Shafee Syed-Quadri
Ms. Rooney
English 10 H/ P6
29 September 2017
The Journey of a Fireman
"It was a pleasure to burn” (Bradbury 1). This quote represents the protagonist, Montag’s initial perspective of fire. Montag was content with his life and his job in this scene. However, all of this was to change. In Ray Bradbury’s dystopian fiction Fahrenheit 451, Montag lives in a society where reading books is illegal. Montag’s job as a fireman is to burn books and anyone who owns them. After an interesting encounter with Clarisse, Montag realizes that he has been fooled all his life. He realizes that books hold an infinite amount of knowledge. This novel follows Montag’s journey and crusade to learn the wonders books hold. From the call to adventure of meeting Clarisse, to the challenges and trials he faces such as the encounter with Mildred’s friends, to the return and rebirth of meeting Granger, Montag transforms himself from an ignorant, complacent fireman in society to an awakened seeker of knowledge. Bradbury uses the motif of fire throughout the book to follow Montag’s hero journey of initially enjoying fire as a means of destruction to finding the warmth and comfort it can bring.
Montag’s first encounter with Clarisse provides additional evidence of Montag’s attachment regarding fire, however this interaction also ignites an inner conflict within Montag, which starts the hero’s journey with the call to adventure. Initially, Montag was content and even pleased with his life as a fireman. In fact, “’Kerosene,’ he said, because the silence had lengthened, ‘is nothing but perfume to me’” (4). This depicts the fond nature of which Montag views fire, even if it was being used as a tool for destruction. Bradbury uses fire in this quotation to portray Montag’s inner feelings about his occupation. The vivid imagery gives a strong sense to the reader that Montag is comfortable with the way his life is. However, Clarisse is curious of Montag and his profession as a fireman. She then asks a question that generates the dissonance within Montag. “Are you happy” (3)? Montag is launched into a flurry of emotions as a result of this question. As deliberations whirl through his mind, Montag finally feels a sickness and discomfort. “How rarely did other people’s faces take of you and throw back to you your own expression, your innermost trembling thought?” (8). This illustrates that Clarisse brought a rumination out of Montag. Montag no longer is at ease with his line of work. This event represents the call to adventure for Montag as Clarisse made him ponder for the first time in a long time. The scene following portrays the crossing of the threshold into a new world for Montag.
Montag, now confused and disconcerted, enters his new world. The crossing here is symbolized by the entrance through a doorway. “He opened the bedroom door” (9). The threshold scene in many books and movies is exemplified by the physical crossing of some sort. It may be portrayed by the action of entering a portal, boarding a plane, or getting on a boat to another land. Here, the physical object was a doorway. The paragraph following exhibits a distinction in descriptive terms compared to the scene with Clarisse. In his encounter with the 17-year-old girl, the words “slender… milk-white… gentle… and whispered” (3) were employed. In the scene when Montag enters his bedroom, the phrases “cold, marbled room… complete darkness, not a hint of the silver world outside… the chamber a tomb-world where no sound could penetrate” (9) were used. In terms of illustrative usage, Bradbury attempts to paint two completely contrasting scenes. This also substantiates the claim that Montag has crossed the threshold as the new world he has entered is a bleak, inhospitable, and an abnormal place. Now, similar to any hero’s journey, there will be trials and tribulations the protagonist will have to overcome.
Montag is presented with one ally and one enemy; Professor Faber and Captain Beatty, respectively. Captain Beatty is extremely well-read despite the laws that are placed on literature. However, he despises books and anyone who reads them. Beatty notices Montag is having doubts and questions, so he attempts to manipulate his subordinate. “What traitors books can be! You think they’re backing you up, and then they turn on you. Others can use them, too, and there you are, lost in the middle of the moor, in a great welter of nouns and verbs and adjectives” (104). Beatty is making an effort to persuade Montag about how hateful books can be, however Montag will not give in. Books influence readers to contemplate for themselves, which is what Montag desires, but cannot achieve without help. This is where Professor Faber comes in. His role is to be a mentor and ally to Montag as he tries to impact the society where they reside. Faber, unfortunately, is frightened to join Montag on his journey physically, but he decides to join him via “The Green Bullet,” a Bluetooth-like device that will keep the two connected. “If the drones die, I’m still safe at home, tending my fright with a maximum of comfort and a minimum of chance” (87). This elucidates the fact that Faber doesn’t have the courage or stamina to join Montag, yet still hopes to be involved.
