Some people have a closed mind and are unaware of what is going on around them. This is the case in the novel Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury, in which the thirty-year-old protagonist, Montag, is unaware of what is going on around him. With the help of three characters in particular, Montag begins to have an open mind, especially regarding his society in which firemen like him burn books, and the media takes over the minds of the people. The characters of Mildred, the Mechanical Hound, and Clarisse and their actions cause Montag to realize how unrealistic the society is, and how reading will help society focus on more important things other than being engrossed in television.

Mildred is a key example of the product of the unrealistic society. She is Montag's wife, and is considered to be a typical member of society. According to Edward E. Eller, "Mildred...