Meet My Character

Dear Diary,

         Hi I'm Montag. I take lot's of pride in my work at the fire department. My uniform reeks in cinder and ash, but I enjoy dressing in it and pointing the nozzle toward illegal books. I love the smell of kerosene that raises the temperature to the required 451 degrees. I haven't been myself lately. I have yet to find out what it is but my mind is restless and I have to take sedatives to sleep. My marriage is going downhill and my friend Clarisse McClellan isn't making it any better. When she teases me about not being in love I feel guilty about failing to love my wife and not being able to remember the first time I met her.

 Dear Mildred,
     
         I have to tell you something that's been bothering me for a while now. A little while ago I was sent to go burn some books, but I stole them instead. I was shaken when the owner of the books refused to leave her home. She set fire to her kerosene drenched  home and remained there as her house, and her, are destroyed by flames. It really made me think about peoples dedication to their books and that maybe it can be the cause of peoples happiness. Can you believe that happened?


If you really knew me.

        If you really knew me you would know that my biggest regret is not loving my wife. Im determined to break free from ignorance and see all sides of things. I'm never the type to call into work, but after what I saw, I couldn't bare going. Imagine seeing an older woman burning alive all because of her dedication to her books. It makes me want to dig deeper into understanding the meaning and importance of the books.


Utopia vs. Dystopia

         I am completely under the influence of the government. I think the government is right and a Utopia. I get happy when I burn books. Our society is Utopian because the government provide everything to the people. "Is it true, the world works hard while we play." (Bradbury 74). I started to realize that maybe my society isn't as Utopian as it seems because I can't be poor if I was going to buy my 4th Parlor Wall. However, the rest of the world is starving and the country is at constant war because of people like me.