How Did Fahrenheit 451 Change Montag

Clarisse, Montag’s neighbor, is a person that introduces him to a world without technology. She is the catalyst that turns Montag from a mindless drone into a free-thinking and questioning intellectual. She does this when they first meet at the beginning of the novel and they have a conversation. "’I rarely watch the 'parlor walls' [...] So I've lots of time for crazy thoughts [...] Have you seen the -two-hundred-foot-long billboards in the country beyond town? [...]’” [(7). When Montag realizes that he has not been paying attention to these little things in life, he starts to become more interested in talking to Clarisse because she shows him another perspective on life other than a world filled with technology. She shows

He even says to himself that he is very happy, even if he might’ve been trying to convince himself. But, when he gets home and finds that Mildred overdosed, he starts to wonder if they are actually happy together and he says “I don’t know anything anymore”. This feeling of unease is further reinforced during his second encounter with Clarisse. Clarisse tells him to rub a dandelion on his chin, claiming that if it rubs off, it means the person is in love. Montag rubs the dandelion under his chin, but it doesn’t rub off, meaning he isn’t in love with anyone. He denies this and “tried to conjure up a face to fit the words, but there was no face”, not even Mildred’s. Mildred and Montag also couldn’t seem to remember where they met, even though it was only 10 years ago. Montag also feels that they had nothing in common and this is shown in the quote “and suddenly she was so strange he couldn’t believe he knew her at all”. Montag didn’t feel a connection towards Mildred because while she was the ideal citizen of that society, Montag was curious about books and things he shouldn’t be. Because of the doubt that Clarisse planted in his mind with the dandelion, he starts to question his entire marriage and realizes that he doesn’t really care for Mildred. Clarisse aided Montag in realizing that his relationship was shallow and helped him outgrow an unhealthy

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 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

As Montag took Clarisse’s advice by noticing the outside world, it helped him calm down and

In the novel Fahrenheit 451 written by Ray Bradbury there are people that make an impact on Montag’s life in a good way and a bad way but what about the impact they make on society? Clarisse is considered to be hazardous and unhinged in the eyes of what the community expects. Mildred is a perfect example of what society wants them to be isolated and small minded. Clarisse and Mildred are portrayed differently when they interact with Montag, the roles that they play in the book, and how they choose to spend their spare time.

When Montag met Clarisse, he had a different look on life. Before he met her, he did not realize all that was going on in the world and after he begins to question his happiness.

Clarisse is the first people who Montag considers to be a true friend. When Montag is speaking to his wife about friendship, he speaks about Clarisse. He tells his wife, "She's was the first person in a good many years I've really liked" (Bradbury 68). Montag liked Clarisse because he felt listened to and appreciated when he was speaking to her. He said, "But Clarisse's favorite subject wasn't herself. It was everyone else, and me" (Bradbury 68). Clarisse was good at conversation and genuinely was interested in what Montag had to say. Montag did not have a lot of people in his life he could openly to talk to, who not judge his opinions.

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 clearly states the attitude of other citizens and their level of ignorance by saying “No one has time anymore for anyone else.” This shows how the others care only about themselves and no one else. Montag, on the other hand, is different to Clarisse. She describes him as an understanding individual when she says “You look at me…You looked at the moon.” This confirms that Montag is not ignorant anymore because he has been introduced to knowledge by Clarisse. He understands more and more of what she tells hm. He is able to understand the past and interpret its meaning. For

Montag discovers new things after meeting Clarisse. Things like the fact that fire fighters used to actually fight fires. He also comes to discover that he doesn't really love his wife. As well as he's not entirely happy. Clarisse's attitude and outlook let's him discover that his view of life is grim and jaded. He begins to realize that things aren’t how he wants them to be, that he doesn't really know much about history - or the truth of it, he becomes curious and attempts to find real happiness.

Clarisse effects Montag in many different ways in her life and death. One way is Clarisse is the ultimate symbol of goodness and power to Montag. Clarisse is the one that makes Montag realize how wrong this society is, she is is the one that makes him realize what he had done wrong. The second way is Clarisse is able to impact Montag's emotions, and completely cause him to question his life and morals due to how important she is in his life. She helps him realize that burning books is not something he should be doing, even though at the beginning of the book he said it was a pleasure to burn. Yet when Montag meets Clarisse, she completely changed the way he thinks. Finally Clarisse affects Montag by symbolizing as a mentor to him, meeting

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

When Montag encounter Clarisse McClellan she started to change how montag thought of things. Her curiosity and questioning is so unique that Montag is struck by her. He had never met someone who asks why instead of how, who knows that there is dew on the grass in the morning, or who takes walks for pleasure and relaxation. When Clarisse asks Montag if he is in love he really begins to feel uncomfortable because his immediate answer should have been yes since he is married but he had to question his answer before he could reply positively.