitive. She serves as the "wake up call" for Guy Montag, by posing the question "why" to him. She is unpopular among peers, and disliked by parents for (as she puts it) asking why instead of how, and focusing on nature rather than technology. Montag always regards her as odd, but when she is killed by a speeding car, he misses her greatly.
• Captain Beatty is Montag's boss and the fire chief. He tries to entice Guy back into the book burning business, but is burnt alive by Montag when he underestimates Montag's resolve. He is the symbolic opposite of Granger.
• Granger is the leader of a group of wandering intellectual exiles, who memorize books so they will be saved. Where Beatty destroys, he creates; where Beatty uses fire for the purpose of burning, he uses it for the purpose of warming. His acceptance of Montag is considered the final step in Montag's metamorphosis, from embracing Beatty's ultimate value (happiness and complacency), to embracing his value (love of knowledge).