Suicide in F451

In Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451, there are two mentions of a suicide and a near-suicide involving two entirely different characters. One character is conformed by society and one refuses to conform to society. It’s interesting why two people who are so different from each other would want to take their own life. Suicide is believed to happen so frequently in Montag's society because the people are controlled by the government. The people do not live their own life but a life of meaningless media.

In the beginning, Mildred almost dies by taking too many sleeping pills. Montag has to call medical technicians to come change her blood. The worker is almost bored when he says, “We get these cases nine or ten a night” (15). When Montag confronts Mildred the next morning, Mildred denies that she would do such a thing and is excited to have a part in a play with the “family.” She is obsessed with the “family” and driving fast in her car. Mildred may drive fast to feel like she is alive as opposed to feeling zombie-like when she is with the “family” at all hours of the day, every day.

In contrast to Mildred, one woman loves her books so much that she is willing to die for them. The fireman get a call that a woman is harboring illegal books in her house and rush off to burn them. When ready to burn the house the woman will not leave. Montag does not want to leave her but Beatty says, “These fanatics always try suicide; the pattern’s familiar” (39). Without warning she strikes her own match and lights the books and herself on fire. She would rather take her own life and die with the books that make her happy than to be miserable by the way society has become.

Suicides may be frequent in Montag's society due to a lack of creativity and knowledge. What would cause Mildred to try and take her own life? Does her life really satisfy her?