Fahrenheit 451 - They're...Married?

As the book progressed, I found Montag’s relationship with Mildred to be pretty interesting. He knows his wife is pretty much a slave to the television, and admits he does not love her, but he shows his books to her (risking his job and his freedom) and tries to make her read them. I also think that it is strange that he felt it was important to remember when they first met although he does not love her. I honestly can not tell how one actually gets a husband or wife in this terrible world. Everyone is too caught up in their Jersey-Shore-esque televesion shows to notice the world around them, let alone the people they "know".

It seems that Montag has realized that Mildred is almost completely empty inside, and knows he does not love her (Bradbury 44). He gets so upset at the realization that he would not cry if she died that he starts crying (Bradbury 44). I think the reason this upsets him is that he very much wants to love Mildred, seeing as though she is his wife, but he knows that she is too braindead to ever care about him, vice versa. He wants to feel some deep and important emotion for his wife. I think that he shows her the books and has her read them with him for the same reason. He wants to fill the emptiness in her and help her to start thinking about things so he can love her. It really is not possible to love someone without a self, and Montag hopes that giving her things to think about will help her find herself. That is partially why I admire Montag so much. He gets so passionate about everything.

When I was reading the book, I started wondering why Montag felt it was so important to remember where he and Mildred met. After I wrote that last paragraph, I think I have a better idea of why. People always remember the important things in their lives. The fact that Montag cannot remember meeting Mildred is a sort of subconscious hint that she must not be important to him. Montag very much wants Mildred to be important to him, so he feels that it is very important for him to remember when they met. Also, would not it be somewhat of a slap in the face when your wife says remembering when they met is not important (Bradbury 43)? I believe that it is. Basically, their married life does not seem all too great if you ask me, which is why I question how the whole marital process works.
Bradbury, Ray. Fahrenheit 451. New York: Ballantine, 1996. Print.