Fahrenheit 451 Summary

The story of fireman Guy Montag first appeared in "The Fireman", a

short story by Ray Bradbury published in Galaxy Science Fiction in
1951. Montag's story was expanded two years later, in 1953, and was
published as Fahrenheit 451. While the novel is most often classified
as a work of science fiction, it is first and foremost a social criticism
warning against the danger of censorship. Fahrenheit 451 uses the
genre of science fiction, which enjoyed immense popularity at the time
of the book's publication, as a vehicle for his message that unchecked
oppressive government irreparably damages society by limiting the
creativity and freedom of its people. In particular, the "dystopia" motif
popular in science fiction - a futuristic technocratic and totalitarian
society that demands order and harmony at the expense of individual
rights - serves the novel well.
Developed in the years following World War II, Fahrenheit 451
condemns not only the anti-intellectualism of the defeated Nazi party
in Germany, but more immediately the intellectually oppressive
political climate of the early 1950's - the heyday of McCarthyism. That
such influential fictional social criticisms such as Orwell'sAnimal Farm
1984 and Skinner's Walden Two were published just a few short years
prior to Fahrenheit 451 is not coincidental. These works reveal a very

real apprehension of the danger of the US evolving into an

oppressive, authoritarian society in the post-WWII period.
On a more personal level, Bradbury used Fahrenheit 451 as a vehicle
through which to protest what he believed to be the invasiveness of
editors who, through their strict control of the books they printed,
impair writers' originality and creativity. Ironically, Fahrenheit 45I, itself
a vehicle of protest against censorship, has often been edited for foul
language.
Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury's most popular novel, has been
reprinted scores of times since initially published in 1953. The lessons
of this American classic, the dangers of censorship and government
control, have become increasingly important and the novel is as
relevant today as it was when first written.
Set in the 24th century, Fahrenheit 451 tells the story of the
protagonist, Guy Montag. At first, Montag takes pleasure in his
profession as a fireman, burning illegally owned books and the homes
of their owners. However, Montag soon begins to question the value of
his profession and, in turn, his life. Throughout the novel Montag
struggles with his existence, eventually fleeing his oppressive,
censored society and joining an underground network of intellectuals.
With his newfound friends, Montag witnesses the atomic destruction if
his former city and dedicates himself to rebuilding a literate and
cultural society.

At the beginning of the novel, Montag develops a friendship with his

17 year old neighbor, Clarisse McClellan, whose humanistic outlook
and inquisitive nature prompt Montag to examine his life. Soon, he
realizes he is unhappy and no longer loves his wife, Millie. Meanwhile,
Millie is unwilling to deal with reality and instead chooses to immerse
herself in interactive television, seashell radio, and an addiction to
tranquilizers. Unfulfilled by his occupation and discontent with a
society unconcerned with reports of an impending atomic war, Montag
begins to question the ways of the world. Specifically, Montag
wonders why books are perceived to be so dangerous and why some
people are so loyal to them. What power lies in books?
Driven by his increasing uneasiness, Montag steals a book from a
collection he is sent to burn. At the scene of the burning, Montag is
shaken when the owner of the books, an older woman, refuses to
leave her home. Instead, the woman sets fire to her kerosene soaked
house and remains there as it, and she, are destroyed by flames. The
woman's dedication to her books makes Montag realize that perhaps
the happiness he lacks can be found in books. After the burning,
Montag returns home, feeling ill as he relives the woman's horrific
death. He begins to realize that although, over the past ten years, he
thought he was serving society as a fireman, he was actually purely
an instrument of destruction. That night, in a discussion with Millie,
Montag learns that his friend Clarisse was killed by a speeding car
more than a week earlier. Upon hearing this news, Montag feels even

more ill. He falls asleep that night with his stolen book hidden
underneath his pillow.
The next day, Montag refuses to attend work, claiming that he is sick.
His boss, Captain Beatty, visits Montag that morning, and appears to
somehow be aware of the internal struggle Montag is suffering
through, and that Montag might possess books. Beatty lectures
Montag about the offensiveness of books and the superiority of their
current society, where homogeneity and structure are mandated, to
the old society where free thought was encouraged and people were
permitted to express differing opinions. During Beatty's visit, Millie
nervously organizes the bedroom and tries to pull Montag's pillow
away. When he won't let her, she puts her hand underneath it and
finds the hidden book. Millie is astonished, and although she does not
directly give up her husband, she asks Beatty what would happen if a
fireman brought a book home. Beatty says firemen are allowed to
bring a book home, but must burn it within 24 hours.
When Beatty departs, Montag retrieves some 20 books that he has
stolen from alarms over the years and begins to read. 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 fireman'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. Faber gives Montag a small two-way radio
of his own invention to insert in his ear so that the two men will always
be in communication.
At home, Montag becomes disgusted with his wife and her friends as
they sit idly, watching television and engaging in gossip that reveals
their selfishness and lack of awareness or concern for the impending
atomic war. Against Faber's objections streaming through the secret
radio echoing in his ear, Montag engages the women in a debate
about family and politics. Next, he reads to them from a book of
poetry. Mildred's friends react emotionally to Montag's reading, crying
and not understanding the source of their tears. When Mildred's two
shaken friends depart, she retires to her room to take some sleeping
pills and Montag hides his books in the backyard before heading off to
work, where Beatty engages in more anti-book, anti-intellectual
rhetoric. The firemen are called to an alarm, and Montag is dismayed
to discover that it is his own house that is to be burned. His wife Millie
reported him.
After burning his home and possessions by himself, room by room, as
ordered by Captain Beatty, Montag is chided by his boss, and the two
men engage in a scuffle, during which Faber's radio is knocked from
Montag's ear. When Beatty remarks that both Montag and his "friend"
(Faber) will be dealt with severely, Montag threatens him with the
flamethrower. When Beatty continues to verbally abuse him, Montag
flips the switch and kills the chief. At once, the Mechanical Hound, a

computerized attack dog that can track down any human being by
scent, pursues him. The Hound stabs him in the leg with a procaine
needle, but Montag is able to annihilate it with the flamethrower before
it can do more damage. Montag retrieves his remaining books from
the yard before running to Faber's. On the way, he pauses to plant the
books in the home of fireman Black, briefly collects himself at a gas
station where he hears reports that war has been declared, and when
crossing the road is nearly run over by a reckless driver.
Faber provides refuge for Montag, who is being hotly pursued by a
second Mechanical Hound and the authorities. Faber provides Montag
with some old clothes (masking his scent and thus impeding the
Mechanical Hound), and tells him to go to the river and float
downstream to the train tracks, where he will hopefully find a hobo
camp of intellectual outlaws who can help him. In turn, Montag
encourages Faber to turn on all of his sprinklers to throw the Hound of
his scent. Montag departs, Faber heeds his advice, and then sets off
for St. Louis to commission a former printer he knows to print some
books. Montag floats down the river, successfully avoiding the Hound,
and comes upon a group of former writers, clergymen, and academics
by the riverbank. The leader of the group, an author named Granger,
welcomes Montag and offers him a concoction to change his pH so
that the Hound cannot detect his presence. The men then use a
portable television to watch the police chase Montag's escape has
caused. Montag is shocked to see the Mechanical Hound kill another

man as the announcer proclaims, "Montag is dead!" The police, not

wanting to lose the confidence of the public, set the Hound after an
innocent man when it lost Montag's scent.
Granger tells Montag how the men in his camp have each memorized
literary works so that someday, when it is safe to do so, they can
again print books, recreating them from memory. When atomic bombs
destroy the city, the men set out to sift through the rubble and begin
anew. They plan to foster a society where books and free thought can
flourish.

