Fahrenheit 451: Express Book Report

Learn more about plot, characters and symbolism in Fahrenheit 451.

Fahrenheit 451, written by Ray Bradbury, is a fictional novel set in a futuristic America. The protagonist of the story is Guy Montag, a fireman who burns books to eliminate them from society. In this futuristic society firemen are responsible for burning books which are viewed as contraband. Books became banned when writers only attempted to write works that would not offend anyone. Society decided to eliminate all conflicting thoughts and ban books all together. This society is consumed with television, materialistic possessions, and disregards the importance of individuality, nature and human relationships. After meeting a 17 year old girl who cares about people and nature, Montag begins to assess the quality of his own life. He becomes curious about the books he has been burning and investigates a collection of books he has been saving from the fires. The fire chief encourages Montag to read the book so he will understand why they are pointless and dangerous to society. He demands that Montag turn in the books after 24 hours. Montag becomes overwhelmed with the complexity of books and reaches out to Faber, a professor, to help him understand what he is reading. Faber and Montag decide to rebel against society and reinstate books. Montag plans to plant books in firemen’s homes to discredit their work. Before his plan takes action, a group of women file a complaint against Montag and the fire department arrives to burn down his house. Montag turns against the fire department, killing the chief and escaping the scene. With help from Faber, Montag escapes down river and finds a book loving group hiding from society. Faber has left to meet with a printer with plans to start reprinting books. The novel ends when jets bomb the city, and the Book People travel to find survivors. Main Characters: Guy Montag- the protagonist who begins to question his job burning books and seeks to understand their meaning. Mildred Montag- Guy’s wife who turns against him and betrays him. Faber- the professor who helps Guy and plans to reinstate books with him. Captain Beatty- The fire chief who attempts to convince Guy to hate books. Clarisse McClellan- the young girl who inspires Guy to seek meaning in his life. Granger- A member of the “book people” who welcomes Guy Symbolism: The Phoenix- the phoenix represents the historical tendency of societies to be burned down, yet rise again. Granger is optimistic that this is possible in their situation. The Hearth and the Salamander- used as the title for the first section of the book, both represent fire. The hearth represents fire in the home, and the salamander represents ancient myth that salamanders are unaffected by fire. Fire is the dominant controlling factor in Montag’s life. About the Author: Ray Bradbury was born in 1920 in Illinois and moved frequently with his family. After graduating from high school in Los Angeles, Bradbury did not pursue further education. He began writing and publishing stories and selling newspapers for money. Eventually he became a television writer for The Twilight Zone and began writing science fiction novels. Fahrenheit 451 was published in 153.

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