In the dystopian society within Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, many characters contribute to the development of Montag, a fireman who takes pleasure in burning books. He does not see his actions as inhumane because his judgement is clouded, until he meets Clarisse McClellan. This innocent, yet knowledgeable, young adult is filled with curiosity and wonder as she connects with Montag. Her uniqueness and beauty aids in guiding Montag to show him the reality of the society they live in. Through her appearance, actions, and death, Clarisse McClellan motivates Montag and his noble deeds. Throughout the story, Montag is influenced by many factors, one of which was Clarisse’s appearance including her face and eyes. “He saw himself in her eyes, …show more content…
“I’m antisocial, they say...It’s so strange. I’m very social indeed. It all depends on what you mean by social, doesn’t it?..But everyone I know is either shouting or dancing around like wild or beating up one another,” (Bradbury 27). Clarisse loves to be around other people and share her knowledge. Through this, she affects Montag’s thinking of the world he lives in. He soon realizes that not everything is as it seems and takes wonder as he sees from a new perspective. "I guess it’s the last of the dandelions this year...I didn’t think I’d find one on the lawn this late. Have you ever heard of rubbing it off your chin? If it rubs off, it means I’m in love...What a shame...You’re not in love with anyone,” (Bradbury 19). Clarisse not only pertains humane feelings such as enthusiasm and passion, but also an innocent mind that Montag takes curiosity in. Montag also recognizes that he has no feelings towards Mildred. He knows that if Mildred were to disappear from his life, he would feel absolutely no emotion at all, scaring him. Montag’s understanding of his society widens and deepens though Clarisse’s
In Ray Bradbury’s futuristic novel Fahrenheit 451, Montag, the main character is influenced by one person who changes his life completely. Clarisse McClellan, Montag’s new next-door neighbor, introduces Montag into an alternate world where it was believed that firemen once saved houses from burning instead of starting fires. Clarisse is an odd seventeen-year-old with some very peculiar thoughts about society. She is not the only odd person in her family, her whole family, mom, dad, and uncle are all very odd. They stay up at night talking while all the other families are sleeping. Clarisse, the beautiful girl, introduces Montag to the world’s hidden beauty and meaning, through her innocent self and her curious nature. Through a couple of conversations
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
Fahrenheit 451 is a dystopian work of fiction that occurs in the twenty-fourth century. It follows the journey of the protagonist, Guy Montag, a fireman who starts fires instead of putting them out. Montag's world is turned upside when one night after work, he meets Clarisse McClellan. She is Montag's seventeen-year-old neighbor who has a different idea about the function of the society the two live in. Before his unexpected meeting with Clarisse, Montag is content, even happy with his life and an occupation. After parting ways with her that evening, Montag examines his life and comes to the conclusion that he is actually not happy (“Fahrenheit 451: A Christian Perspective" 1). Montag is nauseated with the disillusionment of his life and is
Guy Montag is a fireman who is greatly influenced in Ray Bradbury's novel, Fahrenheit 451. The job of a fireman in this futuristic society is to burn down houses with books in them. Montag has always enjoyed his job, that is until Clarisse McClellan comes along. Clarisse is seventeen and crazy. At least, this is what her uncle, whom she gets many of her ideas about the world from, describes her as. Clarisse and Montag befriend each other quickly, and Clarisse's impact on Montag is enormous. Clarisse comes into Montag's life, and immediately begins to question his relationship with his wife, his career, and his happiness. Also, Clarisse shows Montag how to appreciate the simple things in life. She teaches him to care about other people and
Clarisse made things real to Montag. Montag never had love, family, or feelings because he didn’t know what they were. He didn’t know what he was missing out on so he would never miss it. Knowledge changes people and Montag is the perfect example. With the knowledge he gathers he realizes what is wrong with their society.
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.
In the novel Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury, there are many different characters and each one plays a different role. One of the main characters, Guy Montag, is a fireman who takes pride in his work and enjoys burning books as a part of his job. His outlook about burning books changes after he meets Clarisse McClellan and Professor Faber. It’s very interesting how Montag’s way of thinking transforms overtime. He becomes very courageous about hiding books and is also curious about reading them. Throughout the novel his actions, ideas, and his feelings change as he starts to think for himself.
Montag is someone who is shy and keeps his thoughts to himself, but thinks many things. He shows that he is distracted instead of being happy throughout the book. At the time, he was walking home from work and was looking at Clarisse. Clarisse is a girl who would roam the streets and was also Montag's neighbor. She walks over to Guy and they start to have a conversation while walking to their houses. They discussing if talking about to see if Montag is really happy or if he was lying. She keeps questioning him. Bradbury explains “He was not happy. He was not happy. He said the words to himself. He recognized this as true state affairs. He wore his happiness like a mask and the girl had run across the lawn with the mask and the way
As deliberations whirl through his mind, Montag finally feels a sickness and discomfort. “How rarely did other people’s faces take of you and throw back to you your own expression, your innermost trembling thought?” (8). This illustrates that Clarisse brought a rumination out of Montag. Montag no longer is at ease with his line of work. This event represents the call to adventure for Montag as Clarisse made him ponder for the first time in a long time. The scene following portrays the crossing of the threshold into a new world for Montag.
Ray Bradbury’s, Fahrenheit 451, is an alarming science fiction classic novel and a powerful commentary on humankind’s urge to suppress what it doesn’t understand. In this dystopian fictional world books are illegal; they are burned to a crisp when found. Books are very powerful. They come with knowledge, and knowledge can bring fear. Fear many times is something one cannot understand. To understand, one must know why one fears. Guy Montag in Fahrenheit 451 realizes this importance of the knowledge in books when he meets a young woman; Clarisse McClellan. Clarisse is an outsider, a very different type of girl. When she meets Montag, Clarisse sparks a change in him. Her curiosity and questioning is so unique that Montag is struck by her. He
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.
“Well, wasn’t there a wall between him and Mildred, when you came down to it?” (Pg. 44) This quote indicates that Montag has a poor relationship with Mildred. Mildred is unfaithful to Montag and gives him a lack of attention. Because of this lack of attention, Montag would show no emotion or cry if his wife passed away. Also, when Montag was conversing with Mildred about Clarisse’s death, Mildred had knowledge of it. Clarisse was hit by a car, but Mildred forgot her death and only told Montag when she remembered it. This emphasizes that Mildred was absorbed in her TV shows and was only thinking about herself and what was occurring in her fantasy
Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 features a fictional and futuristic firefighter named Guy Montag. As a firefighter, Montag does not put out fires. Instead, he starts them in order to burn books and, basically, knowledge to the human race. He does not have any second thoughts about his responsibility until he meets seventeen-year-old Clarisse McClellan. She reveals many wonders of the world to Montag and causes him to rethink what he is doing in burning books. After his talks with her, the society’s obedience to the law that bans knowledge, thinking, and creativity also increasingly distresses him. In Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury shows conformity in the futuristic America through schooling, leisure, and fright.
Guy Montag is the protagonist and central character of the book, Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury that transforms from a conformist in a totalitarian society to rebuilding a society that reads books. Montag fits the cliché description of a good-looking male with “black hair, black brows…fiery face, and…blue-steel shaved but unshaved look.” (Bradbury, 33) For the past eight years he has burned books. He is a 3rd generation firefighter, who in the beginning of the story, loves his job, which consists of burning the homes of people who perform criminal acts of reading and keeping books in their homes. By understanding Montag’s relationships, discontentment, and future, one can begin to understand the complexities of Guy Montag.
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