Fahrenheit 451 Analysis.

Prompt: Discuss how montags changing perception of fire mirrors his personal development. Use specific examples from the text in you argument.

In Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, we see the main character-Montag- change his perception on a lot of different points, from human relationships, to love, to children. One of the most significant things that he changes his perception to is Fire. Montag works as a fire man in Fahrenheit 451. But unlike the Fire Men of today, these fire men start fires, They burn book and the houses of people who own them, because in this society book are illegal. In the book Montags perception of Fire and burning changes, and the use of fire by the author mirrors such change.
         In the beginning of the book Montag has a great love and passion for burning and carrying out his duties as a Fire Man. "It was a great pleasure to burn. It was a special pleasure to see thing eaten, to see things blackened and changed."(Pg.3) This quote clearly illustrates montags love for burning. It is satisfying to him. Fire mirrors such a lust and passion for burning. "With the brass nozzle in his fists, with this great python spitting its venomous kerosene upon the world, the 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. "(Pg.3) This quote shoes Montags fondness of fire and also fire as something beautiful to Montag. From this quote it is clear that Montag feels empowered by fire, it makes him feel powerful and purposeful. These quotes show how Montag feels about fire and how fire reflects such feeling. In he beginning of the book Montag has a passion for fire and burning, fire is used to mirror this.
            In the middle of the book Montag being to question his profession as a Fire Man as well as the deed of burning books. In the book Montag and the rest of the Fire Men received a call to burn a house because it contained books. This call resulted in the burning of a house as well as a woman who refused to leave her books. Montag being to feel guilt over this. In a conversation with his wife Montag says "We burn a thousand books. We burnt a woman."(Pg.50) Montags continues on to say "There must be something in books, things we cant imagine, to make a woman stay in a burning house; there must be something there. You dont stay for nothing."(Pg.51) Fire reflects this feeling because as Montag begins to question himself and his profession he begins to reject the idea of being a Fire Man. "He pressed at the pain in his eyes and suddenly the odor of kerosene mande him vomit."(Pg.49) This shows that Montags rejection fo fire mirrors his questioning of the burning of books and his profession as a Fire Man.
            During the end of the book we see Montag lose all faith in his work, not only this but Montag begins to rebel agains the Fire Men and the practice of burning books. Montag tries to hide books, store them and memorize them. Montag does this because he is sick of the world he is living in. At one point Montag yells at one of his wife's friends "'Go home'. Montag fixed his eyes upon her, quietly. 'Go home and think of your first husband divorced and your second husband killed in a jet and your third husband blowing his brains out, go home and think of the dozen abortions you've had, go home and thing of that  and your damn caesarian sections, too, and your children who hate your guts..."(Pg.101) This quote shows some of the things that Montag thinks is wrong in this world. But as Montag continues to try and understand books and as Montags actions are starting to be realized by authority Montag uses fire to destroy his past. At one point in the book Montag uses fire to burn down his own house. By doing this Montag feels cleansed of all the things that he hated, all the meaningless things. "He burnt the bedroom walls and the cosmetic chest because he wanted to change everything, the chairs, the tables, and in the dining room the silverware and plastic dishes, everything that showed that he had lives here in this empty house with this strange women who would forget him tomorrow."(Pg.116) This shows how Montag is using fire to cleanse himself. Montags hatred of his world, of all the superficial people and things is reflected by his using of fire as  an eraser to forget the past.
           In the book Fahrenheit 451 we see the main character Guy Montag interact in this futuristic world, with different and frighting values. beliefs and culture. Fire is used throughout the book to image and accent what Montag is feeling and how he might act. By reading and thinking about the book we can see the Bradbury changes Montags perception of fire as Montag develops throughout the story. This book can  teach us a lot about who we are, were we have been and were we are going as a race.