The novel opens up with a Montag that appears to be
confident, enthused, insensitive, and gleefully overjoyed by his job, life and role in
burning books. He whistles while walking home from work; he smiles in his sleep; he
laughs around the bonfire of books like a man with no worries. However, at the very end
of his first conversation with Montag, Clarisse asks, "Are you happy?" At first, Montag
thinks it's an absurd question, but once in the house, he realizes that he in fact is
not happy at all. The confident exterior fades, and his more introspective, insecure
and questioning side comes out.
Bradbury hints at these
other dimensions of Montag's character in a couple different ways. First, Bradbury uses
foreshadowing; Montag looks at the
"ventilator grille in the hall and suddenly
rememberd that something lay hidden behind the grille, something that seemed to peer
down at him now."
This
foreshadowing lets the reader know that there is a deeper side to Montag, something not
quite so straightforward, something that hints that he is not happy, and seeking for
answers. The next way that Bradbury conveys a different layer is through figurative
language. When he realizes that he isn't happy, Bradbury says
Montag
"felt
his smile slide away, melt, fold over and down on itself like a tallow skin, like the
stuff of a fantastic candle burning too long and now collapsing and now blown
out."
This simile, comparing
Montag's happiness melting and being snuffed out like a candle, lets us see Montag's
misery, as he does, for the first time. This adds another layer to his
character.
I hope that helps a bit; good
luck!
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