Exposition: The setting of the novel is in a dystopian society where firemen burn books instead of putting out fires. Montag is a fireman who meets his new neighbor Clarisse McClellan. Clarisse is a 17-year-old girl who becomes the catalyst of Montag's self-awareness. She asks Montag if he is happy with his life. Montag begins to think and evaluates his life.
Conflict: During a routine call, Montag witnesses a woman commit suicide by lighting a match and burning to death with her books. He instinctually takes a book from her house. It is illegal to own books and Montag hides the book under his pillow.
Rising Action: Captain Beatty suspects Montag has stolen a book and lectures him on the necessity of destroying books. Beatty is knowledgeable regarding literature despite the society's censorship rules. He gives Montag 24 hours to look through the book to prove literature is void of meaning. He contacts a former English professor, Faber, in hopes of understanding literature.
Climax: Montag reads the poem "Dover Beach" to his wife and her friends. The poem makes Mrs. Phelps cry, and the ladies storm out of his house. Montag's wife, Mildred, calls the fire chief to report that her husband is hiding books.
Falling Action: When Montag is told to burn his books, he sprays the flamethrower at Beatty and kills him. Montag goes on the run and flees the city. He travels down the river and follows the railroad tracks until he meets a group of "hobo" intellectuals.
Resolution: The group of intellectuals teaches Montag how to recite books from memory in hopes of one-day reproducing written works. Jets fly overhead and drop a nuclear bomb on the city. Montag begins to walk towards society to eventually rebuild a literate civilization.
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