Guy Montag

Fahrenheit 451 is an adaptation of the novel of the same name, by Ray Bradbury. It is a tale of an oppressive future where books are blamed as the unsettling force that makes people discontent with their lot, and undermines the stability and smooth running of society. So the books have to be burned.
Cyril Cusack as The Captain in Fahrenheit 451: "Listen to me, Montag. Once to each fireman, at least once in his career, he just itches to know what these books are all about. He just aches to know. Isn't that so?" Oskar Werner as Montag in Fahrenheit 451: "Behind each of these books, there's a man. That's what interests me." Julie Christie as Clarisse in Fahrenheit 451: "Is it true that a long time ago, firemen used to put out fires and not burn books?"

Movie

Fahrenheit 451

Year

1966

Character

Guy Montag

Actor

Oskar Werner

Guy Montag is a fireman. He carries out the worthy duty of burning books. This is important because books contain subversive message that threaten the peace and stability of society.

But then Montag starts to have second thoughts. Is he really doing the right thing?

Fahrenheit 451 – Guy Montag Quotes

Montag meets a strange woman who asks unusual questions:

Clarisse: Tell me, why do you burn books?

Montag: What? Well, it’s a job like any other. Good work with lots of variety. Monday, we burn Miller; Tuesday, Tolstoy, Wednesday, Walt Whitman, Friday, Faulkner; and Saturday and Sunday, Schopenhauer and Satre. ‘We burn them to ashes and then burn the ashes.’ that’s our official motto.

Clarisse: Even with my eyes closed, I could tell what you do for a job.

Montag: Because of the smell of kerosene?

Clarisse: Huh.

Montag: Quite a scent, isn’t it? My wife doesn’t like it very much. She says it lingers. I don’t mind. I think of it as a… perfume.

Clarisse: Tell me, that number you all wear, what’s it mean?

Montag: Oh, fahrenheit 451.

Clarisse: Why 451 rather than 813 or 121?

Montag: Fahrenheit 451 is the temperature at which book paper catches fire and starts to burn.

Clarisse tries to make sense of Montag’s situation:

Clarisse: Why?

Guy Montag: What?

Clarisse: How did it come about? How did it begin? How could someone like you be doing this work? I know everyone says that but you – you’re not like them. When I say something to you, you look at me. Why did you choose this job? With you it doesn’t make any sense.

Montag takes that forbidden step into the unknown:

Guy Montag: Do you remember what you asked me the other day: if I ever read the books I burn? Remember?

Clarisse: Uh-huh.

Guy Montag: Last night I read one.

Guy Montag: [holding a book in his hand] Behind each of these books, there’s a man. That’s what interests me.

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