Guy Montag
The protagonist is a 30 year old fireman who makes his living by burning
books and the houses where they are illegally kept. At the start of the
novel, Montag seems to be the quintessential fireman; delighting in the
work of burning books and homes, and believing himself a happy man.
However, as the novel progresses, Montag becomes increasingly
discontent as he realizes he has been living an empty, unfulfilling life.
Initially, Montag is unsure of the cause behind his apathy for his wife, job,
and the society in which he lives. Through his friendship with Clarisse
McClellan, Montag comes to realize that he is not in love with his wife and
that he is, in fact, disgusted with himself and those around him for
choosing to embrace the unimportant, cosmetic faade of life rather than
examine what lies beneath. During a certain alarm, Montag and the other
firemen burn a woman alive in her own home, because she refuses to

abandon her books. At this fire, Montag secretly takes a book home,
something we soon learn he has done before. Following this horrific
experience, Montag develops a psychosomatic ailment and questions
whether he can continue in his line of work. Despite the constant bullying
of his boss, Chief Beatty, Montag turns to Professor Faber, a man of
books who Montag met once long ago, for guidance in his quest for
knowledge. Montag's internal struggle and impatience for ignorance
continue and are brought to a head when he finds himself on an alarm to
burn his own home. Unable to contain his contempt any longer, Montag
kills Chief Beatty and sets out to see Faber, his mentor, before fleeing
police and certain death by floating down river. Montag completes his
journey when he finds Granger and other like-minded book loving
individuals along the train tracks. Together, Granger, Montag and the
others witness an atomic blast that destroys the city, and begin on a quest
to assist in the rebirth of a new society based on truth and knowledge.

Mildred (Millie) Montag

Montag's wife of ten years epitomizes the shallowness and
complacentness of society that Montag comes to despise. Millie forgoes
real happiness to immerse herself in the technological gadgets of the age,
such as her television walls and seashell radios, which allow her a
constant escape from reality. Millie's need for escape also leads her to a
suicide attempt that after recovering from, she does not even recall.
Eventually, Millie is overwhelmed by her husband's discovery and
dedication to books, reports his illegal activity and flees the house. Millie,

the epitome of Fahrenheit 451's empty society, is undoubtedly destroyed

when the city is decimated by an atomic bomb at the conclusion of the
novel.

Clarisse McClellan
Clarisse is a wide-eyed 17 year old girl to whom Montag is drawn.
Clarisse is interested in parts of the world Montag doesn't understand,
such as watching people, looking at the moon, and smelling the leaves.
Clarisse has no taste for the advanced technology her society has come
to depend on, and thus represents the antithesis of Millie, Montag's wife.
Montag admires Clarisse for her curiosity and awareness of the world
around her, and is disturbed by her accurate understanding of his empty,
loveless life. Thus, Clarisse is the first to encourage Montag on his path to
self-awareness. Soon after she and Montag develop a friendship, Clarisse
is killed by a speeding car. Her death represents the intolerance of an
overbearing, dehumanized society for those who do not conform.

Captain Beatty
The antagonist of the novel, Captain Beatty, runs the fire house where
Montag works. The firemens' sole purpose is to sniff out and destroy
books and, therefore, destroy the seeds of free thought. A "big brother"
character to Montag, Captain Beatty demonstrates vast literary knowledge
in his arguments against the presence of books in society. Beatty often
antagonistically lectures Montag, trying to prevent him from succumbing to
the appeal of books. Towards the end of the novel, Montag kills Beatty

with the firethrower that has burned thousands of books and hopes.
Rather than fighting Montag, Beatty simply accepts his death. Montag
later realizes that the fire chief wanted to die, demonstrating an extreme
dissatisfaction with his life.

Professor Faber
An aging intellectual in a world with no place for such people, Faber
greatly disapproves of the dehumanized, oppressive society in which he
lives. However, Faber feels it is safer to live discreetly rather than protest
or attempt to change the world. Faber and Montag first met years ago in a
park and after a long discussion about books, gave Montag his contact
information. After Montag is taken in by the magic of books, he seeks
Faber out and together, the two men try to work together against their
oppressive society. When Montag is running from the law, Faber helps
him escape. At the end of the novel, we are led to believe that Faber
escapes the atomic bomb, as he had planned to catch an early bus out of
the city.

Granger
An intellectual and former author, Granger is the leader of the group of
hoboes that Montag meets along the tracks after fleeing from the police
and Hound. Like Clarisse and Faber, Granger is a sympathetic character,
taking Montag under his wing and encouraging him in his quest to
remember and comprehend what he has read. Granger speaks highly of
his grandfather and his belief that as long as one has contributed to the

world, his or her life was important. After the city is destroyed, Granger
leads Montag and the other intellectuals to rebuild an improved, literate
society.

Mechanical Hound
The terrible triumph of modern technology, the Mechanical Hound is
programmed to track down and destroy any victim to whom its infallible
sensors are set, and can distinguish over 10,000 different scents. After
Montag murders Beatty, the Hound stabs and injects Montag's leg with
procaine. However, Montag is able to successfully destroy the Hound with
the flamethrower. Authorities send in a second Hound to hunt him down,
but Montag is able to throw it off his scent and escape. Unfortunately, the
Hound kills an innocent man whom the media claims in Montag, thus
keeping the faith and fear of the people.

Old Woman
The old woman is one of the victims of the firemens' fury. Rather than
surrendering her books and saving herself, the old woman chooses to
burn herself to death among her treasured possessions. While in her
house, Montag steals a book that he later hides in his home. Throughout
the novel, Montag is unable to forget the image of the old woman, and
wonders what in books could possibly inspire so much passion.

Black and Stoneman

These two men are firemen who work with Montag and share the "burntin" smile and unquestioning devotion to book burning Montag feels early in

the novel. Montag threatens to kill Black and Stoneman when they
approach him after he burns Beatty. Later, while running from the
authorities Montag plants a book in Black's house. It is presumed Black
and Stonemen are killed when the city is destroyed.

Mrs. Phelps and Mrs. Bowles

These two women are housewives and friends of Millie, sharing her
interest in the television and her simplistic outlook on life. The three
women gather to watch "the family" on Montag's walls. Their chatter
reveals their selfishness and lack of purpose. They are unconcerned for
their husbands and children and chose the presidential candidate for
whom they voted based on looks. The two women surprise both
themselves and Montag when they are greatly affected by the poetry he
reads to them.

