Guy Montag is a fireman who burns books in a futuristic American city. In Montag's world, firemen start fires rather than putting them out. The people in this society do not read books, enjoy nature, spend time by themselves, think independently, or have meaningful conversations. Instead, they drive very fast, watch excessive amounts of television on wall-size sets, and listen to the radio on "Seashell Radio" sets attached to their ears. Montag encounters a gentle …showed first 75 words of 1426 total…

…showed last 75 words of 1426 total…of the human spirit. He is committed to preserving literature through the current Dark Age. A beautiful seventeen-year-old who is introduced as Clarisse McClellan enlightens Montag to the world's potential for beauty and meaning with her gentle innocence and curiosity. She is an outcast from society because of her odd habits, which include hiking, playing with flowers, and asking questions, but she and her equally odd family seem genuinely happy with themselves and each other.