Is Guy Montag a Hero Essay Example

bad person, he was killed for the wrong reason. Montag killed for the wrong reason. He killed because of emotion and not of thought. A hero does not take a life because of his emotions.

Montag took the life of a man, whether he disserved it or not, because of his emotions. If emotions get in the way of your thinking of what is right and wrong, then you are not a hero. A true hero finds a way to do the right thing, without hurting anyone or anyone’s belongings. Usually turning someone’s home into ash is not heroic. While Montag was on the run, he picked up some books from his backyard. He ran by the home of the Blacks’, where he hid the books in their kitchen.

Later Montag sets the alarm on the house, so firemen will come and burn the house down. As Montag is sneaking in, he thinks, “Now ince you’re [Mrs. Black] a fireman’s wife, it’s your house and your turn, for all the houses your husband burnt and the people he hurt without thinking. ” (Bradbury 129-130). Montag’s plan is to get people to rebel against firemen and the government. Montag wants to put his plan into action. But is setting alarms on firemen’s houses helping or hurting? This may be an attempt to change the society, but destruction of houses is not the right approach. Though his intentions are good, this is hurting people, whether or not they are firemen. This may be his plan but it seems a bit like revenge.

Montag is angry at firemen for burning without thinking. If putting books in firemen’s houses is not helping

anyone, is hurting people, and is giving Montag satisfaction, then what Montag is doing, is a selfish act. Montag is not a hero if he is hurting people for himself. A hero does things for others, using moral actions. Would a hero hurt his enemies if he had a choice? No. Would a hero hurt his allies? There is no question. Would anyone hurt a person than is on your side? Montag does. Montag was visiting Faber and asking him about books. Montag wanted to know how to comprehend books. Faber gave him a brief lesson.

But Montag wants to really understand what books mean, but Faber says no. Knowing the Bible means a lot to Faber, Montag starts ripping out pages. Faber begs but Montag continues to rip the pages. Faber turns pale and is trembling. He begs, “The book. Don’t tear it any more… Don’t make me feel any more tired. ” (Bradbury 88). Montag here is tearing books out of the Bible, causing Faber pain, till Faber gives up. Montag is forcing Faber to teach him. He is being cruel to an ally, to a friend. Montag is hurting good people. He is not doing things for the good of others. He is consciously hurting them.

Montag is not a hero for this reason. A hero doesn’t hurt his friends. In our present day society we need to look at who really are heroes and who really aren’t heroes. There are fakers out there that seem like heroes but if you think about it they really aren’t. A hero puts others into consideration first. Whether they are evil, perfect, young, old, short, or tall

they all should have their feelings considered. Montag does not do this. He kills someone for himself. He sets the alarm on a firemen’s house so it would be burnt down. He purposely tortured his greatest ally. A hero thinks first and will put others into consideration.