Fahrenheit 451 Short Summary

Fahrenheit 451 is a literature piece written by Ray Bradbury. The setting of the novel is a place full of suffering and a high level of oppression (Dystopia).  The protagonist in the novel is a fireman called Montag. The firemen found in Fahrenheit 451 do not share the same characteristics as those seen today. The ones here burn books, which are seen to make people think a lot. To this society, thinking is viewed as a dangerous thing.

At the start of this novel, Montag starts to feel like he does not live a fulfilling life. The feeling is aroused by Clarisse, a free-thinking neighbor. Despite just being in high school, Clarisse presents deep and thoughtful-provoking life questions. The level of inquisitiveness from the neighbor intrigues Montag. One of the fundamental questions she asks is if Montag is happy. While pondering on this question, he notices that he is not happy. The two things that stand out for him is the strained relationship with his wife and burning books.

On one of those days on the job, he encounters a woman who declines to let go of her books. She finally dies in the flames as her books are burnt. Before this happens, Guy had listened to Captain Beatty who was complaining about the books. Ironically, Beatty still quotes literary content from books.

Guy Montag steals a book where the other is burnt that day. Having a stash of books, she requests the assistance of her wife in reading the content. He is hopeful that the information in these books can make his life have meaning. He also seeks the help from a Faber, a scholar he had met in the park earlier.

Mildred feels that her husband is not doing the right thing. Besides, she is not passionate about books. She reports Guy to the other firemen. They come to burn the books just like they have been doing to the others. Montag launches an attack on Captain Beatty to the point of killing him. Montag is hunted from every angle. Faber advises him to run to the city through the railroad. Montag meets with other intellectuals as he escapes. These have all fully memorized a portion of a certain book. Montag is invited because he knows part of the. During their meeting, the city is destroyed with a bomb. However, they are optimistic that the city will rise again.