FAHRENHEIT 451
Characters
Guy Montag - A third-generation fireman who suddenly realizes the emptiness of his life and starts to search for meaning in the books he is supposed to be burning. Though he is sometimes rash and has a hard time thinking for himself, he is determined to break free from the oppression of ignorance. He quickly forms unusually strong attachments with anyone who seems receptive to true friendship. His biggest regret in life is not having a better relationship with his wife. Read an IN-DEPTH ANALYSIS OF GUY MONTAG. or SHMOOP ANALYSIS
Montag is the main character, anti-hero and protagonist of Fahrenheit 451. Guy Montag works as a "fireman" whose job is to burn books and the house that holds them. Firemen start fires rather than putting them out. The people in this society do not read books, enjoy nature, spend time by themselves, think independently, or have meaningful conversations. Instead, they drive very fast, watch excessive amounts of television on wall-size sets, and listen to the radio on “Seashell Radio” sets attached to their ears. Montag’s faith in his profession and his society begins to decline almost immediately after the novel’s opening passage. His biggest regret in life is not having a better relationship with his wife.
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Mildred Montag - Guy Montag’s brittle, sickly looking wife. She is obsessed with watching television and refuses to engage in frank conversation with her husband about their marriage or her feelings. Her suicide attempt, which she refuses even to acknowledge, clearly indicates that she harbors a great deal of pain. Small-minded and childish, Mildred does not understand her husband and apparently has no desire to do so. She is a proficient at lip reading and is obsessed with her Seashells and her "family". Read an IN-DEPTH ANALYSIS OF MILDRED MONTAG. or SHMOOP ANALYSIS
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Captain Beatty - The captain of Montag’s fire department and Montag's boss.. Although he is himself extremely well-read, paradoxically he hates books and people who insist on reading them. He is cunning and devious, and so perceptive that he appears to read Montag’s thoughts. Read an IN-DEPTH ANALYSIS OF CAPTAIN BEATTY. or SHMOOP ANALYSIS
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Professor Faber - A retired English professor who Montag encountered a year before the book opens. Montag later goes to him for reading help. Faber still possesses a few precious books and aches to have more. He readily admits that the current state of society is due to the cowardice of people like himself, who would not speak out against book burning, when they still could have stopped it. He berates himself for being a coward, but he shows himself capable of acts that require great courage and places him in considerable danger.Read an IN-DEPTH ANALYSIS OF PROFESSOR FABER or SHMOOP ANALYSIS
Clarisse McClellan - A beautiful seventeen-year-old who introduces Montag to the world’s potential for beauty and meaning with her gentle innocence and curiosity. She is an outcast from society because of her odd habits, which include hiking, playing with flowers, and asking questions, but she and her (equally odd) family seem genuinely happy with themselves and each other. Clarisse befriends Montag and opens his eyes to the reality of their world. Montag begins to care for Clarisse and realizes that she unique no matter what society says. Montag feels saddened and angered by society`s ways, once Clarisse gets killed by driving wreck less teenagers.
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Mrs. Blake- Lived at 11 No. Elm and was an avid reader and protector of books. Mrs. Blake had an attic full of banned books. She was turned in to the Fire Brigade by her neighbor. Mrs. Blake was willing to die to stand up for her beliefs. She denied the Firemen the opportunity to burn her books and made a choice to sacrifice herself so that others might understand what was happening to their society.
Stoneman And Black - Two firemen who work with Montag. They share the lean, shadowed look common to all firemen and go about their jobs unquestioningly.
Granger - The leader of the “Book People,” the group of hobo intellectuals Montag finds in the country. Granger is intelligent, patient, and confident in the strength of the human spirit. He is committed to preserving literature through the current Dark Age. Read an INDEPTH ANALYSIS Here or for a SHMOOP ANALYSIS click here.
Mrs. Phelps - One of Mildred’s vapid friends. She is emotionally disconnected from her life, appearing unconcerned when her third husband is sent off to war. Yet she breaks down crying when Montag reads her a poem, revealing suppressed feelings and sensibilities.
Mrs. Bowles - One of Mildred’s friends. Like Mrs. Phelps, she does not seem to care deeply about her own miserable life, which includes one divorce, one husband killed in an accident, one husband who commits suicide, and two children who hate her. Both of Mildred’s friends are represented as typical specimens of their society.
Stoneman And Black - Two firemen who work with Montag. They share the lean, shadowed look common to all firemen and go about their jobs unquestioningly.
Granger - The leader of the “Book People,” the group of hobo intellectuals Montag finds in the country. Granger is intelligent, patient, and confident in the strength of the human spirit. He is committed to preserving literature through the current Dark Age. Read an INDEPTH ANALYSIS Here or for a SHMOOP ANALYSIS click here.
Mrs. Phelps - One of Mildred’s vapid friends. She is emotionally disconnected from her life, appearing unconcerned when her third husband is sent off to war. Yet she breaks down crying when Montag reads her a poem, revealing suppressed feelings and sensibilities.
Mrs. Bowles - One of Mildred’s friends. Like Mrs. Phelps, she does not seem to care deeply about her own miserable life, which includes one divorce, one husband killed in an accident, one husband who commits suicide, and two children who hate her. Both of Mildred’s friends are represented as typical specimens of their society.