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  • Essay / Loneliness and solitude in the works of Guy Montag and Leonard Mead

    Loneliness and solitude. Two words that sound similar but are very different. Loneliness is when someone feels comfortable being alone, while loneliness wants company but is unable to. When we look at the case of Guy Montag and Leonard Mead, both are considered abnormal because they have a different opinion on the value of life compared to the majority of their society. They believe that there is much more to life than televisions and radios as entertainment 24/7. This type of mentality not only isolated them from their people but also put their lives in danger. In Fahrenheit 451 and The Pedestrian, the two main characters, although amicable, experience the feeling of being excluded because their society is too invested in all the new and glorious technologies while they are curious about what the world has to offer them; therefore, Montag and Mead share the mutual feeling of loneliness. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay. First of all, Montag begins the story feeling fulfilled; praising his work and loving his daily routine. He has no problem with the way his life is going – he has no problem at all. It's only when he meets Clarisse that he finds himself questioning all kinds of things. From the "love" between him and his wife to the burning of books, Montag needs to find out why things are the way they are. During this journey, Montag repeatedly finds himself lost without answers. One such moment can be distinguished when he asks Mildred, his wife, if she can remember how they had originally met. With bland responses of "I don't know" and "It doesn't matter" (P40), Montag comes to the frightening thought that perhaps their love was never real. Very quickly, his fall begins. Due to his sudden passion for books, he loses his wife who betrays him, his captain as Beatty becomes his adversary and his status by transforming into a criminal in the eyes of the law. Overall, Montag finds himself at the point where the books hypnotize him so much that he loses sight of who he is, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. Secondly, for Mr. Leonard Mead it was also different, strictly speaking. He sometimes takes walks at night without a visible soul in the streets. This is quite infuriating since the city he lives in has around three million inhabitants. Not seeing even a single soul really shows readers how attached the people of his society are to their newly developed technology. This observation proves true when, according to Mead, all the houses except his own have their lights turned off. The only lights present in dimly lit homes are those radiating from their television screens. As he continues his evening walk, a police officer stops him to ask him some questions about his personal life. One particular question stands out above the rest: “Are you married, Mr. Mead?” (Paragraph 17). At first glance this may seem like a simple question, but when you take into account the world he lives in, it makes sense to interpret marriage as a means of perpetuating the human race rather than a relationship filled with affection and communication. In short, Leonard is apparently the only one in his society who recognizes the lack of human interaction; something that sets it apart from the rest.Keep in mind: This is just a sample.Get a custom paper now from our expert writers.Get a custom essayA aspect.