Fahrenheit 451: Alternate Plot

Chapter 4

When Montag woke up the next morning, he could hear the sounds of the parlor walls. He knew he should talk to Mildred about the previous night, but he was afraid. He knew he would not want to hear her answer. He did not want to be right with his assumption. But Jesus God, how much longer could he go around playing games, avoiding the important things?

He walked into the parlor and turned the television off.

"Mildred, we've got to talk about what happened last night."

"I don't know what you're talking about. Was there a party? Did something get broken? Please don't take too long. A new show is airing soon."

"Millie, don't play dumb. God. I should have known. You aren't so ignorant after all. Why did you do it Millie? Why all these times? This had to be what, the 7th? Surely you can't accidentally almost commit suicide seven times. Stop pretending and just tell me the truth."

Mildred looked different. For the first time, she seemed like a living, breathing human being.

"You want the truth, Montag? Fine. The truth is that I want to die. I've been trying for so long, and all you do is save me. Do you think I really enjoy sitting in a house, watching televisions all day? I don't give a damn about any of this! All of this is nothing to me. There is no point of life. But I've pushed this to the back of my mind and kept quiet. Played the role of the wife who stays at home all day, using all of her husband's money to buy more screens. We don't even love each other! We don't remember anything. When's our anniversary, Montag? Do you know? Because I sure don't."

How could Montag have never seen this? How could he be so ignorant? It was all his fault- everything.

"Why haven't you ever said anything about this, Millie? Just do something. We can't sit here and pretend everything's okay. We need to change something. I'm sick of this. The world is a mess. I'm a mess. God. I'm just as guilty as you are. I'm a fireman. I burn books. Books aren't evil, Mildred. Did you know that?"

"Don't you know this is more than just about books? The books mean nothing! Books will change nothing. We're stuck, Montag. We're done for. There's no fixing this. The world is on fire, and soon, nothing will be left but our ashes."

Montag was astonished. His whole life was a lie. His wife, his Millie, she knew. He felt horrible. God, she had wanted to die. She tried to so many times, but he kept her from it. Was he wrong for that? Was he wrong for keeping her in this misery? Maybe he was the one who should die. It would solve so many problems. He had to get away. Too much was going on. He needed to talk to someone. Someone who would understand. Someone who would know what to do... Clarisse.

He left his house and walked to Clarisse's. He could hear the chatter from inside. Before he got a chance to knock on the door, Clarisse opened it.

"How'd you know I was here?"

She knew everything.

"Just a hunch."

She did not invite him inside. She never did.

"The beetle is available, if you'd liketo go for a ride somewhere."

They got in the car and sat in silence. Montag did not pay attention to how fast they were going, but he knew she was not driving at her typical leisurely pace. He knew she could sense he was not his normal self.

They pulled up at the beach an hour or so later. Clarisse always talked about its beauty at night, but during the day time it was so much different. Calming. Or maybe that was just Clarisse...

"So Montag, why are we here?"

"You're the one who brought us here. You should know."

"Well yes, but you are the one who is upset. I don't know why, but I know you are. Did something happen with Mildred?"

Clarisse always knew what was going on with Montag. She knew everything.

"Millie wants to die. She knows everything. I don't think she cares about books, but she realizes the world is a mess. She has no hope. According to her, everything is going to be destroyed. Nothing is going to be left. She doesn't want to try to change. She knows she's going to die anyway. Why not at least try to help? God. Everything is a mess."

Clarisse sat for a few minutes, trying to plan out a response. That was another difference between Clarisse and the rest of the society- she thought about her decisions, her words.

"I honestly do not know what to tell you, Montag. Mildred is your wife. You do not love her. Not in the way you should. You would not die for her, take a bullet for her. You would not do anything for her, would you? Would you be sad if she was gone? Try to pretend you are Mildred. You have no job. Your only options for entertainment are to watch the walls or drive fast or run over someone. Wouldn't you want to die if you were her? I don't blame her for not wanting to do something to try to change, for wanting to die. The way she looks at it, it's okay if she does and it is her own choice. If she kills herself, she is still in power. But if she rebels and gets caught and is then killed for it, she has lost control. Her life was taken from her. She is powerless in that situation."