Similarities And Differences Between Montag And Fahrenheit 451

A difference between Mildred and Clarisse is their polar opposite personalities. Throughout Fahrenheit 451, Mildred is a very selfish, conceited woman. This is shown when she talks about herself to Montag. “He opened the book. ‘That Favorite Subject, Myself’ … ‘I understand that one,’ said Mildred.” (Bradbury 72). Mildred's comment exemplifies her conceited attitude toward herself. She dislikes books yet chooses that one to relate to. In contrast to Mildred, Clarisse is a selfless, caring girl. There’s a lot of examples of Clarisse being selfless, but a big one is when Montag talks about her to Mildred. “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.” (Bradbury 72). Montag explains Clarisse's selfless side very well. He knows from experience that she loved others more than herself. These two contrasting examples prove that Mildred and Clarisse have different personalities. But, personalities aside, they have differing values as well.

In the novel, FAHRENHEIT 451 by Ray Bradbury, Guy Montag lives in an inverted society, where firemen make fires instead of put them out, and pedestrians are used as bowling pins for cars that are excessively speeding. The people on this society are hypnotized by giant wall size televisions and seashell radios that are attached to everyone’s ears. People in Montag’s society do not think for themselves or even generate their own opinions; everything is given to them by the television stations they watch. In this society, if someone is in possession of a book, their books are burned by the firemen, but not only their books, but their entire home. Montag begins realizing that the things in this society are not right. Montag is influenced and

Throughout Fahrenheit 451 Guy Montag goes through many changes and by the end of the story, he is ultimately an entirely different person. He is not responsible for all of the changes on his own however, and several characters play an essential role in shaping who he eventually becomes. At the beginning of the book, Montag encounters a teenage girls named Clarisse. Clarisse is only present for a short time, however she immediately gets Montag to think in a way he never has before. She looks at the small things in life and goes against what the current society tells her to think and do. She is different from everyone else in a very freeing way and Montag starts to be drawn into her personality. She is like a burst of fresh air for Montag

According to the novel, Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, Rollo May’s quote “The opposite of courage in our society is not cowardice, it’s conformity” is inaccurate because for what these people in the society conformed to, is a coward act on it’s own. To go ahead and follow something you don’t have knowledge on with the stakes so high and then not give others a voice when they bring viewpoints that differ to what you originally conformed to, is known as a cowardly act. Conforming is just a cover up stuck in ignorance and stubbornness, an excuse for cowardice.

Of the characters of Fahrenheit 451 Clarisse Mcclellan and Mildred Montag stand out most prominently because of their pronounced contrast. On one hand Mildred Montag is the obedient citizen who would rather watch

Mildred Montag, a character in Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451, is rarely remembered beyond an image of a passive antagonist, a zombified burden on the heroic Guy Montag. However, a closer examination reveals a complex character in fascinating historical context. Why is Mildred and what she symbolizes unanimously misinterpreted? In letting go of wrongful assumptions, exploring the factors behind her misinterpretation and developing an appreciation for her difficult situation, the answer to this question becomes clear. In getting to better understand Mildred Montag and the oft-ignored demographic of housewives she represents, one is choosing to listen to a voice history silenced.

In Fahrenheit 451 Guy Montag is seen as the main character and the reason for this whole story because without him there would not be a story at all. However, while Montag is the central character his path is laid out for him by the other characters in the novel. These characters play the most important role in creating the feel of the story. Bradbury comments on humanity's urge to suppress what they do not understand. Clarisse McClellan appearance, actions, ideas, and relationships give important insight to the story. In this paper, I will be discussing the evolution of Clarisse's impact on Montag’s eyes and how she acted as the domino that set Montag on this life-altering story where he grows from a non-questioning consumer to a self-aware individual that betrays his dystopian society. I will also be using Jerome Bruner “The Narrative Creation Of Self” to support my thesis. “A self-making narrative is something of a balancing act. It must, on the one hand, create a conviction of autonomy, that one has a will of one’s own, a certain freedom of choice, a degree of possibility. However, it must also relate one to a world of others—to friends and family, to institutions, to the past, to reference groups. But there is an implicit commitment to others in relating oneself to others that, of course, limits our autonomy. We seem virtually unable to live without both, autonomy and commitment, and our lives strive to balance the two. So do the self-narratives we tell

