Clarisse’s and Mildred’s presence in Ray Bradbury's story Fahrenheit 451, gives the idea that both characters are alive but metaphorically dead by looking at their personalities and ways of being in their dystopian community and personal relationships. Clarisse and Mildred may have different personalities but they both share the same concept. Clarisse has a personality that does not exist within other people. She tends to point out on the real significance of life, which leaves characters in shock and confusion after interacting with her. As for Mildred and Montag’s relationship, Mildred shows lack of attention and love towards Montag. Mildred would pay attention more to her “family” and her friends instead of her marriage relationship. This gives Mildred the image that she is figuratively dead between her relationship with Montag. These figuratively dead characters lead to change Montag’s perspective. Clarisse’s individuality and her way of living in her dystopian community differ from the rest of the …show more content…
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
He added more to the novel as characters began to come into his life such as Mildred, the fire chief, and Clarisse. Reading Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 it is evident to see that Bradbury fully believes that society will become more and more ignorant without knowledge. Bradbury’s novel predicts what the world would become if we discontinue taking in knowledge and focus on more irrelevant parts of life. He demonstrates this in the novel with the creation of the character Mildred who spends the majority of her time sitting down and watching television. Mildred deems her life to be miserable and eventually commits suicide proving how unhappy and discontent she was with her life. She had the freedom or liberty to want to change, but she was exposing herself to things, like the television, that she was not gaining knowledge with. On the other hand, the creation of Clarisse, which Bradbury believes to be is the essence of life, demonstrates a positive way of living. Proving that Ray Bradbury deems knowledge to be more fundamentally important for a good life over liberty, "There are worse crimes than burning books. One of them is not reading
One of the principal characteristics of a dystopian novel is the implementation of undesirable and horrifying conditions to its setting, and Fahrenheit 451’s society certainly has those conditions. These conditions are first shown when Clarisse describes to Montag what schools is like. She describes how they have “An hour of of TV class, an hour of basketball or baseball or running, another hour of transcription history or painting, and more sports, but do you know, we never ask questions, or at least most don’t; they just run the answers at you, bing, bing, bing, and us sitting there for four more hours of film teacher” (29). Clarisse shows that the children in this society are not taught to be critical thinkers; they do not have any real
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”
Everybody has gone through something that has shaped changed them in a way that they could never go back to the person they were. In life, pain and suffering changes people and often causes one to restructure their life. As well, suffering can either define an individual or to allow for spiritual growth. This is especially true in Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451, as even though both Mildred and Clarisse differ in their perceptions toward life and their effect on Montag, both must eventually suffer the reality of a society consumed by insensitivity to push along Montag’s journey. All in all, one will view that it was necessary for both Clarisse and Mildred to experience death to allow for Montag’s journey to come to full circle.
Clarisse is used to show the raw violence of the state when she says “I’m afraid of the children my own age. They kill each other” (30). We as the reader learn a new aspect of the popular maxim where life is no longer important and can be easily thrown away. We start to notice Clarisse’s true fascination with the human race when she says “sometimes I ride the subway just to watch them.” we get the sense that she feels like an outsider looking in multiple times throughout part one(30). In a sea of people who are constantly moving Clarisse stands out as a person who stops and thinks. ALthough we see her as a visionary her peers see
Clarisse and Mildred from Fahrenheit 451 are similar but also very different. Clarisse is a 17 year old girl who questions everything around her and rebels against the government. Mildred is a 30 year old woman who is a TV freak and is a basic government following mindless person. There are many differences between the two strange ladies and I will be sharing them to you.
