I would argue the woman who dies in the fire, Clarisse and Beatty are all people who move Montag to change.
The woman at the beginning of the book chooses to burn with her books rather than leave her home and her books behind. She lights the match herself and goes up in flames. This event in Montag's life changes him. In Montag's life, he feels no passion for anything or anyone that would cause him to give up his life for. Montag decides that if she is willing to die for books, there must be something important, powerful and wonderful within the covers of a book.
Clarisse talks to Montag the first day they meet about nature, details of life, talking, relationships and the purposeless way that people her age lead their lives. The poignant changing moment though is when she asks Montag the first day they meet "are...
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you happy?" This question confuses Montag, and makes him ponder his life's purpose for days and weeks to come. This, coupled with Mildred's attempted suicide, makes him realize that people in their society are not happy at all. There is something missing.
Beatty quotes literature and philosophy to Montag trying to confuse him and expose the contradictory comments that books make. He shows Montag that there is pain and horrors in history and literature, and he almost succeeds in confusing Montag into submission. However, with the help of Faber, Montag realizes he is sick of being manipulated into how to think and feel. With Beatty standing in front of him, he makes the most active decision and kills Beatty with a flame thrower. This active killing shows that Montag has been transformed by these important people in his life.
In Fahrenheit 451, what events and people help Montag recognize his dilemma?
In addition to the above, the following also influence Montag to recognize the state of his existence.
- The mechanical hound scares Montag when it reacts to him at the fire station. This incident haunts him. There is something not right about the hound, its programming, and its uses.
- The first meeting with Faber, before the novel opens. This is possibly the event that leads Montag to horde books in the time leading up to the novel.
- The second meeting with Faber. This solidifies his reservations about himself and his society.
- Concerning Clarisse, the dandelion test. This gets him questioning the nature of his relationship with his wife.
Of course, one of the aspects of his society that leads him to his discoveries is not an event or person, just a source of entertainment: the three walls of television. The mindless, idiotic programming would push anybody with a brain toward rebellion and self-discovery.
I will list a few of these:
- Montag meeting Clarisse mattered a lot. She got him to thinking about the nature of their society, what he felt, what he valued, etc.
- The burning of the old lady. When she killed herself rather than allow her books to be burned, she made him think about the value of books.
- Millie's near-death. This made him think about how empty her life was. When he realizes how empty she is, he wonders more about their society.
To me, these are the main events and people who get Montag to start thinking.