Guy Montag - The Conflicted Fireman
Guy Montag is the central character of the novel and through the chapters of the book we follow his transformation from compliant citizen into an ardent rebel. In the beginning, he seems to be the epitome of the loyal fireman, doing his duty inebriated by the smell of kerosene and enchanted by the power of fire. Guy "knew that when he returned to the firehouse, he might wink at himself, a minstrel man, burnt-corked, in the mirror" (Bradbury 2). On a different level, his subconscious is sensitive and inquisitive but he tries to suppress it and blames his hands for starting to save books; "Montag had done nothing ... his hand, with a brain of its own, with a conscience and a curiosity ... had turned thief" (34). His transformation is guided by the characters he meets in his spiritual journey; Clarisse - the voice of innocence, Mildred - Montag's shallow and media obsessed wife; Captain Beatty - his philosophical captain, professor Faber - the apprehensive rebel and, to a certain extent, the mechanical hound. Guy is not the typical hero, all shine and glory; he wavers, questions himself and blunders miserably in his attempts to understand the importance of books. He is a "hopeless romantic" (78) that is taking his rebellion as serious as he has taken his book-burning job. He even commits murder, killing Beatty to protect Faber, when their audio connection is discovered. Guy is reborn like the Phoenix on his Captain's helmet but not into destruction, he is reborn as a 'living-book'.
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"I don't know. We have everything we need to be happy, but we aren't happy. Something's missing."
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