Fahrenheit 451: Hero

The “hero” in this book is the protagonist, Montag.  He is not the hero in the story because he saves others from danger but rather because he is able to overcome the conflict of believing everything that the government told him and he is able to begin thinking and making decisions for himself.  In spite of people calling him a fool, Montag keeps pursuing books because he is eager to find what their importance is.  In the beginning of the story, Montag is a firefighter.  He loves to burn books and thinks that by doing so he is cleansing the world of its impurities (Bradbury 17).  Montag is described by the narrator to feel that “It was a pleasure to burn.  It was a special pleasure to see things eaten, to see things blackened and changed.” (Bradbury 1)  Before meeting Clarisse McClellan and witnessing an old woman die for her books, Montag would never question anything.  Things were the way they were and there seemed to be nothing to think about.    The government says that books are bad so they are bad.  Clarisse and the old woman finally brought him to realize that there is more to life than his every day routine.  He feels as if something is missing and since the only things he is sure that are gone are books, he figures that reading books might help.  Prior to his character change taking place, Montag seemed as if he was blindly contempt with his life and his role in society.  He also had difficulty in thinking for himself.  Concerning his becoming a fireman, he replied “Was I given a choice?  My grandfather and father were firemen.  In my sleep I ran after them.” (Bradbury 24)  Later in the story, whether he realizes it or not, Montag began to make his own choices.  He chose to steal the books, read them, kill Captain Beatty, run away from the police, etc..  I think that Montag represents courage.  Even though he may not have put much thought into stealing the book, without courage he never would have had the strength to take it, putting himself, Mildred, and their house in possible danger.  In fact, without courage he might have never quit being a firefighter. 

Bradbury, Ray. Fahrenheit 451. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1967. Print.