451 degrees Fahrenheit

The temperature at which book paper catches fire and burns.

Burning Bright
From William Blake's poem, "The Tiger"

cacophony
A variety of harsh, jarring sounds heard all at once.

Clarisse
A name derived from the Latin word for "brightest".

dentifrice
Any preparation for teeth cleaning.

Guy Montag
His first name refers to Guy Fawks, a man who plotted to blow up British
Parliament in 1605. Montag, a trademark of Mead (an American paper
company), makes stationary and furnaces.

Icarus
Son of Daedalus in Greek mythology. He flew too close to the sun and his
wings made of wax melted, sending him plummeting to his death.

infinitely
Lacking limits or bounds, specifically regarding time.

November 4
Historically, the eve of Guy Fawkes' "Gunpowder Plot" to burn the British
Parliament, a plan meant to destroy James I who oppressed Catholics. In
F. 451, the firemen play cards together on Nov. 4.

phoenix
In Egyptian mythology a bird that, after a long life, sets itself on fire, and
then rises from the ashes to begin a new life.

pratfall
Slang for falling on one's rear end. Often used in burlesque routines.

proboscis
A tubular organ used for smell and sense. The human proboscis is the
nose.

salamander
Amphibian resembling a lizard. In mythology, salamanders are said to live
through fire without burning.

theremin
An early electronic musical instrument whose sound is controlled by
moving the air between two antennae.

trench mouth
An infectious disease producing mouth ulcers in the mucous membranes
of the mouth and throat.

V-2 Rocket
The first long-range liquid fueled missile carrying one ton of explosives,
used first by the Germans in WWII.

Vesuvius
A volcano in Italy, near Naples, that erupted in 79 A.D., burying Pompeii in
volcanic ash.

Censorship

In Fahrenheit 451, owning and reading books is illegal. Members of

society focus only on entertainment, immediate gratification and speeding
through life. If books are found, they are burned and their owner is
arrested. If the owner refuses to abandon the books, as is the case with
the Old Woman, he or she often dies, burning along with them. People
with interests outside of technology and entertainment are viewed as
strange, and possible threats.
In the book, Bradbury doesn't give a clear explanation of why censorship
has become so great in this futuristic society. Rather, the author alludes to
a variety of causes. Fast cars, loud music, and massive advertisements
create an over stimulated society without room for literature, selfreflection, or appreciation of nature. Bradbury gives the reader a brief
description of how society slowly lost interest in books, first condensing
them, then relying simply on titles, and finally forgetting about them all
together.
Bradbury also alludes to the idea that different "minority" groups were
offended by certain types of literature. In his discussion with Montag,
Beatty mentions dog lovers offended by books about cats, and cat lovers
offended by books about dogs. The reader can only assume which
minority groups Bradbury was truly referring to. Finally, in the Afterword to
Fahrenheit 451, Bradbury clearly expresses his own sensitivity to attempts
to restrict his writing. For example, he feels censored by letters suggesting
he should give stronger roles to women or black men. Bradbury sees such

suggestions and interventions as the first step towards censorship and

book burning.

Ignorance/Knowledge
Throughout the novel, the reader is presented with a conflict between
knowledge and ignorance. What does true happiness consist of? Is
ignorance bliss, or do knowledge and learning provide true happiness?
Montag, in his belief that knowledge reigns, fights against a society that
embraces and celebrates ignorance.
The fireman's responsibility is to burn books, and therefore destroy
knowledge. Through these actions, the firemen promote ignorance to
maintain the sameness of society. After befriending Clarisse, Montag finds
himself unable to accept the status quo, believing life is more complete,
true and satisfying when knowledge is welcomed into it. After making this
discovery, Montag fights against ignorance, trying to help others welcome
knowledge into their lives. For example, when his wife's friends come
over, he forces them to listen to poetry. Although they become extremely
upset after listening to what he reads, they are able to experience true
emotion. In Montag's view, this emotion will give these women a fuller and
more satisfying life.

Life/Death
Throughout the novel, Bradbury presents paradoxes between life and
death. For example, Montag's wife Millie attempts suicide by swallowing
sleeping pills. Montag discovers her, calls for emergency medical

assistance and saves her life. During the time while the medical team is
reviving Millie, it is unclear whether she will live or die. Montag learns
through the medics that reviving suicide attempts is a very common act.
The commonality of suicide attempts and saves blurs the line between life
and death in this futuristic society. Upon realizing this, Montag begins to
wonder what life truly is and why it feels so empty and dead.
Furthermore, the tool the medics use to pump Millie's stomach is referred
to as the Electric-Eyed Snake, and the tool the firmen use to hunt down
book owners is the Mechanical Hound, both inanimate objects that appear
to have lives of their own. Montag finds himself wondering, are they alive
or dead? In truth, in Montag's search for truth and knowledge, he is trying
to give true life to his own existence and to prevent the cultural death of
society.
Many people die in the novel. The old woman burns herself to death,
Clarisse is killed by a speeding car, Montag kills Beatty with the
flamethrower, and the Mechanical Hound kills an innocent man. Among all
this destruction, Montag survives and is given new life, reborn after his trip
down the river and after meeting Granger and taking the concoction to
change his chemical balance. While Montag survives, the city and
everyone he knew there are destroyed. Montag's interest in knowledge
and dedication to a new and better society saved him. Thus, Bradbury
seems to suggest that life is dependent on knowledge and awareness. If
we become idle and complacent, we might as well be dead.

Animal Imagery
In the opening paragraph, the burning book pages are compared to birds
trying to fly away. When Millie attempts suicide, Montag compares the tool
used to save her to a snake. The Mechanical Hound is a dominant
presence throughout the novel. The image of the salamander is dominant
as well, as a symbol of the fireman. In addition, the story of the Pheonix
plays a prominent role.
This animal imagery expresses the importance of nature in life. The lack
of nature, or the manipulation of nature (i.e. the development of the
Mechanical Hound), causes death and destruction. The only time animal
imagery is positive in the entire novel is when Montag gets out of the river
and encounters a deer. At first he thinks it is a Hound, but then realizes his
mistake. The deer is peaceful, beautiful, and an expression of nature. This
image welcomes Montag into his new life.

Technology
Technology in Bradbury's 24th century is highly advanced. Television
screens take up entire parlor room walls and characters can speak directly
to the listener, addressing him or her by name. Small seashell radios
broadcast into people's ears throughout the day. People rely on inventions
such as the Mechanical Hound and the snake-like tool used to save
Millie's life after her suicide attempt. People drive cars at speeds of
150mph and above. Faber invents a small radio to be inserted in the ear
through which he can communicate with Montag. Technology dominates

society. Montag discusses this issue briefly with Clarisse and reflects on it
as he opens up to the world of books. When he finally escapes his old life,
the city is destroyed by atomic bombs (yet another example of negative
technology), and Montag begins a simple life with very little technological
tools as he sets out to rebuild society with Granger and the other
intellectuals. Clearly, Bradbury is commenting on the negative influence of
technological development in this world and the destructive potential of
technology in our society.

