I found Montag’s relationship with Millie to be pretty interesting. He knows his wife is pretty much a slave to the television, and admits he does not love her, but he shows his books to her (risking his job and his freedom) and tries to make her read them. I also think that it is strange that he felt it was important to remember when they first met although he does not love her.
Montag knows that Millie is mostly empty inside, and knows he does not love her (Bradbury 44). He gets so upset at the realization that he would not cry if she died that he starts crying (Bradbury 44). I think the reason this upsets him is that he very much wants to love Millie. He wants to feel some deep and important emotion for his wife. I think that he shows her the books and has her read them with him for the same reason. He wants to fill the emptiness in her and help her to start thinking about things so he can love her. It really is not possible to love someone without a self, and Montag hopes that giving her things to think about will help her find herself.
When I was reading the book, I started wondering why Montag felt it was so important to remember where he and Millie met. After I wrote that last paragraph, I think I have a better idea of why. People always remember the important things in their lives. The fact that Montag cannot remember meeting Millie is a sort of subconscious admission that Millie is not important to him. Montag very much wants Millie to be important to him, so he feels that it is very important for him to remember when they met. Also, is it not something like a slap in the face when Millie says remembering when they met is not important (Bradbury 43)? I think it is.
Bradbury, Ray. Fahrenheit 451. New York: Ballantine, 1996. Print.
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