Fahrenheit 451 (1966)

Oskar Werner: Guy Montag

Photos 

Quotes 

• Guy Montag : To learn how to find, one must first learn how to hide.

• Guy Montag : [holding a book in his hand]  Behind each of these books, there's a man. That's what interests me.

• Guy Montag : Well, it's a job just like any other. Good work with lots of variety. Monday, we burn Miller; Tuesday, Tolstoy; Wednesday, Walt Whitman; Friday, Faulkner; and Saturday and Sunday, Schopenhauer and Sartre. We burn them to ashes and then burn the ashes. That's our official motto.

• Guy Montag : [reading from David Copperfield]  David Copperfield. Chapter one. I am born. Whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life, or whether that station will be held by anybody else, these pages must show. To begin my life with the beginning of my life, I record that I was born, as I have been informed and believe on a Friday, at twelve o'clock at night. It was remarked that the clock began to strike, and I began to cry simultaneously.

• Guy Montag : Do you remember what you asked me the other day: if I ever read the books I burn? Remember?

  Clarisse : Uh-huh.

  Guy Montag : Last night I read one.

• Guy Montag : Fahrenheit four-five-one is the temperature at which book paper catches fire and starts to burn.

• Clarisse : You don't like books, then.

  Guy Montag : Do you like the rain?

  Clarisse : Yes, I adore it.

• The Captain : By the way, what does Montag do on his day off duty?

  Guy Montag : Not much, sir, just mow the lawn.

  The Captain : And what if the law forbids that?

  Guy Montag : Just watch it grow, sir.

• Clarisse : But why do you burn books?

  Guy Montag : Books make people unhappy, they make them anti-social.

  Clarisse : Do you think I'm anti-social?

  Guy Montag : Why do you ask?

  Clarisse : Well... I'm a teacher, not quite actually, I'm still on probation. I was called to the administration office today, and I don't think I said the right things. I'm not at all happy about my answers.

• Clarisse : Is it true that a long time ago, firemen used to put out fires and not burn books?

  Guy Montag : Your uncle is right, you are light in the head, put out fires? Houses have always been fireproof.

  Clarisse : Ours isn't...

  Guy Montag : Well, it should be condemned, destroyed, and you'll have to move to one that is.

• Guy Montag : [trying to figure out why Clarisse was fired]  You must've said something that...

  Clarisse : Oh I never got along well with the staff, they disapprove of me... I... don't always stick to the times tables... well we have fun in my class, and they don't like that.

• Linda Montag : Did you see that? Cousin Claudette's got a bouffant tonight.

  Guy Montag : Who?

  Linda Montag : Cousin Claudette.

  Guy Montag : Who is cousin Claudette?

  Linda Montag : The cousin announcer; the one you don't like.

  Guy Montag : I don't like any of them.

• Guy Montag : Look at that fellow over there.

  Clarisse : What's he doing?

  Guy Montag : That's the information box. He can't make up his mind.

  Clarisse : What does he want to find out?

  Guy Montag : He doesn't want to find out anything. He knows someone who has books, so he got hold of the person's picture and number and is going to drop it into that box.

  Clarisse : But he's an informer!

  Guy Montag : No, he's an informant.

• Linda Montag : They won't come back. I'll be all alone. I won't be popular anymore. They won't use me in the family anymore. And you made Doris cry!

  Guy Montag : She cried because it is true!

  Linda Montag : What are you going to do now? Haven't you done enough harm already?

  Guy Montag : Leave me alone, Linda, I've got reading to do, quite a lot.

  Linda Montag : What's the matter with you? Aren't you well?

  Guy Montag : It's nothing. I've got to read! I've got to catch up with the remembrance of the past!

• Guy Montag : [reading from dictionary]  Rhinoceros: any of certain large, powerful, thick-skinned perissodactyl mammals of the family Rhinocerotidae.

• Guy Montag : [to Linda]  You've spent your whole life in front of that family wall. These books are my family.

• Guy Montag : Tell me, this uncle of yours, did he ever tell you not to talk to strangers?

  Clarisse : No, he did say once if anyone asked how old I was to say I was 20 and light in the head. They always seem to go together.

  Guy Montag : Light in the head?

  Clarisse : Mm-hmm, loopy, crazy.

• Guy Montag : [reading]  Once upon a time there was a woodcutter named...

  Book Lady : They can't have my books, they'll never take them away.

• Clarisse : Why?

  Guy Montag : What?

  Clarisse : How did it come about? How did it begin? How could someone like you be doing this work? I know everyone says that but you - you're not like them. When I say something to you, you look at me. Why did you choose this job? With you it doesn't make any sense.

• Guy Montag : [discovers her disposing of his books]  What are you doing, Linda!

  Linda Montag : I found these things in the house. I don't want these things, Montag. They frighten me.

  Guy Montag : You spend your whole life in front of that family on the wall! These books are my family.