Paradoxes
At the opening of Part I, when Montag goes home, his bedroom is
described at first as "not empty" and then as "indeed empty". Mildred is
there, but her mind is floating away with the music of her seashell radio
and she is almost lost to a sleeping pill overdose. This concept of
paradoxes continues throughout the book, expressed in the conflicts
between life and death mentioned earlier. Examples include the "electriceyed snake" tool that the technicians use to revive Mildred, and the
Mechanical Hound, which appears to be both machine and animal.
Furthermore, this paradox exists in the concept of "truth" portrayed in the
novel. Beatty's "truth" is a fabrication and manipulation of history. Actual
truth is hidden from society, or more accurately, burned. Many people in
Montag's life, including Millie and her friends, believe they live in reality
when in fact they live in a superficial world dominated by television,
government oppression and the media. Society is blind to the truth.

Montag's discovery of the truth and his dedication to living a life of truth
save him from the ultimate destruction bombs bring to the city.

Religion
Although it appears no character in Fahrenheit 451 holds any religious
beliefs, Bradbury includes many religious references in this novel. The
book Montag saves from the old woman's house is The Bible. Throughout
his tribulations, Montag holds on to this book, reading it on the subway,
showing it to Faber, and finally, with Granger and the other intellectuals,
Montag agrees that The Bible is the book he will memorize in order to one
day, in a new society, reprint. Furthermore, Montag compares Millie's
friends to icons he saw in a church once but did not understand. Later on
in the novel, Faber compares himself to water and Montag to fire, saying
the cooperation of the two will produce wine. This is an allusion to the
biblical story of the miracle at Cana where Christ transforms water into
wine.
At the conclusion of the novel, Montag, Granger and the rest of the
intellectuals walk up the river to find survivors of the ultimate atomic
destruction of the city. In his walk, Montag remembers passages he read
in his Bible from Ecclesiastes 3:1, "To everything there is a season," and
Revelations 22:2, "And on either side of the river was there a tree of
life...and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations." The
apocalypse Montag has witnessed has clear connections to the
apocalypse foreseen in the Bible.

Fahrenheit 451 Summary

and Analysis of Part I
Part One: The Hearth and the Salamander
Summary:
Set in the 24th century, Fahrenheit 451 opens with Guy Montag, the
protagonist, in the middle of a regular night at work. Montag is a
fireman, and in the 24th century, firemen burn down houses where
illegal books are kept. Burning books and houses gives Montag a
great sense of happiness and satisfaction. Bradbury writes, "Montag
grinned the fierce grin of all men singed and driven by black flame."
(p.4)
As Montag walks home from work that night, he meets Clarisse
McClellan, his 17 year old neighbor. Montag is at once taken aback by
and drawn to the precocious girl's inquisitiveness. Clarisse loves
nature, doesn't watch television, and hates cars that drive fast. She
questions him steadily about his perception of the world, leaving him
with the query "Are you happy?" Clarisse leaves a strong impression
on Montag, and he continues to reflect on their brief encounter and
her very different way of viewing the world. After some time, Montag
comes to terms with his answer to Clarisse's final question. He is not
happy.

Montag enters his modern home and retires to his bedroom, where he
finds that his wife, Mildred, has overdosed on sleeping pills. Montag is
shocked and immediately calls the paramedics. Technicians arrive at
the house, pump Mildred's stomach and give her a complete
transfusion with various technological instruments. Neither of the
paramedics are doctors, a fact Montag finds surprising. However, the
paramedics explain that they perform these same procedures many
times a night, and that it is a very regular occurrence. When the
medics depart, the relieved yet shaken Montag reflects on the
impersonal and tragic nature of his society.
The next morning, Millie robotically goes about her daily routine, not
recalling the previous night's episode. When Montag attempts to
discuss the issue, Millie reacts with dismissive disbelief, eager to
return her attention to the diversions of the seashell radios constantly
inserted in her ears and the people on the three-wall television, whom
she calls her "family".
On his way to work, Montag runs into Clarisse again, and again she
questions him incessantly about his feelings for his wife and his work.
Upon arriving at the fire station, Montag passes the Mechanical
Hound, a massive robotic police dog which, once set to an individual's
chemical balance, is able to locate and annihilate its prey. Montag is
unnerved when the hound growls at him, and addresses his concern
to his boss, Chief Beatty. Beatty dismisses the issue, making
patronizing references to the Hound and Montag's daily aversion to it.

During the next week, Montag sees Clarisse everyday and finds
himself looking forward to his conversations with the eccentric, curious
girl. He is disappointed when Clarisse no longer appears on his walks
to and from work. With whispers of a possible impending war on the
radio and television, Montag becomes increasingly introspective about
his job and the people whose books and homes he destroys.
One evening, an alarm comes in, calling the firemen to an old house
where the owner, an older woman, refuses to abandon her home.
Defiantly, the woman insists on dying among her books and lights the
match that eventually takes her life along with her home and all her
books. During the melee, Montag steals one of the woman's books
and takes it home with him that evening. Montag returns home shaken
by the woman's death and nervous about his illegal acquisition.
As he and Millie lie in their respective twin beds, Montag finds himself
unable to recall how and where they met. He asks Millie if she
remembers, but she doesn't, and is not bothered by it. Montag is
overcome with thoughts of his loveless, lifeless marriage and the
modern technologies his wife spends her days immersed in. Montag
questions her about Clarisse, who he has not seen in days, and
Mildred says she had forgotten to tell him that Clarisse was struck by
a car and killed four days earlier. Her family has since moved away.
Montag is very upset to hear this news and can't believe Millie forgot
to tell him. He falls asleep with his stolen book hidden under his pillow.

In the morning, Montag wakes up feeling ill and unsure of whether he

can go to work. Millie responds with disbelief and annoyance rather
than compassion, and Montag is in turn annoyed by her lack of
interest in his concerns. Captain Beatty arrives to speak with Montag,
somehow knowing that he feels ill and would be taking the evening off.
He lectures Montag on how society has evolved into the current
technological age, leaving little room for those who deviate from the
structured, homogeneous conformity that has come to rule.
Emphasizing structured routine rather than original thought, Beatty
asserts that people are not born equal, but are made equal through
laws and regulation. In the current system, people are less likely to
offend each other, and thus everyone is better off.
While Beatty is visiting the Montags, Millie nervously organizes the
bedroom. At one point she tries to fluff Montag's pillow, but because
he has hidden a book underneath it he won't let her. Millie insists and
places her hand under the pillow. She feels the outline of the book and
is shocked. Although she doesn't turn her husband in, Millie asks
Beatty what would happen if a fireman brought a book home. Beatty
mentions firemen are occasionally overcome by curiosity about the
books they burn and may steal one to satiate that curiosity. When this
happens, he continues, they are given a 24-hour respite to come to
their senses and burn the book before their coworkers must do so for
them.

