From a dedicated civil servant to a martyr, of sorts, Guy Montag is changed by the events that surround the death of Mrs. Hudson. After witnessing her homage to books and the knowledge they contain, Montag realizes there is more to life than burning books and parlor walls. Once enlightened, it consequently effects every aspect of his life; starting with his career, his marriage and eventually his entire outlook on life.
Shortly after meeting his young neighbor Clarisse, Montag began questioning the reasoning and history behind the burning of books. It was as if she had planted the seed of curiosity, “Do you ever read any of the books you burn?” (Bradbury 5). This question and the many that followed made Montag uneasy but he had not yet started contemplating the true meaning behind the books he was burning. One night, on a call Montag witnessed an old woman burn to death with her books. “You can’t ever have my books,” she said (Bradbury 35). She was sending a message that her life was …show more content…
Hiding books in his very own home was one of Montag’s first acts of rebellion. He later read them, gathered more and even shared them with his wife Mildred. Montag started to reconsider everything he was ever taught, “That woman, the other night, Mille, you weren’t there. You didn’t see her face. And Clarisse, You never talked to her. I talked to her. And men like Beatty are afraid of her. I can’t understand it.” (Bradbury 64). As his thoughts progressed he became more and more resistant to the ideals of his society. He came to see the true values of humanity and quickly the current culture and government became the enemy. “You must remember, burn them or they’ll burn you, he thought.” (Bradbury 117). In this instance Montag was willing to defend himself against the ways of the world. He had found that knowledge and truth were more important than burning and