Montag is now being directed by Faber, but his hatred and disdain he has for the people around him becomes too much for him to contain. When Mildred’s friends Mrs. Phelps and Mrs. Bowles visit the house, Montag attempts to interact with them. Hearing the sickening dialogue spewing out of their mouth induces Montag into pulling out a book to read to the ladies. Montag heard the disapproving input from both Faber and Mildred, yet nonetheless, that did not stop Montag from reciting the lines of Dover Beach, which upon completion immediately upsets Mrs. Phelps as she lets out tears. “She sobbed uncontrollably. Montag himself was stunned and shaken” (97). Montag didn’t know how to react, although he knew that he had made a terrible mistake. “You see? … I knew it would happen… You’re nasty Mr. Montag, you’re nasty” (97) hissed Mrs. Bowles. This is a key learning lesson for Montag as he went against the volition of his mentor, Faber. Montag will soon learn the cost of this encounter as the great ordeal awaits.
The challenges and trials that Montag faces all leads up to one showdown: when the salamander stops at Montag’s house. This scene exposes Montag to Beatty since Beatty intends to arrest Montag after he burns down his own house. “Now, Montag, you're a burden. And fire will lift you off my shoulders, clean, quick, sure; nothing to rot later. Antibiotic, aesthetic, practical” (109). Here, fire is being portrayed in a destructive manner similar to the opening line of the book. The difference, however, is that Montag no longer sees it as a pleasure rather he sees it as a burden to society. Montag is understandably furious and irate in this scene towards Beatty. However, what Montag does next will shock the reader. “And then he [Beatty] was a shrieking blaze, a jumping, sprawling, gibbering manikin, no longer human or known, all writhing flame on the lawn as Montag shot one continuous pulse of liquid fire on him” (109). Montag scorches Beatty with his Flamethrower as Bradbury uses some very descriptive expressions to illustrate a picture in the readers mind. At this point in the story, he becomes aware of the fact that he will have to escape the wrath of the police and The Mechanical Hound. Montag has now reached what is known as the abyss; the darkest part of the hero’s journey.
Montag, in complete desperation, is on the run as a fugitive. He flees his dystopian society and finds a river to escape in. This is the part of the journey where Montag is reborn. Many rebirth scenes in the hero’s journey have a relation to some sort of “baptism,” or a scene where the protagonist reawakens with the inclusion of water. "Now here was only the cold river and Montag floating in a sudden peacefulness, away from the city and the lights and the chase, away from everything” (133). Montag is suddenly at peace while in the river, once again, symbolizing his rebirth. It also added the fact that the more he was moving away from the city, the more he was at ease. The argument can be made that this is because he is moving farther away from the police and The Hound, however, it could also be due to the fact that he is moving closer to the truth; even though he may not know what it is yet. Montag then identifies a fire from a distance. He was intrigued by this fire as to him it was a representation of warmth and comfort, something that he was not attuned to in his society. “It was not burning, it was warming” (139). This is where Montag’s perception of fire is replaced with the notion that it can be utilized for warmth and relaxation. Montag approaches the fire and meets the likes of Granger and company. After a few greetings, Granger shows Montag footage of the police pursuing and killing “the wrong Montag.” This not only further supports the claim that the society was dishonest and corrupt, but also symbolizes the death of Fireman Montag, and the birth of the new Montag. “Welcome back from the dead” (142), Granger smirked. Here, Granger is welcoming Montag to his new life of reasoning and awareness.
Bradbury accurately maneuvers through the hero’s journey right from the call to adventure with Clarisse, to the rebirth and return of Montag alongside Granger. Montag’s journey is driven by his reformed outlook on life, knowledge, and literature. His perspective on the purpose of fire shifts throughout his quest, as he initially only knew fire in the light of burning the evil known as literature, to the representation of warmth and comfort for humans. His journey had its trials and tribulations when it came to blending in with his society; however, Montag was eventually reborn into a seeker of knowledge. Now, if Montag is able to eventually join a quest in search of knowledge and literature, despite having lived in a dystopia where written works were illegal, what excuse do today’s humans have to not possess a yearning and eagerness to attain the mastery of literature?