Montag becomes paranoid that Beatty knows that he has stolen not
only one, but nearly 20 books over the course of his career. He feels
compelled to tell Millie his secret and shows her his collection. Millie
panics, insisting that they burn the books. Before the issue is resolved,
someone comes to the door, prompting terror in both Montag and
Millie. The Montags don't answer the door, and eventually the visitor
departs, leaving the couple alone with their illegal library. Amidst his
wife's protests and declarations of the worthlessness of books,
Montag opens a book and begins to read.
Analysis:
'The Hearth and the Salamander', the first of three parts comprising
Fahrenheit 451, chronicles Montag's realization that he is unhappy
and unfulfilled and marks the beginning of his quest to change his life.
In this section, Bradbury advances the larger idea that without the
freedom to seek truth, it is impossible to find true fulfillment. This
concept is expressed through the clear contrast between the three
major characters we meet in this section. Millie is unaware of and
uninterested in her capacity for original thought. She is so miserable
that she escapes from reality by constantly immersing herself in her
seashell radio, three wall parlor room television, and an addiction to
sleeping pills. Sadly, Millie doesn't even recognize her own
dissatisfaction and refuses to admit she attempted suicide.

In contrast, Clarisse is truly, perfectly content with her life. She is

curious about the world, and takes great notice of nature, social
constructs and the behavior of people around her. Clarisse comes
from a family where people sit around and talk at great length, a
concept Montag finds staggering. Unfortunately, Clarisse falls victim to
a speeding car, one of the aspects of society she despises so much.
Finally, Montag represents the middle ground between these two
extremes. Although he once thought he was happy, Montag realizes
society is not perfect, as many believe it to be. Through his friendship
with Clarisse, Montag discovers a sense of curiosity and thirst for
knowledge that he never knew. First through Clarisse and then
through books, Montag starts on a road to freedom and happiness.
In Fahrenheit 451, Bradbury uses book burning as a symbol of the
power censorship holds in this futuristic society. Through Fahrenheit
451, Bradbury appears to give warning to what might be in store for a
society that allows anti-intellectualism to ferment and technology to
take over. Written soon after the close of WWII, 'The Hearth and the
Salamander', the opening section of Fahrenheit 451, provides a
glimpse of how the world might have developed had Hitler won. At the
same time, Bradbury alludes to the rampant McCarthyism in the
American political climate at the time. The Un-American Activities
Committee summoned textbooks for "evaluation", and McCarthy
claimed many men and women involved in the arts, including well
known authors, were Communists.

'The Hearth and the Salamander' introduces many symbols that retain
importance throughout the novel. The symbol of "the book", the most
feared and reviled enemy of the state, is significant. Books represent
knowledge and awareness, but are illegal. When found they are
burned, as are the homes in which they were stored. Yet, Montag finds
himself drawn to them, and wonders what drives book owners, such
as the old woman, to burn herself among her sacred possessions
rather than leave them behind. In the opening paragraph, Bradbury
likens burning book pages to pigeon wings. This early allusion to birds
and flight speaks to the ability of books to incite freedom.
The title of this section, 'The Hearth and the Salamander' alludes to
images of fire, the tool of destruction that censors knowledge and
ideas. The hearth is where the fire is built and burns strongest. In
contrast, the salamander is a lizard said to survive in flames, and thus
alludes to fire's inability to crush free thought. Montag, personifies the
salamander, surrounded in flames, yet fighting against censorship.
Fire represents purification as it is used to rid society of that which is
undesirable. Books and the places where they are hidden are
eradicated by fire, burned out of existence so as not to contaminate
society. In his long discussion with Montag, Captain Beatty mentions
the standard practice of immediately cremating the dead so society is
not burdened with decaying bodies or memorials and the grief
associated with them. Later, as Montag comes to realize the truth
about his society, he recognizes fire as a form of oppression - a

means of subduing the knowledge in books. Fire also represents

awareness and memory. Upon greeting the firemen, the old woman
who later burns to death among her books as a martyr for free
thought, quotes Bishop Hugh Latimer, who was burned for heresy in
the 16th century, saying, " . . . we shall this day light such a candle, by
God's grace, in England, as I trust shall never be put out!" This quote
rings true with Montag, who later laments, "you ever see a burnt
house? It smolders for days. Well, this fire'll last me the rest of my
life." Fire is also important for its transformative powers. In the opening
paragraph of the novel, the author refers to the pleasure Montag took
in seeing things changed by fire. Similarly, Montag changes with each
fire he sets.
Water, the opposing force to fire, takes on meaning as a metaphor for
escape. Millie, ever in need of escape from the opportunity to think,
uses her seashell radio to occupy her brain at night, as "an electronic
ocean of sound . . . coming in on the shore of her unsleeping mind. . .
Every night the waves came in and bore her off on their great tides of
sound, floating her, wide-eyed, toward morning. There had been no
night in the last two years that Mildred had not swum that sea".
Montag also eventually finds escape through water, but he is running
from an oppressive society rather than from reality. After questioning
Clarisse about her motivation to walk in the rain and catch drops in her
mouth, Montag begins to question himself, his career, and his

marriage. While he does so, Montag tilts his head back, and for the
first time, drinks in the raindrops.
Additionally, there are allusions throughout 'The Hearth and the
Salamander' to the intruding eye of oppression that monitors the
people who live in Montag's dystopia. When the technicians pump
Millie's stomach, Montag notices the tool they use looks like a
writhing, mechanical one-eyed snake. Captain Beatty personifies
intrusive oppression, knowing Montag is ill and that he is keeping
books without being told. The Mechanical Hound, with its ability to
track down and destroy people by their scent, is yet another symbol of
the totalitarian state's constant observation. Even Clarisse innocently
reminds Montag that "there's a man in the moon."
Part II: The Sieve and the Sand
Summary:
Montag spends the rest of the rainy afternoon uneasily reading
through books while Millie sits idly. As he reads, Montag is often
reminded of Clarisse. Meanwhile, the already edgy couple is alarmed
by a scratching at the door. Millie dismisses it as "just a dog", but
Montag knows it is the Mechanical Hound. Luckily, the Hound leaves
without causing a disturbance. Millie whines that there is no reason to
read books and that that their house will be burned down if anyone
finds out. Montag responds with a passionate rant, asserting that they
really have no concept of what is going on in the world and that those