By not mourning the dead, the people in Fahrenheit 451, are not displaying the qualities of a life richly lived. The main character Guy Montag meets a girl named Clarisse McClellan, who is very different from the standards of their society. Then four days pass where Montag did not see Clarisse, so he began to wonder where she could have possibly gone. Eventually, Montag’s wife, Mildred says, “‘No the same girl. McClellan. Run over by a car. Four days ago. I am not sure. But I think she is dead. The family moved out anyway. I do not know. But I think she is dead’” (Bradbury 44). When Mildred says this to Montag, she acts like it is not a big deal and she shows no
She simply says, she “forgot” (44). A little bit after this, Montag is still upset and Mildred gives him some advice on how to get over it. She tells him to go take the car out for a drive, that it’s “wonderful… it’s fun out in the country. You hit rabbits, sometimes you hit dogs” (61). Mildred is the one of the most important characters because she reflects most of the society in Fahrenheit 451.
Clarisse, a seemingly insignificant character in the book Fahrenheit 451, who plays a large role in the plot of the story. Ray Bradbury places Clarisse in a specific place at a crucial time to create an uproar and spark conflict, as well as curiosity. Clarisse is significant in displaying Ray Bradbury's overarching theme that censorship is what takes away the individualism in everyone. She displays this by being who she is rather than what the society is telling her to be. With small characteristics about her that are different than many others, she is substantial to Montag.
Montag gives many examples of how he was very depressed about the situation. “Mildred, how would it be if, well, maybe I quit my job awhile” (48). After Clarisse died it was the turning point of Montag’s view on society and his beliefs and actions started to change proving my thesis. Another example would be the night where he finds out she died and the women was burned alive, and the situation with Mildred creating a huge hole for him to be against what he was being told as a fireman. “Are they husband and wife, are they divorced, engaged, what? Good God, nothing’s connecting up”
Analytical Essay Fahrenheit 451 I have chosen to analyze the conversation between Montag and Clarisse from page 21 to page 24. This part of the text has 4 main themes, the first of which is Clarisse and how here character fits into the story. The second is the Father/Daughter duality between Montag and Clarisse. The third is “happiness”, “Love” and maturity, which is a contrast between Mildred and Clarisse.
Throughout Fahrenheit 451, Guy Montag had a major transformation that was impacted by many people. Some of the people who had a major impact on Montag were Clarisse, Faber, Captain Beatty, and the old woman. Although all four of these characters have impacted Guy, I feel that Clarisse and Faber impacted him the most. In the beginning of the book, Montag never expressed himself and his feelings until he met Clarisse, who started his transformation which occurred throughout the book. Clarisse awakened some dissatisfaction in Montag’s life, while Faber teaches Montag the importance of books and how to improve society.
It’s also stated that “Clarisse has no taste for the advanced technology her society has come to depend on, and thus represents the antithesis of Millie, Montag's wife” (Fahrenheit 451 Characters).” Clarisse being a social outcast and different from most individuals he associates himself with causes him to become interested in her as an individual, in return bringing upon change within Montag as well. A pinnacle moment within Ray Bradybury’s novel was when right after Guy Montag and Clarisse spoke in regards to if he was in love, he came upon the disturbing realization that he and his Mildred Montag (his wife) could not remember where it was they first met. This in return caused Montag to feel grievance in the fact that he considered the possibility that he did not love Mildred like
The character Clarisse in the novel Fahrenheit 451 had a very important role towards Montag’s gradual rebellion. She first appears in the novel late at night, simply taking a stroll. This in and of itself is strange, and once Montag begins to talk with her he realizes just how eccentric she is. In our society, she would not be perceived as bizarre, but in Montag’s culture just thinking, exploring, and generally being curious is a crime. Although meeting Clarisse jump started Montag’s journey, he may have been collecting books and having similar thoughts far before. She makes him think introspectively, and he begins to question his association to the firemen. Clarisse even unknowingly unearths the fact that Montag isn’t in love with his wife(19).
Although their fate was on different circumstance, it was at the stake of their society. Montag felt an attraction toward both Mildred and Clarrise, who impacted his life in various ways. Mildred serves as a reminder of the tremendous toll the society had on such suffering oblivious individual whereas Clarrise brought light to a future where individuality could exist. Clarisse is like a thumbprint as Granger describes how his grandfather was in his mind. Even after her disappearance and unknown death Clarisse continues to affect Montag.