Fire And Water In Ray Bradbury's 'Fahrenheit 451'

Words: 521
Pages: 3

Understanding how Montag views fire and water in Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 are essential to analyzing Montag’s progression through his hero’s journey throughout the novel. Montag begins the novel as a devout firefighter, making a living by burning books with fire and kerosene. When he was a firefighter, Montag never stopped to question the reasoning behind his job, or why he was so infatuated with fire. This is Montag’s comfort zone in his hero’s journey, where he is satisfied with his life. However, Montag is met with ordeals that force him to doubt his job, and the perfection of fire. For example, Clarisse convinces Montag to “tilt his head back in the rain, for just a few moments, and open his mouth” (Bradbury 11). This small but impactful