who seek to learn are quickly quieted, just like Clarisse and the old
woman. He talks of the ongoing wars and how people all over the
world are toiling and starving while they live well and devote
themselves to leisure. Montag is interrupted by the ringing phone.
Millie answers it and is immediately enraptured in a conversation
about a mindless television program.
As Millie chats, Montag wonders what his next step will be. He recalls
an encounter with an elderly man in a park a year earlier. The man
was a former English Professor (all the liberal arts colleges had been
closed some 40 years) named Faber. It was obvious to Montag that
the old man had a book tucked in his coat, but the fireman did nothing
about it. Faber's words echoed in his head, "I don't talk of things, sir, I
talk of the meaning of things. I sit here and know I'm alive." Montag
remembers he took down Faber's contact information, and retrieves it
from his files. He uses another phone to call Faber, who is shocked to
hear from him. Montag questions Faber about how many copies of the
book he stole from the old woman are left in the country. Faber tells
him there are no other copies of the book and nervously hangs up on
him.
When Millie and Montag finish their respective phone conversations,
Millie has forgotten about the books in anticipation of her friends
visiting to watch some television, while Montag's anxiety about the
books has grown. As Montag deliberates on which of his books to
hand over to Beatty, he wonders if Beatty might know of a specific title

he possesses. Millie entreats him to get rid of all the books. Later, as
he leaves to see Faber about getting a copy of the Bible made before
he turns the original over to Beatty, he questions Millie about her
beloved television characters, asking her if they love her, which they
obviously cannot. She is befuddled by his questions, while he is
saddened that she is so out of touch with reality.
Montag gets on the subway, heading for Faber's apartment. On the
way, he realizes how numb to the world he has become and wonders
if he'll ever regain his sense of purpose. He recalls the frustration he
felt as a child when he attempted the impossible task of filling a sieve
with sand. He resolves to read and memorize the Bible he carries with
him before he must return it to Beatty, but finds himself unable to
retain any of what he reads, just as a sieve is unable to retain sand.
He becomes increasingly frustrated as his attempts at concentration
are foiled by the toothpaste jingle that is incessantly playing over the
subway speakers.
When Montag arrives at Faber's, the nervous old man is at first
hesitant, but allows Montag in after ascertaining that he is alone.
Montag tells the old professor that he is the only one who can help
him now as Faber eagerly peruses the Bible. He muses about the
portrayal of Christ on television and recalls that "there were a lot of
lovely books once, before we let them go." Faber professes himself to
be a coward for not having stood up in protest back when they were
beginning to ban books. Montag asks Faber to help him understand

his books, lamenting that society is missing something fundamental

that allowed people to experience true happiness. Faber explains
getting rid of books is not entirely to blame for society's superficiality.
Rather, it is the quality of introspection, mystery and wonder found in
books that society lacks. Faber asserts that books are feared because
they "show the pores in the face of life" and make people
uncomfortable. What the world needs, according to Faber, is quality of
information like that found in books, the leisure to analyze and
understand it, and the right to act on that understanding.
Montag and Faber hatch a plan to bring down the oppressive system
by planting books in the homes of firemen throughout the country and
calling in alarms, to shake the people's faith in the men they both fear
and revere for "protecting" the nation from the dangers of books.
However, Faber retreats from idea, saying people are having too
much fun to care about the issue. Instead, he suggests they should
wait for the impending war to implode society so that they may start
anew. The old man is obviously frustrated, disheartened by the state
of affairs and feels helpless to do anything about it. Montag, in an
attempt to elicit the passion obviously burning somewhere within
Faber, begins tearing pages from the Bible. Faber pleads with him to
stop and finally agrees to enlist an old friend to print copies of books
for them. Montag worries that when he returns to the firehouse
Captain Beatty will, with his powerful rhetoric, convince him that
burning books is a noble public service. Faber gives Montag a small,

green, bullet-shaped two-way radio of his own invention, similar to the

seashell radios Millie is so fond of. They plan to communicate through
the radio, and thus, from the safety of his own home, Faber will hear
all Montag does and provide suggestions for how to act.
Montag returns home and is eating alone in the kitchen when
Mildred's friends, Mrs. Phelps and Mrs. Bowles, arrive to watch
television with Millie. Montag, disturbed by the women's mindless
pleasantries and lack of awareness of the world around them, unplugs
the television walls and tries to engage the women in a discussion
about the impending war. Mrs. Phelps is unconcerned about her third
husband, who has gone to fight, and the women quickly turn the
conversation to a recent television program. Montag persists,
questioning the women about their children. Mrs. Phelps has none,
and Mrs. Bowles has two, for whom she obviously feels no affinity.
The conversation turns to politics, and Montag is disgusted to hear the
women talk of how they voted for the current president because he
was the more handsome of the two candidates. Montag then retrieves
a book of poetry, the presence of which a shocked Millie explains by
saying that every fireman is allowed to bring home one book a year to
see how silly they are. At Faber's prompting, Montag agrees that this
is true, and proceeds to read a poem, Dover Beach, to the three
uncomfortable women. When he is finished, Mrs. Phelps is crying,
though she cannot explain why, and Mrs. Bowles is angry with Montag
for bringing about trouble. Mildred tries to calm the group, but the

women are quite shaken and leave. Montag criticizes them as they go,
telling them to think about the quality of their lives. Mildred goes to the
bathroom to take some sleeping pills and Montag removes the radio
from his ear as Faber begs him to stop, sure that he has gotten
himself in trouble.
Before Montag leaves for work, he retrieves his books from behind the
refrigerator and notices some are missing. He realizes Millie must
have begun putting them in the incinerator. He hides the remaining
books in the backyard and goes on his way. He returns the radio to his
ear and Faber advises him to act normally and stay relaxed when he
gets to the firehouse. Montag is nervous when he arrives at work. The
Mechanical Hound is gone; Montag wordlessly turns over a book to
Beatty and sits down to play cards with him and the other men. Beatty
begins to prod at Montag by disparaging books and quoting from
literature. Faber continually advises Montag to keep quiet, which he
does with some difficulty. An alarm comes in, and they go to answer it.
When they arrive at the location, Montag looks up to discover they
have been called to his own home.
Analysis
In 'The Sieve and the Sand', we witness Montag's continued
awareness of transition. The title of this section provides a metaphor
for Montag's frustration at not being able to immediately grasp what is
true in the world. Through Montag's own recollection on the train, the
reader sees Montag as a young boy, desperately trying to fill a sieve

with sand, an impossible task. Likewise, Montag is frustrated to find

himself a sieve of sorts, unable to retain what he reads from the Bible,
however feverishly he tries. On a larger scale, it becomes apparent
that it is not only the words of the Bible, but truth in general that
Montag finds difficult to attain. Thus, he is frustrated that he cannot fill
himself or feel whole. In contrast, Millie and others like her are sieves
as well, unable and unwilling to grasp information even when it is
made readily available to them.
The introduction of Faber's character into the novel is quite significant.
The old man represents knowledge. He is educated and realizes that
book banning and book burning has made people less, rather than
more, enlightened. Much of the imagery associated with Faber
incorporates the color white - his walls, skin, hair, beard, eyes, are all
described as white. Thus, his character is portrayed as pure and
unspoiled amidst the technology that has sullied the minds and
characters of so many others. Faber is likened to water, a cleansing,
renewing entity, which, when combined with the fire associated with
Montag, should, ideally, give rise to the "wine" of truth and knowledge.
It is ironic that Faber tells Montag the world necessitates leisure, in
addition to information and the right to act on free thought, because
leisure is one entity that no one lacks. Here, Bradbury makes a
distinction between the free time afforded by technology and the will
and knowledge to use it productively.

