Fahrenheit 451

4 Pages 942 Words

The book entitled “Fahrenheit 451” was written by Ray Bradbury in 1953, to reincarnate the idea of fire men burning books in a futuristic society populated by non-readers and non-thinkers that he originally came up with in his previous work “The Fire Man.” Set in the 24th century, “Fahrenheit 451” tells the story of a man named Guy Montag who, at the beginning of the story, is content with his job as a “fire man.” In actuality of course, he is one of the men who burns houses and the books that occupy them. Shortly thereafter, however, Guy begins to develop a friendship with his 16 year-old neighbor Clarisse McClellan. She has such an outlook on human life as it is, and is so inquisitive, that Guy begins to examine himself. He realizes that he is unhappy in his marriage to his wife, Millie. He begins to wonder why books have been banned.
Later, while at the scene of a book collection he is to burn, Guy steals a book for his personal use. The next day, Guy is visited by his boss, Captain Beatty. Beatty hints that he, somehow, knows that Montag is in possession of a book and lectures Montag about the offensiveness of books. Unsure as to what to do next, Montag recalls meeting a retired professor, Faber, a year earlier and discussing with the old man the value of ideas. He decides to visit Faber, who is at first afraid to speak with him, fearing that he will be the firemen's next victim. However, as the two men grow to trust one another, Faber becomes a mentor to Montag, sharing insight with the fireman and conspiring with him to have copies of his books made. Quickly though, the fire men are called to an alarm. Montag is stunned to find that it is his home that is to be burned. Beatty and Montag engage in a scuffle and Beatty is killed via flame-thrower. At once the Mechanical Hound, a computerized attack dog that can track down any human being, pursues him. It stabs him in the leg with a needle, before he is able to anni...