Character Development

In Fahrenheit 451, the protagonist, Guy Montag was a fireman whose job was to start fires to burn books and the houses in which the books were hidden. At the beginning of the story Guy Montag was a typical fireman who listened to and followed orders and never questioned his job. However in the last two years, Guy has experienced a change and a feeling of emptiness that he cannot pinpoint to and this feeling heightens as he meets a young girl, Clarisse McClellan, who tells him of a past where people were able to think and read books. Guy Montag slowly realizes that he lives in a very corrupt and censored society and begins to question the validity of his job. Guy Montag is no perfect hero though, he is often clumsy, rash, confused, easily-convinced and rather stupid, but as the story progresses, the change in Montag’s character is apparent. He is no longer the man at the beginning who listened and followed, but rather a man that thinks and leads.

Settings

Fahrenheit 451 is set in the future in a fast-paced city where the people listened to everything they were fed and never took the time to think. This setting is particularly important to the story as it is also the conflict in which Montag tries to resolve. Another important setting is the forest and the river which is symbolic for peace and renewal. The settings of the city and the nature contrast each other deeply to show how the society should have been rather than what it has become.

Figurative Devices

Symbols, metaphors and imagery are used very well in this story and make the story much more interesting. These devices play a grand role and are exceptionally important and significant to the development of the characters and the themes. Symbols such as the phoenix burning itself and reviving out of the ashes develop the theme of history repeating itself. The river and nature are a symbol of freedom of expression and thinking. Fire is seen as both a symbol of taking and giving. Imagery of the fire in the city shows a venomous predator killing unwanted things while in the nature it shows something that gives off warmth and provides to humans. This is significant in the development of this unique society and the fireman’s role in this society.

Themes

Many themes are mentioned in this book but the two predominant themes are anti-censorship and the remembering history to prevent it from repeating.

Narrative Style

The story is written a standard style from the third person limited omniscient view. Writing from this particular point of view is effective since the readers are experiencing the story based upon Guy Montag’s life and struggles. This is especially effective as it adds more drama and suspense and a feeling of mystery when you do not know what the other characters think. The story is written in a rather depressing tone. The readers get an attitude of failure from the way the society in this story works and through Montag’s thoughts of wanting darkness and using fire not as a way of warmth but destruction.