Characters
Read the text below to get a quick bio on each character.

Guy Montag

Guy Montag is the protagonist in Fahrenheit 451. He is a fireman in the society.  He is described as, “black hair, black brows...fiery face and...blue-steel shaved but unshaved”.  Guy Montag is a fireman, he burns books.  His father was a fireman and his grandfather, as well.  In the beginning of the novel he finds pleasure in burning books and all of the knowledge that they contain.  Throughout the book Montag meets people that teach him the value of knowledge and individuality.  Montag realizes that he must rebel against the government.  He works with an old man, Faber, who helps him control his rage and plot against the government.  At one point Montag loses control and he kills the fire chief as well as other people and he is forced to flee the society.  He runs away from the city and he meets a band of old scholars and professors that have also run away from society. Montag is a complex character who changes profoundly throughout the novel. 

Mildred

Mildred is Montag’s wife.  She is a victim of their society.  She spends all of her time in her “parlor”, where she spends time with a virtual family that lives in the television.  At stressful times during the book she overdoses on sleeping pills because she does not like the problems that her husband creates.  In the beginning of the novel, she thinks that she loves her husband but when she finds out that Montag is hiding books in the house she is the one who tells Captain Beatty. Mildred dies at the end of novel when the city is destroyed. 

Clarisse McClellan

Clarisse is a young girl who lives next to Montag in the beginning of the novel. Clarisse is seventeen years old and has a different view on like than the other people in the society.  She is the first person who enlightens Montag, and tells him about the beauty of the world and also about the problems with their society.  Clarisse does all of the things that the society has said are stupid, like picking flowers, smelling leaves, and looking at the moon.  Clarisse is killed by a speeding car.  When she dies Montag realizes how messed up their society is to ignore and eventually kill a girl who looked at the world in a wonderful way.

Captain Beatty

Captain Beatty is the antagonist in Fahrenheit 451.  He is the fire chief and Montag’s boss.  He has a vast knowledge of books but he is completely against them and uses his knowledge of literature to prove that books are useless and harmful.  Beatty knows that Montag has taken a book and he tries to convince Montag to burn it and return to being a fireman.  Montag is not easily convinced and Montag continues to take books and rebel against the government.  Beatty realizes that Montag is a lost cause and when he gets a call from Mildred reporting that Montag has books he goes to burn down Montag’s house.  Beatty is killed by Montag who burns him with a flame thrower.  Beatty, who is always respects fire, is eventually killed by its flame.

Faber

Faber is an old man who helps guide Montag through his rebellion.  Faber has never acted upon his feeling against the government but when he meets Montag he is inspired to help Montag bring down the monotonous society.  Faber gives Montag an earpiece, so that he can talk to Montag inside his head.  Faber guides Montag and helps him control his anger.  When Montag is being chased by the police he subconsciously goes to Faber’s house because he trusts and respects Faber.  Faber tells Montag about the hobos who live on the train track and he helps Montag prepare himself for his journey outside of society.  Faber is an important character because he acts as a guide to Montag.

Granger

Granger is an old man who was previously an author.  He lives with a group of other outcasts and he invites Montag to travel with them.  He teaches Montag many lessons about life and society.  Granger tells Montag that they are book burners as well, except they read the books and remember them and then they burn them. Granger is a leader to Montag as well as the group of people who enjoy knowledge and individuality.  Granger is important because he  guides Montag and helps him get away from the Hound.

The Mechanical Hound

The Mechanical Hound is a piece of equipment that can recognize someone’s DNA and then track that person down until it finds them and injects them with a poison.  The Mechanical Hound lives in a cage at the firehouse and Montag always has a strange feeling about it.  Often times during the novel Montag senses the hound following him.  When Captain Beatty burns down Montag’s house he brings the Mechanical hound so that Montag cannot get away.  When Montag kills Beatty and tries to escape the hound attacks him.  Montag uses the flame thrower to burn the hound.  Another hound is sent in and it chases Montag when he flees the city.  The hound is a vital character because it represents the cruelty of the society.