In the opening scene of Fahrenheit 451, we are introduced to Montag as he carries out his duties as a fireman. This scene provides an essential introduction to Montag's world, a dark and brutal place in which books are banned and burned by the firemen. Bradbury uses words like "blackened," "venomous" and "charcoal" to support this idea and to evoke an image in the reader's mind of a dark and dystopian society.
In addition, the opening is significant because it provides an example of situational irony. Through this description of Montag, for instance, we expect that the story will develop along the same lines: that Montag will continue to find "pleasure" in burning and will continue to wear the "fiery smile" of all firemen. Ironically, however, Fahrenheit 451 tells the story of Montag's transformation from contented fireman to free-thinker.
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