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.
From the beginning of the book, Fahrenheit 451, I could tell that Montag and Mildred do not have a normal marriage. Mildred seemed very different from Montag, from the moment she first spoke in the book. Mildred is so invested in her TV parlor families that it seems like she doesn't care for Montag that much at all. "How long you figure before we save up and get the fourth wall torn out and a fourth wall-TV put in? It's only two thousand dollars." (pg. 20) Mildred doesn't care that it's one-third of Montag's yearly pay. I think Mildred cares more about the TV walls than she does Montag himself. The TV walls have digital people in them, that you can interact with, almost as if they were in your house. Mildred considers them her family. "Well, wasn't there a wall between him and Mildred, when you came down to it? Literally not just one wall but, so far, three! And expensive, too! And the uncles, the aunts, the cousins, the nieces, the nephews, that lived in those walls, the gibbering pack of tree apes that said nothing, nothing, nothing, and said it loud, loud, loud." (pg. 44) It is obvious that Montag does not care for the TV walls. I think that Mildred likes the TVs because it gives her a chance to escape and something to focus on. Mildred acts like she has mental problems, and I think that's why she's so addicted to the TVs.
I also think that they do not have a typical martial relationship because neither of them remember where they met (not including Montag's realization at the end of the book). You marry someone because you're in love with them, and I think it's odd to not remember where you meet the love of your life. Not only do they not remember, but Mildred says "it doesn't matter." (pg. 43)
When Montag starts to feel guilty about burning books, and how he had to burn down the womans house with her in it, Mildred did not hold the same concern. Mildred says, "she's nothing to me; she shouldn't have had books. It was her responsibility, she should've thought of that. I hate her. She's got you going and next thing you know, we'll be out, no house, no job, nothing. " (pg. 51) And when Montag tries to explain the importance of the books, Mildred doesn't understand. I think they don't fit well together as a couple.
Towards the end of the book, it's clear that they don't care about each other. When Montag is talking to Granger, he says "it's strange, I don't miss her, it's strange I don't feel much of anything. Even if she dies, I realized a moment ago, I don't think I'll feel sad." (pg. 155) And I think Mildred feels the same way about Montag, because she reported him for having books in the house, even though it's her own house and her husband. "'Was it my wife turned in the alarm?' Beatty nodded." (pg. 117)
Guy and Mildred Montag did not have a typical marital relationship. Their relationship is very strange, even for their culture.
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