Earth Mother
With the support of sun and water, plants grow. Similarly, with the support of Clarisse, Montag has the strength to fight. Clarisse wasn’t always there for Montag, but spiritually, she was there for him. Clarisse was different from everyone. Her nature made her an “Earth Mother” as she provided emotional and spiritual support to Montag. In Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury used Clarisse’s influence toward Montag to show the importance of motivation in someone’s life. Clarisse was different from everyone Montag had met. She questioned everything. For example, she queried, “Are you happy?” Her nature had a positive impact on Montag as it influenced him to question his surroundings. He wondered what was in the book; he started to think
The first time Montag and Clarisse meet, Clarisse shows that she is very curious by questioning everything. Many of these questions insult Montag or make him angry. Some make him wonder and question things that he has always known. In the very first conversation Montag and Clarisse have, Clarisse asks “'Are you happy?'she said.” (Bradbury 10). At first, Montag thinks this is a stupid question. Then after he goes home and ponders this question, he realizes that he isn't happy at all. Clarisse also tells Montag of a time when
Montag grew closer to Clarisse each time they talked, and he enjoyed that. So this shows that Montag, when he talks to Clarisse, gets to be himself and become independent and has to think for himself instead of everyone else thinking for him.
Clarisse’s talking is significant to the outcome of the story. Her talking caused Montag to start reading books. This triggered the climax of the whole book. Her challenging Montag and his society’s thinking lead him to change his view upon literature. Even though Clarisse remained a static character, she influenced Montag to open his eyes and see what really is going on in his society. This insight is significant because it makes a connection to our society. Clarisse had certain characteristics that we have today. Since she was regarded as crazy, these characteristics of hers show how our society is different from their dystopian one.
Clarisse is one of the characters who influenced Montag by showing her own world. Clarisse remind Montag the fireman’s real job. Clarisse said ‘”strange. I heard once that a long time ago houses used to burn by accident and they needed firemen to stop the flames”’ (pg 8). Clarisse is the one of character who read a book in conflict read society. She confused Montag on
These quotes illustrate that, even after one meeting, Clarisse has become essential to the rest of the events of the book, and almost makes us question if she knows what will happen in the future and is anticipating it, like a watcher of a marionette doll, with Montag as the marionette. These quotes make it clear that she will have a large and lasting impact on him and the coming events of the book. Plus, we are just going to have to find out as clarisse maybe anticipating each and every next move of the people before it even happens.
Clarisse helps Montag look around him and see everything, from the smallest snowflake to the biggest tree. Montag never really thinks about what is happening in his life, or why it seems he never shows much emotion towards anything. Clarisse teaches Montag to look around and to pay attention to what is really important in life, just not what his society tells him. Even though I believe Clarisse was the reason for Montag’s major metamorphosis, I believe that there were two additional individuals that had a role to play in Montag’s expedition to find answers to fill the void in his life.
“The psychiatrist wants to know why I go out and hike around in the forests and watch the birds and collect butterflies” (Bradbury, 23). This quotation shows that Clarisse is considered different in this society, and she must see a psychiatrist because she admires nature. Clarisse influences Montag by admiring nature, because Montag is now starting to realize the beauty of nature, and beginning to develop his own opinion. Clarisse strongly influenced Montag after her death.
“You must understand that our civilization is so vast that we can’t have minorities upset and stirred. Ask yourself, What do we want in this country, above all? People want to be happy, isn’t that right? Haven’t you heard it all your life?” ~ Ray Bradbury Fahrenheit 451.
Clarisse helps Montag start caring for others because he sees that she cares for him. According to page 72, Montag stated, “ ‘But Clarisse’s favorite subject wasn't herself. It was everyone else, and me. She was the first person I can remember who looked straight at me as if I counted. These men have been dead a long time, but I know their words point, one way or another, to Clarisse.’”
Clarisse mentioned that her uncle drove slow on the highway so that he could see the things around him and he got arrested. Montag was confronting her and saying that she thought too much. From the text it says, “He drove forty miles an hour and they jailed him for two days. Isn’t that funny, and sad, too?’ “You think too many things,” said Montag, uneasily.” (Bradbury 6). Montag believes that Clarisse is very observant. He sees that she stands out from everyone else. While he follows the rules of society and does not stand out at all especially since he is a firemen. Clarisse is forced to see a psychiatrist and she makes up lies to say. She collects butterflies and hikes in the forest. She observes the forest and stands out from the rest of society. It explains in the novel, “They want to know what I do with all my time. I tell them that sometimes I just sit and think. But I won’t tell them what. I’ve got them running.” (Bradbury 20). She explains how she does not fit in with society. Montag realizes that she does not want to be like everyone else. She is peculiar compared to others and society sees this as a problem. While Montag begins to understand the true meaning of life, he realizes that the life he is living now is not the life he wants to live. The
Clarisse changes the way Montag thinks and makes him see society differently. The technique used in this quote is the repetition of the word happy. By emphasizing the word happy, it shows how big of a deal this is to Montag to realize that this is missing from his life, Clarisse influences Montag for the greater good by ideas like this.. This really shows how Montag begins to think and speak more like Clarisse by questioning society rather than going along with everything everyone tells him, she really is beginning to change
Montag changes in many ways throughout the novel, making him a very dynamic character. At the beginning of the novel Montag loves what he does and thinks he is happy. When he meets Clarisse she ignites the spark in Montag. “’Are you happy?’ she said. ‘Am I what?’ he cried” (10). He then begins to dwell on whether or not he is happy and then he acts upon that decision to find out why. With the prompting of Clarisse by the middle of the story Montag was beginning to learn how to think for himself. However, he makes some very good decisions and some bad. Instead of burning his problems away like he used to do, he now works through them and learns from his mistakes. He begins coming up with plans to correct society and sabotage the profession of
Clarisse’s influence affected the way Montag was. His way of thinking and doing completely changed. Montag said he saw himself in Clarisse. “He glanced back at the wall.
Motivation portrays a significant role in life as it can influence and have positive impacts to achieve goals. It is important to have a motivational figure in life who can inspire you to do your best. Likewise, Clarisse was a motivational figure that encouraged Montag to read. Clarisse is referred as Earth Mother because she provided spiritual and emotional support to Montag which inspires him, even though she was not always there for him. With the help of emotional support, one can overcome obstructions in
The community they are living in do not care for each other even family. Normal people consider ‘family’ as people who entertain them in a digital world. When Family genuinely means to be together and care for each other, but here everything has “faded”(61) and soon the love for each other gone. Montag now knows “something must be done!”(60). The author, Ray Bradbury emphasizes how Montag is now starting to now be more alert of the situation and what humanity has become, and he soon notices “a wall between him and Mildred.”(59). He identifies how dead Mildred is. Bradbury characterizes Mildred as being so lifeless and cold, regardless, of how he depicts Clarisse, “so dark and shining and alive”(12). How the author signifies the life in the eyes and giving Clarisse breath makes her unique. Furthermore, the setting Bradbury chose is dark, in contrast, Clarisse is “milk-white”(12), thus, Clarisse is the light and spark of the civilization and a mentor to Montag.