The Hearth and the Salamander- Part 1 Fahrenheit 451

   In the first section of Fahrenheit 451, the reader can clearly see that this a classical dystopian novel. We meet Guy Montag, the main character, and learn about his daily routine. Montag is a firefighter; however, we quickly see that he is not our idea of a fireFIGHTER. Rather than putting out fires, Montag and the other firefighters are in charge of starting fires. In these fires, they are supposed to destroy and burn books, and sometimes the people who stand in the way. In the beginning Montag doesn't doubt his life or question his career and its purpose. However, after an encounter with a unique, free thinking teenage-girl, Clarisse, Montag begins to have his own thoughts. The government that is in charge of Montag does not encourage original thought and discourages individualism; if all are the same and entertained, all are happy. Montags wife, Mildred,  is what I think Montag himself is afraid of becoming. Mildred is constantly being fed thoughts and ideas and is seemingly incapable of forming her own ideas; she doesn't even seem to have her own memories.
  One day Clarisse asks Montag if he is happy. At first he scoffs at her question and answers her immediately. However, in just the brief walk from the sidewalk to his bedroom, Montag realizes that he is not happy and from there on out begins to wonder about his life. He wonders about the books he is supposed to destroy. Why are they so dangerous? What is so great about them that people would sacrifice themselves?
  I have a feeling that Montag will become more defiant in the next sections. I also hope we find out more about Clarisse's disappearance, and I also hope Mildred becomes less of a noodle and gets an original thought!