The theme of self-destruction runs through 'The Sieve and the Sand'.
The reader sees Millie through the eyes of her husband as, "a wax
doll melting in its own heat." By using the familiar images of heat and
fire, Bradbury presents Millie as fostering her own self destruction by
choosing to ignore and abandon reality rather than seek out truth, as
her husband aspires to do. Despite his intentions, we see Montag
display a self-destructive streak when he insists, despite Faber's
admonishments, on engaging Millie and her friends and reading
poetry to them. The theme of self-destruction is also visited during
Montag and Faber's initial conversation in Faber's apartment, when
Faber speaks of the proposed plot to undermine the authority of
firemen by planting books in their homes by saying, "the salamander
devours its tail." This image incorporates both the established symbol
for firemen, and the idea of self-destruction present throughout the
second part of the book.
Montag's disdain for Millie's friends is a microcosm of his disdain for
all of society. The women's selfishness, revealed through their
nonchalance about the upcoming war in which their husbands will
fight, and through their disregard for children, is in keeping with the
prevalent attitudes of a society where maintaining one's own illusion of
happiness is the only priority. This 'happiness' is advertised through
the 'Cheshire Cat' smiles the women wear. The reader is cognizant
that personal happiness in this society is only an illusion, reminded of
Montag's realization that his own "burnt-in" smile no longer contorts

his face. Montag discovers that he is not truly happy, but his wife and
her friends are unable to see the truth.
The poem that Montag chooses to read to his guests, "Dover Beach",
presents themes found throughout the book, including loss of faith, the
need to care and be cared for, the destruction of war, and the desire
for happy illusions to be true. In addition, a "beach" conveys images of
sand and water, two symbols also alluded to throughout the novel.
At work, Montag deals with a barrage of quotes spewed from Beatty,
disparaging books and their value. Meanwhile, Faber chirps in
Montag's ear via radio, urging him to bite his tongue and not to accept
Beatty's arguments. This scene, in which the reader can almost
picture the angel Faber and the devil Beatty competing for Montag's
sympathy and attention, encompasses the ongoing struggle between
good and evil that has, until now, been raging in Montag's mind.
In keeping with its frantic tone, 'The Sieve and the Sand' ends with the
story's climax - the arrival of the firemen at Montag's house. At this
point, Montag is stripped of his former life. Because he deviated from
the norm, choosing books and truth over the illusion of happiness he
once embraced, Montag will lose his home and livelihood.
Part III: Burning Bright
Summary:

Having just arrived at his own house in response to a fire alarm,

Montag is numb with disbelief. His coworkers rush into his house as
Millie, who turned him in, rushes out and hurries by without a
word.Captain Beatty needles him, chiding him for thinking he could
keep his books concealed and asking why he didn't turn them in when
the Hound came sniffing around. As Beatty continues his lecture,
Faber speaks to Montag through their secret radio asking what is
going on and telling him to run away. However, Montag explains he is
trapped. Any attempt to escape will send the Mechanical Hound after
him. Beatty orders Montag to burn down the house on his own, room
by room, with a flamethrower. As if living a nightmare, Montag
complies, methodically destroying all his possessions. When finished,
he stands in front of Beatty, numb and dejected, but still holding on to
the flamethrower. Beatty asks why Montag felt the need to keep
books. When Montag doesn't answer, Beatty hits him, knocking
Faber's secret radio from his ear. Beatty picks it up, saying he will
have to trace it and, "drop in on your friend". In silence, Montag
switches the safety catch on the flamethrower. At first, Beatty is taken
aback, but he quickly recovers and continues his berating speech,
demanding that Montag turn the weapon over. Montag refuses, flips
the switch, and burns Beatty to death.
The Mechanical Hound appears on the scene, and stabs Montag in
the leg with his powerful, long needle. Montag fights back with his
flamethrower, destroying the machine. Free of the Hound, Montag

takes off running, forcing his leg forward even though it causes him
immense pain. Before fleeing his house, Montag remembers the
books in his garden, and goes to save them. He finds four books
remaining, gathers them up and flees the scene. Under the strain, his
leg collapses and he falls to the ground. Crying uncontrollably, Montag
realizes Beatty had wanted to die. He knew Montag was going to kill
him, and rather than making him stop or dodging the flames, Beatty
stood still, waiting for death. Montag's thoughts are interrupted by the
sound of hurried footsteps. He quickly rises to his feet and stumbles
off into the night, evading capture. Through his seashell radio, he
hears police bulletins about his flight and the authorities in pursuit.
With nowhere else to go, Montag runs toward Faber's house.
With police helicopters circling above and declarations of war echoing
from the radio, Montag slips into a gas station restroom to wash up.
Afterwards, as he walks across the boulevard, a speeding car trains
its headlights on him. Thinking it is a police car, Montag begins to run,
dropping a book in the process. Just as the car catches up to him, he
falls to the ground and it veers away, running over the tip of his finger.
In fact, it wasn't the police at all, but a group of kids that go speeding
off into the night. They thought aiming for Montag was entertainment,
and only avoided driving over him because it would have caused the
car to flip over. Had he not fallen, the car would most likely have
crashed right into him. Shaken, Montag continues on his way,
stopping only to plant books in a fellow fireman's home.

Upon arriving at Faber's, Montag tells the old man that he killed Beatty
and confesses that he doesn't know what to do next. He apologizes
for putting Faber in danger by coming to his home, but the old man
thanks him for making him feel alive again. He advises Montag to
follow the river down to the old train tracks and walk along them, in the
hope that he will discover one of the hobo "walking camps" which
provide refuge for the aging, hunted intellectuals deemed dangerous
to society. Faber plans to go to St. Louis to track down a retired printer
friend and use money Montag brought with him to print books. The
two men turn on Faber's tiny television for news on the chase, and
learn that another Mechanical Hound has been dispatched to find and
kill Montag. To mask his trail, Montag takes Faber's oldest, dirtiest
clothes and instructs the man to burn what he has touched, wipe down
his home with alcohol, and to turn his air-conditioning and sprinklers
on full-blast.
Montag takes off running, but pauses to peer into a house window to
see how the search is progressing on the television. He sees the
hound running through town and stopping in front of Faber's house for
a nervous moment before bounding away. Slightly relieved, Montag
continues on as the radio announcer prompts everyone in the area to
simultaneously look outside their homes for Montag. Luckily, by the
time the given count has expired, Montag has reached the river, where
he strips, douses himself in alcohol, and changes into Faber's dirty

