Thursday, August 14, 2008

What does Montag ask Mildred? What was Mildred's attitude? What is Montag's reaction?

When Montag returns home from work after an eventual, psychologically challenging day, in which he witnessed a woman commit suicide, he stumbles to bed and lays there in silence. As he lays in bed, he faces Mildred, who is zoned out, listening to her Seashell headset on full blast. He begins to view her as a stranger and asks her if she can remember the first time they met, when and where. Mildred says she can't remember, and laughs it off. She says, "Funny, how funny, not to remember where or when you met your husband or wife." (Bradbury 40) Mildred dismisses Montag's question and casually walks to the bathroom to take more sleeping pills. Montag feels a myriad of emotions when confronted with the reality that he can't remember where and when he met his wife. At first, he panics because he can't remember, and then, Montag begins to feel numb to the idea that he has no feelings toward Mildred. Montag contemplates his relationship and begins to feel confused because he doesn't know how he became so empty. Amidst Montag's confusion, he becomes angry at the situation and yells at Mildred. Mildred, the entire time, is detached and oblivious to Montag's thoughts and feelings. 

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