• Linda Montag : You know, you're not well. You were tossing and turning all night! You kept me awake. You ought to stay at home.

  Guy Montag : No, no, I'm going to the firehouse. I must, because I don't know if I'm going there tomorrow or any other day.

  Linda Montag : But... what about your promotion?

  Guy Montag : My promotion? That was before.

  Linda Montag : Montag, look. Last night you were talking in your sleep. I don't know what, I didn't understand. And I don't understand. What's making you like this? What's going on in your head? I don't know and I don't want to know. But one thing I do know: I want you to get rid of those books!. Take them away, Montag, please!

  Guy Montag : I will, I promise.

  Linda Montag : I'll do it myself if you like.

  Guy Montag : No, no, I'll do it. After I've read them.

• Guy Montag : When an old woman, cousins, chose to be burned with her books rather than be separated from them...

  Helen : [nonchalantly]  If that's a joke, you know, it's not in very good taste.

  Guy Montag : You would like to think that, wouldn't you?

  Helen : Don't be silly, Montag. Things like that dont happen.

  Guy Montag : You mean you don't want to hear about it. I saw it!

  Helen : Well, my husband says...

  Guy Montag : [disgusted]  Oh, your husband! You don't even know where he is, your husband!

  Linda Montag : Montag!

  Helen : Of course, I know he's been called on reserve for some field training.

  Guy Montag : Or to fight a little war perhaps? You never know, do you?

• Clarisse : Tell me, why do you burn books?

  Guy Montag : What? Well, it's a job like any other. Good work with lots of variety. Monday we burn Miller. Tuesday Tolstoy. Wednesday Walt Whitman. Friday Faulkner. And Saturday and Sunday, Schopenhauer and Sartre. "We burn them to ashes, and then we burn the ashes"! That's our official motto.

  Clarisse : You don't like books, then?

  Guy Montag : You like the rain?

  Clarisse : Yes, I adore it!

  Guy Montag : Books are just too much rubbish. They have no interest.

  Clarisse : Then why do some people still read them although it's so dangerous?

  Guy Montag : Precisely because it is forbidden.

  Clarisse : Why is it forbidden?

  Guy Montag : Because it makes people unhappy.

  Clarisse : Do you really believe that?

• Clarisse : One more question.

  Guy Montag : Another one?

  Clarisse : Just a little tiny one.

  Guy Montag : What is it?

  Clarisse : Do you ever read the books you burn?

  Guy Montag : Why should I? First, I'm not interested. Second, I have better things to do. And third, it is forbidden!

  Clarisse : Of course. You happy?

  [she scampers off without waiting for his reply] 

  Guy Montag : [bemused]  'Course I'm happy.

• Guy Montag : [inspecting her prescription drug]  Linda, how many of these pills have you taken today?

  Linda Montag : What's that? Oh, those! Help yourself, I've got another bottle full.

  Guy Montag : [concerned]  How many have you had?

  Linda Montag : Oh, don't carry on like that, Montag. Only a few.

• Guy Montag : Behind each of these books there's a man! That's what interests me, so leave them alone and go back to bed.

  Linda Montag : I can't sleep.

  Guy Montag : You have your pills haven't you?

• Guy Montag : [stunned]  This is my house!

  The Captain : [blandly]  That's right.

• Clarisse : I wanted to tell you: our meeting in the monorail was no accident. I noticed you and I followed you. I thought you could help us.

  Guy Montag : I knew it when that old woman killed herself. I realized there was a connection between you.

  Clarisse : Yes, she was afraid she'd talk and give us away.

  Guy Montag : Yes, and I... this morning what do I do? I get into a little bit of trouble and faint like a silly little girl. I can't be a fireman anymore.

• Guy Montag : Excuse me, do you know the girl who lives here with her uncle? Clarisse?

  Clarisse's Neighbor : [zombie-like]  They came for them.

  Guy Montag : Who?

  Clarisse's Neighbor : To take them away.

  Guy Montag : [struggling to comprehend]  The police? Not the police? The firemen?

  Clarisse's Neighbor : They came to take them away. They do that now, don't they?

  Guy Montag : Only to question them. They let them come back.

  Clarisse's Neighbor : [pointing out the neighboring roof antennas]  You can't tell, can you? They weren't like us; they were special. You see over there? And there. And there too. Do you see? Now look at their house: there's nothing.

• Helen : I never knew anyone got killed in a... not anyone whose husband died like that. Getting run over, jumping out of a window, yes. Like Gloria's husband a few nights ago. But never that other way. Anyway, that's life, isn't it?

  Guy Montag : That's what you call it. You're nothing but zombies, all of you! Just like those husbands of yours you dont even know anymore. You're not living, you're just killing time!

• Guy Montag : Gold, number 8!

  Poisoning Desk : Right, an Ambulance is on the way.

  Guy Montag : What do I do in the meantime?

  Poisoning Desk : Nothing.