13. Discuss Montag's relationship with Mildred. Is this a typical marital relationship in their culture? Discuss the role of family in the characters' lives, particularly in relation to the TV parlor "families" and their nature and function. Explain using specific examples from the text in your argument.
Mildred and Montag have been married for 10 years and their relationship is just like everyone elses in the town. Being married doesn't mean much but a roomate to live with. When Guy Montag gets home from his long day at the Fire Staion, he just climbs into bed without even waking his wife who is listening to the parlor or to music through a headpeace the whole night anyway. "He listened. The little mosquito-delicate dancing hum in the air, the electrical murmur of a hidden wasp snug in its special pink warm nest. The music was almost loud enough so he could follow the tune." They don't talk about important things and the couple isn't even positive about how they met. Relationships in their culture is less romantic as it is in ours. They don't focus on eachother and Montag, according to Clarisse McClellan isn't even in love with Millie. When Clarisse and Montag first meet, she asks him if he is in general happy. "'Are you happy?' she said. 'Am I what?' But she was gone-running in the moonlight. Her front door shut gently." "Happy! Of all the nonsense.' He stopped laughing."..."Of course I'm happy. What does she think? I'm not? he asked the quiet rooms" Not actually thinking about it Montag responds and says that he is, but with later thought he realizes that he isn't and there's a lot more to life then he knows. "He was not happy. He was not happy. He said the words to himself. He recognized this as the true state of affairs. He wore his happiness like a mask and the firl had run off across the lawn with the mask and there was no way of going to knock on her door and ask for it back." Montag does love Millie but is also searching for something more because he doesn't feel happy and after buring the woman and her books hes more lost and confused than ever. The books keep Montag thinking and curious about what they were and what was so important. He wondered why someone would give up their life for a book. Millie didn't understand this and she was so brainwashed by society that she thought it was wrong to even think about books. Millie, like all her girl riends sit at home in a room surrounded by three "walls" or televisions. The show is interactive and they have a small role in the show. Millie does not know much outside of this room. "It's only tow thousand dollars,' she replied. 'And I should think you'd concider me sometimes. If we had a fourth wall, why it'd be just like this room wasn't ours at all, but all kinds of exotic people's rooms. We could do without a few things." She is very concerned will surrounding herself with this different life, watching shows instead of living her own life.
Montag and his wife's relationship seems distant but at the same time they do care for eachother I think they have just lost ways to show it but as Guy Montag is away from Millie he starts to realize and face his feelings. "'My wife's back there." "I'm sorry to hear that. The cities won't do well in the next few days." said Granger. "It's strange, I don't miss her, it's strange I don't feel much of anything." said Montag." Even while the war destroyed the city he didn't feel anything for Millie or even miss being with her. But it does get Montag does begin to remember more about how they met and fell "in love". "I remember. Montag clung to the earth. I remember. Chicafo. CHicago a long time ago. Millie and I. That's where we met! I remember now. Chicago. A long time ago." I think this was a very large turning point for Montag because he realizes and remembers important parts in his life that he has forgotten because of his boring routine and the way the government has essencially brain washed people into staying home and having small talk. Not talking about anyting important because all topics are feared. I think this is why the culture that Millie and Montag live in don't have the same type of relationships as we do.
