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

Montag as Hero in Fahrenheit 451 Ray Bradburys Fahrenheit 451 was first published in 1933, and its bosh entails a futuristic world in the middle of a atomic 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 of its citizens books. This disposal of books is the work of the main character, Guy Montag, who is officially titled a fireman. He and his crew raid libraries and homes, burning any books they find before dozens of overjoyed onlookers. end-to-end 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 constantly learning, changing, and keeping the endorser interested. Ray Bradbury is able to incorporate careful details a nd 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 great python spitting its mortal 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 rough 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 around and becomes an advocate for the redemption of books. He is cast out of his own job and home, but at the last moment his decision saves him from certain destruction by a nuclear bomb. Mon tag 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 have many more than 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 insufferable 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.