Fahrenheit 451 entry #1

The story opens up on a man named Guy Montag. Guy lives in a bleak and grim futuristic United States and works as a fireman. In this future instead of putting out fires, the firemen start fires. They burn any and all printed books that they can find, and then they proceed to burn down the houses that the books were found in. Guy wears a helmet with the number 451 placed on the side. 451 is the temperature in Fahrenheit at which paper will burn. The story begins with Guy Montag burning down a house and finding a “special pleasure” in doing so. What “special pleasure” is there to find in burning down another person’s home?  Why must they burn down these homes that they find the books in? Why does this futuristic America, no less, want all printed books and the houses they are found in burned down and destroyed? Is America now beginning to start to reach this point of censorship, with people being much more easily offended by what other people have to say? How are there still books to burn at this point in the story? On his way home Guy encounters a curious girl, which he later makes the discovery that she is his new neighbor. She introduces herself as Clarisse McClellan, in their first conversation she explains that she is “seventeen and crazy.” Guy fills the initial conversation that he has with Clarisse with nervous laughter, due to how uneasy she makes him. She jumps back and forth between subjects and speaks of things like reading and being a pedestrian and such that are against the law and Guy knows this. Their conversation comes to an end and the reader is then introduced to Guy’s wife, Mildred. Why do you think Guy is so interested in Clarisse and why is she so different from everyone else in the future? 

Creon: “My mind is made ‘twas I imprisoned her, and I will set her free. Now I believe it is by the laws of heaven that man must live.” (156)
Why is Creon able to make this fast of a switch with his own decree. He spent all this time believing that he was in the right and that his will was the will of the gods and that he was chosen by them. And now he finally understands that he was in the wrong and believes that he can fix everything just like that? What does this say about his ability to lead?

Antigone: "Is he not my brother, and yours, whether you like it or not? I shall never desert him, never."
Ismene: "How could you dare, when Creon has expressly forbidden it?" (128)

This quote shows the true colors of both of these characters, Antigone would rather defy Creon and his laws to honor her brother, while Ismene would rather take the more cautious approach of obeying the law that Creon has decreed. My question is why is Antigone so ready to break the law in order to honor their brother while Ismene is hesitant and unwilling to do so?