Fahrenheit 451

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

Fahrenheit 451, the temperature books burn at. This is a futuristic book by Bradbury in 1950. The future held drug abuse, big screen T.V., war, the desire for happiness through entertainment and lack of choice, looking down on those with differing views. I think he was eerily correct.

Guy Montag is a fireman in 1990. Firemen in 1990 burn. They respond to alarms telling them of homes that contain books. When they arrive they spray on the kerosene and torch the place, people included if they do not leave the premises.

One night on his way home from the station, Montag meets his strange teen neighbor, Clarisse. Instead of listening to the little seashell in her ear and watching the walls (television takes up a whole wall and you can make every wall in a room a television), she likes to think, walk, and talk about things. Very strange and frowned upon. People are highly entertained by nothing and live without much of a choice because that decreases their anxiety. Clarisse grows on Montag and he begins to think about the things she says. He realizes that he isn't happy and my not be in love with his wife.

Arriving home from work, Montag finds his wife has overdosed on her crystals. He calls emergency and two men come, pump out her stomach and give her new blood. Good as new. This is such a common occurrence these days that a doctor doesn't even attend an overdose, just these plumber like men.

One night Montag responds to an alarm where an older woman refuses to leave her books. The firemen prepare to set her and her house ablaze. She sets herself on fire first. Montag begins to wonder what is so great about books that you would die for them. He grabs one, conceals it and takes it home.

Montag can't find Clarisse. He is told that she is dead and her family has moved on. He begins to realize how unhappy he is. He asks his wife if she can remember where they met. She has no recollection. He tells her she overdosed and she refuses to believe him. Finally in an attempt to break free of the discord with his wife and life, Montag shows Mildred (his wife) the book. He has saved The Bible from the flames.

Montag remembers an old man he met in a park once that might understand what he is going through. He seeks out Faber. The old man claims to be a weakling. He tells Montag that he didn't agree with the way the world was headed but that he did nothing to stop it. He tells Montag that he would like to help him now. He gives Montag the green bullet. An ear piece that he has invented which lets them communicate with each other.

Montag is sick. He is fevering with his disdain for life and its insanity. His chief comes for a visit and tells him that it happens to everyone. He also tells him that if a fireman were to take a book, he would have twenty four hours to look at it and then burn it himself. If he doesn't burn it, then the chief will come and burn it for him. Mildred freaks out. The chief sends the mechanical Hound to sniff out the house. The Hound hates Montag. If it catches him it will shoot him full of poison. It can smell the other books Montag has hidden in a heating vent.

Mildred's friends show up to watch the walls and drink. Montag wants to do something wild. He shows them a book and begins reading the poetry to them. They freak out. Faber tries to tell him to stop. Montag accuses them of the horrible things they have done with their worthless lives. They run out.

Montag returns to work. The chief gets very intense with him. They are called to an alarm. It is at Montag's house. Millie's friends have turned him in. Millie runs from the house and leaves Montag. Montag is forced to burn his own home. Then the chief tells him he is under arrest. The chief finds the green bullet. Montag turns his flame thrower on the chief and the two other firemen with him. He burns them. The Hound arrives and attacks Montag. Its poisonous needle shoots him in the leg. Montag burns the Hound. He takes off with his leg in pain. He returns to Faber. Faber tells him he will try to reach a printer that can copy The Bible. He gives Montag some of his clothing to cover up Montag's personal smell. A new Hound is after him and the Hound never fails.

Montag is chased by the police, the Hound, and the media. Everyone is told to open their doors and look for him. Montag escapes to the river. He puts on Faber's clothing. He floats downstream. Finally he comes to a camp along the railroad with other people that have left society. They all have books that they 'remember' in their minds. They hope that when society begins to change that they will be able to retell these books and bring them back to life. As the men let Montag into their midst, jets fly over. A new war has begun. The city Montag has just left is blown sky high. Montag can see the future changing.

Rating 4.5 Ray Bradbury did a great job of predicting future events!

Rating PG 13 Violence, murder, abortion as birth control, drug use