Fahrenheit 451 Change Analysis

Montag was a dynamic character who changed a lot throughout the story, impacting not only the people around him but the society he lived in as well. This change that shaped the course of the entire novel began when Montag met the strange Clarisse McClennan. She was a vital part of his transition from being a regular fireman who loved to see things burn, to someone who saw the flaws in their society. Clarisse had a huge impact on Montag. She helped him grow as a person by talking to him, asking uncomfortable questions, pointing out the beauty of the nature around them, helping him realize he didn’t love Mildred, and that he wasn’t happy with his life and just being genuinely interested in what he had to say.

We can see that Clarisse is a huge part of the book in how Montag's reacts to events even after she dies, and even how she contributes to Montag unhappiness. Like for example in Fahrenheit 451 Bradbury writes “yes I am very much in love he tried to conjure up a face fit the words, but there was no face(22)” it clearly shows that this relates with the argument because in the book he starts to get a little nervous when she asked him is he in love and that can affect the way he thinks in the long run because of the problem he is having with his wife. A better part of the book where we see how Clarisse is affecting Montag point of view of stuff is when they first met and she asked him if he was happy and in Fahrenheit 451 Bradbury writes “happy of all the nonsense(10)” you can clearly see that this also relates to the argument because for the second time in the book she asked him a simple question and he has over thinked it or he has just responded with anger. The importance of this quote is to show the reader that how he can get distracted from his life when Clarice is around telling stuff to really think about.

Unlike most people in Fahrenheit 451, she inquires a lot about the surrounding environment. She is seen as “antisocial” because she doesn’t mix with the “society”. It turns out that the meaning of “social” in Fahrenheit 451 is being the same as others. Clarisse gave Montag a spark of interest in the outside world, thus making him start to read books. Unfortunately, Clarisse gets run over by a car and dies. Later, Beatty says, ”You ask Why to a lot of things and you wind up very unhappy indeed, if you keep at it. The poor girl’s better off dead,” This shows that Clarisse was not supposed to be there at all. From existence of Clarisse, Bradbury gives us a comparison of the world with no interest and the so-called “normal”

In Fahrenheit 451, Clarisse is one of the main characters throughout the book. Although Mildred and Captain Beatty influenced Montag, Clarisse impacted him the most. In this book, Ray Bradbury kills off one of the most influential characters. Even though she is “dead”, Bradbury somehow made her a symbol. We don’t know why Bradbury killed off this important character, but it left readers wondering. She had some type of influence on Montag that made him think about things. She was interested in learning and asking questions. I believe that Clarisse has impacted Montag because she taught him that thinking was an option.

In the beginning of the story, Fahrenheit 451, the protagonist, Guy Montag was just another “normal” person in the society. He lived with his wife Mildred, he worked as a fireman, who had a pleasure of burning books. He let the government control his life, easily manipulating his mind. Montag was considered “happy” just like the rest of the civilization, living a life like others, no room to contemplate life choices or self-reflect on true motives. Until a seventeen-year-old girl, named Clarisse came in the picture.

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.

The science fiction novel, Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury, is about a futuristic dystopian society where everyone follows simple rules/norms: don't read books and spend time with their “families”. The families in the novel are also known as the TV’s. Whoever in the novel reads or owns books, gets put down by the hound. Montag, a protagonist in the novel, works as the fireman whom are very violent (like the rest of the society). No one in this society ever think, but when Montag (Protagonist) meets Clarisse McClellan, he becomes to question everything. Bradbury tries to portray that when people become emotionless, they don’t think about their actions which end up being violent. Bradbury’s hound (terrifying mechanical beast that kills who are unlawful) represents a type of police in the society that regulates everything and everyone. Thus Bradbury’s predictions are similar to today’s society in the police forces (which are controlled by the government).

Montag first changes when he meets Clarisse, opening his eyes and being able to see his own faults and those of the society. He then proceeds to further change when he questions himself and thinks about his lifestyle after learning how powerful the meaning in the books are when the woman insists on dying. Montag learns the importance of books in the society when he meets Faber, learning how the meaning in books can be applied to what is happening in society. Finally, killing Beatty shows his change from being a passive reader and spy to an active

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.

Clarisse affected Montag's path leading to the future. Clarisse, Montag's foil, influenced Montag to start questioning his job. When she is talking to him, she mentions “never stopping to think what [I’ve] asked [you]” (Bradbury 8). Clarisse was a source of realization to Montag, up until she died. She also made Montag want to read books

In the book Fahrenheit 451 By Ray Bradbury they are fire fighters and they start fires instead of putting them out. 451 Is an important number because it is the number of degrees they start books on fire. All of the fireman have this engraved on there helmets. Montag and his crew go to houses and tell them that their house is going to be set on fire. Through this book Montag has a journey of growth through the book. Even though Montag changes in the book change can be a good.

Can it be possible for people to change how they see and interpret the world? In Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451, Montag leaves his past, ultimately changing the way he thinks. In the passage Montag has just escaped the Hound as well as his previous life, and is being carried away by the river into the forest while thinking about his future. The revelation in this passage is a culmination of all the knowledge that Montag acquires throughout the book. Ray Bradbury conveys to the reader how finally leaving his old world has completed the change inside of Montag through the use of metaphors and repetition.

Montag is very confused with everything that is happening. Throughout this part, Guy Montag transforms from a person who enjoys burning books and living in the society that he lives in to starting to question the reason why he is doing those things. He does not know if he is happy with his life. In one night, he met a 17 year old girl who questions his ideas and his wife almost overdosed. In the beginning, you can see that he enjoys burning books and being a fireman: "It was a special pleasure to see things eaten, to see things blackened and changed. With the brass nozzle in his fists, with this great python spitting its venomous kerosene upon the world, the blood pounded in his head, and his hands were the hands of some amazing conductor playing all the symphonies of blazing and burning to bring down the tatters and charcoal ruins of history" (1). A quote where you can see Guy is confused is shown here: "I don't know anything anymore" (15). Guy feels like he is in a deep abyss of nothing. Before his encounter with Clarisse, the 17 year old girl, Guy thought he was happy and that his wife Mildred was also happy. Clarisse tries to make Guy think about his job, life, and everything in general. This is shown here, where Clarisse asks Guy if it is true that firemen used to put out fires instead of starting them: "Is it true that long ago

character, Guy Montag, experiences reveals the larger truth that life without time to think is not a life worth living.