clothing before floating off down the river, thinking about fire and
burning.
Soon afterwards, Montag's feet touch the ground and he reaches the
riverbank. The smell of hay wafts through the air, bringing back a
childhood memory of visiting a barn. He fantasizes about sleeping on
a bed of warm, dry hay in a barn loft and awaking to a cool glass of
milk and some fruit left for him by a lovely young woman reminiscent
of Clarisse. His daydream is interrupted when a deer moves nearby.
At first, the nervous Montag thinks it is the Mechanical Hound, but is
relieved to realize his mistake.
Montag wanders until he comes to train tracks, which he follows, as
Faber advised, unable to shake a distinct feeling that Clarisse had
once followed the same path. After half an hour, he sees the flicker of
a fire in the distance. When he finally reaches it, he finds a group of
scruffy-looking men gathered around it, engaged in discussion. The
group's unofficial leader, Granger, addresses Montag by name,
inviting him to join them and giving him coffee. Granger recognized
Montag from the police search that the men have been following on a
portable television. To help mask his scent from the Mechanical
Hound, Granger gives Montag a bitter drink that will change his
chemical balance. The men watch the small television together, and
Montag is shocked to see the Mechanical Hound hunt down and kill
an innocent man. The announcer proclaims that Montag has been
caught and killed, ending the search. The police, not wanting to lose

face or the confidence of the people, have targeted a random citizen

rather than admit they lost track of Montag.
After a few moments, Granger introduces the shaken Montag to his
companions. They are all old intellectuals: authors, professors and
clergymen who are hiding out along the tracks to avoid imprisonment.
Each of the men, Montag learns, has memorized a work of literature,
so they may keep books alive until it is safe to print them again.
Granger explains that they will pass their knowledge through
generations until such a time when people are again enlightened
enough to seek out ideas and opportunities to learn.
The men move downstream and rest for the night. In the morning,
enemy bombs annihilate the city. Watching the distant explosion, and
fighting against the force the bomb throws on the riverbank, Montag is
unmoved when he realizes Mildred most likely lies dead in the rubble.
Granger talks of being saddened when his grandfather passed on
because he would no longer be around to continue his many good
works. Montag cannot think of a single way in which Millie had an
affect on the world and is saddened. Amidst visions of the war's
destruction and Millie's fate, Montag finally remembers where he met
her - Chicago. Later, the men cook some bacon for breakfast, during
which Granger compares society to the mythical phoenix. Every so
often, the phoenix would burn itself to death only to spring to life
again, born anew from the ashes. He hopes that eventually, man will
learn the lessons of history and stop destroying his society. The novel

closes with the men setting off toward the city to begin the city's
rebirth.
Analysis
The title of the third section, "Burning Bright", references the many
allusions to fire and burning in the text. First, Montag burns his home
and his possessions. Ironically, Montag does not grieve the loss of his
home or possessions. In contrast, he feels unburdened by releasing
himself from the intrusive television walls that plagued his life. Thus,
Montag's flamethrower dispenses powers of destruction and of
cleansing. Before ordering him to burn down his own house, Beatty
baits Montag, comparing him as Icarus and thus alluding that Montag,
by harboring books, has flown too close to the sun and shall now fall
to his death. With this analogy, Beatty argues that those who defy the
law of the land will meet their end. Ironically, Beatty is actually the man
that dies, while Montag escapes and begins a new life. When Montag
kills Beatty with the flamethrower, Bradbury compares him to a
charred wax doll, a description reminiscent of an earlier reference to
Millie as a wax doll melting under its own heat. Later on, Montag
encounters a camp fire when he meets Granger and the other
intellectuals. This fire is welcoming, different from the fire Montag has
always known, and shows him that fire can be a source of warmth and
sustenance rather than a source of death and destruction. Finally,
Montag witnesses the fire and destruction the atomic bombs bring to
the city. Throughout this section, many things are "burning bright",

including Montag's idealism and adherence to promoting truth and

knowledge.
Soon after killing Beatty, Montag realizes Beatty wanted to die. He
made no effort to avoid the flames. Here, Bradbury acknowledges that
even people involved in oppression can know their actions are wrong,
but are too weak to fight against them. Therefore, Beatty's death is
truly one of self-destruction. His own inaction allows his life to reach
this point, and knowing he is unhappy and dissatisfied, Beatty allows
Montag to burn him to death.
As Montag flees, having been stabbed by the Mechanical Hound, his
leg is injured, "like a chunk of burnt pine log he was carrying along as
a penance for some obscure sin." In society's view, Montag's sin is
harboring books. But, in Montag's view, he has sinned many times,
burning houses and books of innocent people. Montag suffers for all
the truth he has destroyed, but survives because his actions now are
beneficial to maintaining an intellectual society.
While Montag flees, he hears an announcement that war has been
proclaimed. Simultaneously, Montag has begun his own war. He is
committed to his cause, murdered the enemy, and is on the run to
survive. As society battles against itself, Montag battles against
society. Throughout the book, whispers of war grow in frequency along
with the strengthening of Montag's internal turmoil and disillusion.
Thus, it is only fitting that the two conflicts come to a head at the same
time. The book's dramatic peak occurs in this section, as Montag's

house is destroyed, his marriage ends, he kills his boss, runs for his
life, finds safety, and watches as the city is destroyed.
In part three, Montag's old life is destroyed and he is re-born when he
emerges from the river to begin anew. Montag floats down the river in
peace and with ease, and the large body of water carefully deposits
him on the riverbank. Representing renewal and rebirth, the river
offers Montag a new chance at life, away from the city, and with new
friends who share his beliefs. He walks up on the shore dressed as an
intellectual, wearing Faber's clothes, and cleansed of his kerosene
scent. Montag's transformation is completed when he drinks the elixir
offered him by the men on the tracks. Having altered the chemical
composition of his body scent, he is no longer Montag the fireman or
Montag the fugitive. Now he is Montag the intellectual, keeper of truth.
The men that Montag meets on the tracks, led by Granger, are the
antithesis of those he left behind in the city. They are educated men
who love and revere books, rather than burning them. Their camp fire
serves as a beacon of light for Montag to follow, representing warmth
and safety rather than the destruction he is used to.
When the man set up to look like Montag is killed, it is symbolic not
only of the dishonesty perpetuated by society, but of the death of
Montag the fireman. Having completed his metamorphosis, Montag is
a new person. Thus, when Granger says, "welcome back from the
dead," he is actually welcoming the new Montag to a life of thinking

and awareness, as opposed to the illusion of happy existence he had

previously known.
Granger refers to the lessons of history indirectly in two ways. He talks
fondly of his grandfather, from whom he took the lesson that one must
strive to contribute to the world and leave something behind. He also
talks of the mythical phoenix and how it continually burned itself and
was reborn, only to make the same mistake again and again for lack
of memory. Society has taken after the phoenix. After the city is
destroyed, those left along the tracks set out to rebuild it. There is
hope in this, as these are men who mind the lessons of history.
The book concludes with Granger, Montag, and his newfound friends
walking toward the destroyed city. Hope for the chance to build a new
society and hope for the future of man burns bright in the hearts and
minds of these men.