Allusions Within Character Names in Fahrenheit 451
Guy Montag:
- Possible reference to Guy Fawkes.
- Attempts to change the current state of affairs through his nonconformist actions.
- According to Bradbury, a subconscious reference to the paper manufacturer.
- “Montag” is the German term for “Monday”.
o Monday, being the start of a new week, possibly symbolizes Guy’s mental position – by the end of the story, he has reached a new conclusion about life that he did not have at the start.
o “And on either side of the river was there a tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month; And the leaves of the tree for the healing of the nations.” (165)
Clarisse McClellan:
- “Clarisse” stems from the Latin term “clarus”, meaning “clear”.
o Clarisse states exactly what is on her mind.
o
“…[My Uncle] drove forty miles an hour and they jailed him for two
days. Isn't that funny, and sad, too?”
”You think too many things,” said Montag, uneasily. (9)
Captain Beatty:
- The terms “beat” and “beaten” are simple derivatives of his name.
o Beatty essentially torments Montag from the very day Montag begins questioning the actions of firemen.
o Beatty’s knowledge of history leads the reader to conclude that he had read books before, and possibly had shared a mindset similar to Montag. Such a mindset may have been “beaten” out of him by his superiors.
o “…burnt alive at Oxford, for heresy, on October 16, 1555… I’m full of bits and pieces… most fire captains have to be. Sometimes I surprise myself.” (40)
Faber:
- Another subconscious reference, this time of the pencil manufacturer. (Faber-Castell)
o Guy acts as a drone, on which Faber begins to leave his mark.
o "Faber" is also Latin for "Craftsman", which aptly describes Faber's tinkering with radios.
Granger:
- “Grange” is a term for a farm, a form of harmony with nature.
