During the 1950’s, the number of homes with a television increased from 0.4% of homes to 83.2% of homes. This was accompanied with the increase of birth rates and much more. Ray Bradbury, author of Fahrenheit 451, wrote about these trends along others in his novel. Fahrenheit 451 revolves around a man, Guy Montag, who lives in a dystopian future where books have been banned and many social trends and issues exist. He based his book around societal trends that he predicted were going to become a problem in future society. Fahrenheit 451 accurately reflects many societal trends in modern-day society, such as the desire for instant gratification, the devaluation of human life, and the impact of technology on human relationships.
Clarisse tells Montag this, and it makes him wonder if anyone really does care. Montag realizes that he lives in a world of conceited people. He realizes that he does not really care about anyone, including his wife Mildred. People in his society don't think about others feelings when acting. From this, Montag learns the meaning of caring. He learns what a terrible place it is to live in, where no one cares about anyone but themselves. This only changes Montag for the better. At one point, Montag and the other firemen go to a house because a lady has books concealed in her home. The lady, not concerned about being burned to death, is determined to stay with her books. Montag is stunned by her decision, and cares very much about her safety. “Montag placed his hand on the woman's elbow. 'You can come with me'” (Bradbury 39) This is a turning point for Montag, in which he starts to care about everyone and their feelings.
Clarisse affected Montag by showing him how to be curious and adventurous and teaching Montag to try new things. Montag being a fireman doesn't know what he is doing for his society, by him burning books everyone's knowledge goes down. Clarisse is not for society, she is more free minded then Montag "'I rarely watch the 'parlor walls' or go to races or Fun Parks. So I've lots of time for crazy thoughts, I guess.'"(9). She is against watching the parlor and doing stuff society wants you to do. Montag will be affected by this and learn from this, he will later be against watching the parlor. Clarisse's attitude to life is good too, it seems like she is the light in a dark room. She also always has something interesting to say this makes Montag want to be around her "'Let me come in. I won't say anything. I just want to listen. What is it you're saying?'" (17)Montag wants hear what she has to say for there is always something interesting to be heard when she is talking.
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.
Everything in this life goes by fast. The society in everyday life and the one in Fahrenheit are becoming more similar as time goes by. The people we meet and talk to impact our lives in many different ways. In our society and in Fahrenheit 451, connections to others determine the way we live our lives affecting those who are still living after our death.
Knowledge is the driving force behind any society. Without knowledge, a society is bound to become corrupt and nonfunctioning. Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 tells the story of a firefighter named Montag. In this futuristic and utopian society, firefighters do not put out fires, they start them. The job of a firefighter is to find and burn books, which have been banned by the government. Montag goes along with the firefighter lifestyle until he meets a young girl named Clarisse. She causes him to start wondering about books, and Montag decides to grab one from a woman's house before it is burned down. Montag reads it and realizes how important books are to humanity. He knows that what firefighters are doing is wrong, and sets out to change it. Bradbury uses this story to portray a corrupt society that he believes will come of the real world, and some of his ideas have already come true.
Clarisse is a curious girl about her environment, how the earth has evolved, and the past. She rubs off on Montag, which could lead to a dramatic change in his life.
Montag sees the potential in books and can’t keep these rising feelings to himself. Just as the song describes, Montag was wearing a mask and posing to be something he’s not until Clarisse openes his eyes to a new world. The song later says,
Clarisse begins walking with Montag every day and he grows very fond of her insight and childlike playfulness. Clarisse reminds him of his childhood and renews his interest in life--the interest that he didn't realize he had lost. With Clarisse's comforting conversations, Montag realizes that "he wore his happiness like a mask" (26), and that he wasn't truly content with his life, as he had always believed. The first step of change is to acknowledge that something is wrong. Once Montag discovers that he is unhappy with his life, he gains the respect of the reader by taking a step towards changing his
Our society that we live in at this moment may be headed for destruction. In Ray Bradbury’s novel Fahrenheit 451, the characters live in a society that is truly awful, but the author shows us that our society could be headed down that path. However, in the story, the beliefs of the main character Guy Montag change drastically, from beginning the novel as an oblivious citizen to ending it by trying to change his society for the better. Guy lives in a society in which the government outlaws books because they cause people to ponder ideas and develop new ones. The stories stripped from their lives as if they had never existed, the citizens of this society blindly follow their government. Throughout the novel, the main character Guy Montag
Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451, is set in a dystopian society. The government’s main belief is happiness is the result of everyone being equal. The government believes that certain books should be forbidden because those books bring false, individual ideas, which make people unhappy. Guy Montag is just like every other fireman: he does not read the books, just burns them. Then one day, he meets Clarisse, a young girl, that challenges his viewpoint of life. After several conversations with her, he begins to question the government’s ideals. He starts stealing and reading the forbidden books, and he begins to understand the purpose of those books. Montag then meets up with an old friend, and they make plans to start a revolution by
Before meeting Clarisse, Montag was a strong adherent of the societal function of book burning. He was rather oblivious to the ignorant and critically dull society he lived in. His meeting with Clarisse was the beginning of his Metamorphosis into a critically aware and enlightened individual, one who could see the errors of society in forming a bubble around them. This “bubble” forming that Clarisse leads Montag away from is a serious issue, and even affects our real modern day world.
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.
Our society is heading for destruction, similar to the destruction in Ray Bradbury’s novel Fahrenheit 451. In this novel, the characters live in a society that is truly awful, but the author shows us that our society is heading down that path also. However, in the story, the beliefs of the main character Guy Montag change drastically, from beginning the novel as an oblivious citizen to ending it by trying to change his society for the better. Guy lives in a society in which the government outlaws books because they cause people to ponder ideas and develop new ones. Consequently, with the stories stripped from their lives as if they had never existed, the citizens of this society blindly follow their government. Throughout the novel, the
Clarisse, the young women, impacts Montag’s life and changes his perspective on the world. When Montag first met Clarisse, he noticed she did not behave like the other citizens. Clarisse does not obsess over technology. Instead, Clarisse liked to enjoy the outside world and pay attention to it. As Montag and Clarisse interact and become friends, Clarisse says something to Montag that shocks him. For the first time Montag contemplates his life and job. While in this state of shock, Clarisse tells Montag that she finds him unique because he does not ignore her. Instead he listens and comprehends what she says, "...You're one of the few who put up with me. That's why I think it's so strange you're a fireman, it just doesn't seem right for you, somehow."(23-24). After Clarisse says this, Montag decides to do something Clarisse suggested. He stopped to feel the rain drip on his tongue, something he has never done before. Clarisse impacted Montag's life in a way that made him realize and appreciate the world around him. Until Montag met Clarisse, he never thought of the world as something to take care of and appreciate. Clarisse shaped Montag into the person he became. Other