Ray Bradbury´s wrote a book about this dystopian society where everything in our world is backwards in their world, they can speed, they burn books, and everybody is always gloomy and sad. Montag changed his mindset throughout the book, he went from burning books to saving them from getting burnt. Mildred on the other hand, continuously stayed the same throughout the book. She beginned the book showing she did not care, and carried that same mentality through the rest of the book. Ray Bradbury´s uses contrasting characters in Fahrenheit 451 to illustrate the differences within views of a dystopian society with his development of Montag and Mildred.

Examining Clarisse, she owns components that the whole association in the book completely lacks. Her aspects not present within the other characters in the book makes her seem lifeless. As for Mildred and Montag’s relationship, Mildred’s lack of communication and ignorance announces that she is also metaphorically dead. As they both depart from Montag recalls each of them. What Montag said about Clarisse makes it seems that as if her way of living characteristics are unique and are not present in others, which proves that she is nonexistent. Montag also has a moment of recalling his wife as someone who never existed between their marriage relationship. This all ties back that Clarisse and Mildred are physically active and alive, but in that moment of their natural existence, they are deep down nonexistent in terms of society and

Clarisse says, “I tell them that sometimes I just sit and think”(21). Finally, Montag is made aware of this simplicity. When he is trying to find happiness himself, he remembers that Clarisse finds contenment through siting, observing and thinking. Montag begins to notice that his wife is a foil as she had never done either one of those things. Bradbury supports Jameson’s quote of happiness by showing how Mildred is suicidal and has no connection with people and her only connection is with her “Family” in the walls on Television. Montag begins to find himself and starts to realize that he really doesn’t care about Mildred, that she is an empty vessel. Later in the book Montage feels a stronger connection to a girl that he has only spoken to a handful of times versus his own wife whom he is suppose to have a strong connection. When Montage almost died by getting run over he says, “I wonder if they were the ones who killed Clarisse! He wanted to run after them yelling. His eyes watered.” (114). Montag knew Mildred for years yet he realizes that when she leaves him she will never miss him or mourn him; Montag feels closer with Clarisse as marvels at her idea of happiness. Montag starts to develop deeper feelings about thoughtful people like Clarisse. He would cry for this girl he barely knew more than he would for his own wife whom he felt no connection to.

Mildred is the wife of Montag. She has many different interests than Montag does which makes them foil characters. There is nothing very spectacular about Mildred. She is very bland and is obsessed with television. She believs that her family is the television shows. Montag on the other hand is appreciates books. Mildred says to Montag, “See what you are doing to us? You’ll ruin us!” (76). This quote shows that Mildred does not appreciate what Montag wants. She does not respect his interests and does not want to be married to someone who is doing illegal acts. Montag sees the books as a good thing and as an innspiration. Mildred sees them as

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.

If there is one thing that can be said about the relationship between Guy and Mildred Montag, it is that no matter how their relationship changes, they seem to be a constant burden for one another. In addition, any happiness or good attitude that they may have had towards each other is gone and could quite possibly remain that way. Although there are slight positive advances in their relationship, they are ultimately feeding a hungry and unwavering depression that is so common in the society depicted in the

First of all, Clarisse has a major impact on the development of Guy Montag. Clarisse is a young high school girl who enjoys nature. She happens to be neighbours with Guy Montag and his wife, Mildred.

Although outer space and planet Earth are two very different places, their laws can cause similar problems for drastically different people. Guy Montag, from Fahrenheit 451, written by Ray Bradbury, and Barton, from “Cold Equations”, written by Tom Godwin, are similar in many ways. Both men were significantly impacted by the words of a young girl in their lives. Both men also changed their views on the laws throughout the progression of the story. However, Guy Montag was able to have success in changing the laws and Barton was not. While some differences between Guy and Barton are evident, the similarities are striking.