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   luannw Teacher
   High School - 11th Grade

   eNotes Editor

   Clarisse is the first to get Montag to think about and evaluate his life when she asks him, "Are you happy?"  Beatty shows him, through his explanation of how society came to its present state, and through his own actions, why reading and thus thinking are important.  There is a sort of "reverse psychology" here.  Mildred is vapid and Montag realizes this about her, thus she serves as an example of what is wrong with their society.  Faber has an urgent, but weak-willed, enthusiasm for books. He loves them and won't give them up, but he's weak in that he stood by and did nothing as the revolution against books took place.  Montag realizes that doing nothing is as wrong as taking part in the book burnings.  The book people show Montag what it's like to be dedicated to a purpose that is higher than oneself. He sees in them what one person can do as each one of them memorizes a different book making each one unique and equally important.

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   Posted by luannw on Monday January 5, 2009 at 4:33 AM