At various time in the novel, Ray Bradbury presents Montag questioning himself and this rebellion he has started with himself and society. This revelation of a conflict between man and himself begins with the neighborhood girl, Clarisse. During their first meeting, she questions Montag's line of work and reveals to Montag the history of the fireman and how it evolved. After further questioning, Bradbury acknowledges that Montag begins to doubt the information he already knows. Bradbury states, "He suddenly couldn't remember if he had known this or not, and it made him quite irritable" (10). Montag begins to search for his personal identity after Clarisse leaves him with the question of whether he is truly happy.
The reader sees this ambiguity throughout the novel. However, the most apparent is the conversation between Montag and Faber through the "bullet." Montag states his confusion to Faber by saying, "I'm not thinking. I'm just doing like I'm told, like always. You said get the money and I got it. I didn't really think of it myself. When do I start working things out on my own?" (92). Montag's uncertainty causes the reader to question his beliefs and later leads to ambivalence.
Montag's fluctuation in his beliefs is obvious in the scene in which he arrives to burn his own home. The impulsive decision to burn the books, which he risked his life to hide, is yet another example of Montag questioning what holds true.
Through Bradbury's revelation of this inner struggle, the reader can further question Montag's reaction if faced with adversity in the future.
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