Clarisse, as well as Faber and Granger, represent the more thoughtful minority population. As perceived in the book, Clarisse is a young, free-spirited, curious individual who somewhat enlightens Montag. From their first encounter, Clarisse introduces Montag to different styles of thinking. Clarisse’s remarks such as “the leaves smell like cinnamon,” (Pg. 13), initially make Montag feel uneasy but then curious as to why she would know this. Montag mentions that she is one of first people trying to uncover more about him. Montag seems refreshed by Clarisse, which in turn make him question his relationship with Mildred. Their initial conversation is the focal point of the book, revealing to the audience that Montag is different and more capable of thinking. Additionally, Bradbury makes it seem like the other characters who don’t question society such as Mildred and Beatty, are threatened by Clarisse and her way of thinking. Mildred acknowledges Montag and Clarisse short friendship in a harsh way and is glad to mention to Montag that Clarisse has been killed at the end of the first chapter. Clarisse’s character is assumed to have been hit by a car and killed during the middle of the first section. Although her role in the novel is fairly short, her first few meetings with Montag make a huge impact on the story
There are two different types of people in the world, those who follow the rules and those who do not. In the novel, Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury writes about a futuristic time period where people no longer read books. Not only do they not read anymore but it is illegal. In this town the government controls what their people learn, and how they must think. In Ray Bradbury 's novel, Fahrenheit 451, Bradbury creates the stereotypical character, Mildred who does not think for herself versus Clarisse, a character who is not afraid to question things and who constantly challenges society.
Fahrenheit 451 is a literary work of art. It is a novel about censorship and one mans fight against it. The story was written in the fifties, but is set in the future. Ray Bradbury’s prediction of what the future will be like is precise in some aspects, but completely outrageous in others. He pictures the future as a somewhat a dictatorship government. The government controlled everything in their lives. People don’t think either. Technology is made it so that people are given all their information through a television sort of a device that imitates a family. Books are obsolete, so they are burned. Our hero of this story is a “fireman';. Only, these futuristic firemen don’t fight fires, they burn books. They burn them so people don’t think, and so everyone is of equal intelligence. They don’t want anyone to rise up and be higher than the next person. This fireman’s name is Guy Montag. He lives in a condominium with his wife Mildred. The story sets off as Guy is walking home from work.
At the beginning of the novel, Montag, like everyone else, strays from the unknown and what he does not understand, and by burning books he pleases the ignorant. He has a position of authority and never questioned his job. Until Montag meets a peculiar girl who is not afraid of him named Clarisse McClellan. Clarisse irritates Montag at first because she asks deep questions to the way the world is and makes statements about his life. Clarisse’s love of nature, people, and the way the world used to be is strange. Forced to go to a psychiatrist for strange behaviors she does, such as
Firstly, Montag is influenced by Clarisse McClellan because she is the first person he has met that is not like the rest of the society. Clarisse is a young 17 year old girl that Montag quickly becomes very fond of. Clarisse influences Montag by the way she questioned Montag, the way she admires nature, and her death. Clarisse first influenced Montag by the way she began questioning him often. Her questions would make him think for himself unlike the rest of society. “Then she seemed to remember something and came back to look at him with wonder and curiosity. “Are you happy?” she said. “Am I what?” he cried. But she was gone- running in the moonlight” (Bradbury, 10). Clarisse was one of the only people that Montag had ever met that had ever asked him that. This question that she asked him influenced him because he thinks about, and Montag asks himself tha...
Through Montag's conversations with Clarisse, I have learned that sometimes the simplest exchange of words and ideas can leave the greatest mark on a person. Clarisse is the light that wipes away the haze and fog from Montag's life. Without knowing it, she influenced him to clearly evaluate his life, beliefs, and choices. Montag simply went about his business during his prominent position as a fireman. Yet after meeting Clarisse, he began to question his thoughts in ways he has never thought to before. He at first laughs at her controversial questions and thoughts from reading books, to practicing the act of "watching people." The turning point for Montag from his past ways was simply a three letter phrase, "Are you happy?" (Pg 10)
Clarisse McClellan, a unique outcast whose personality traits you could say has influenced Montag to question his life. During one night after work Montag has a little run in with this unique individual into which his transformation initiates. Montag and Clarisse share a conversation into which becomes a life changing experience for Montag, they talked about life and how it’s so different from the times long ago. However though towards the end of this fascinating conversation Clarisse asked Montag one last question right before taking off, she asked Montag this, “Are you happy?”(Bradbury 7). Montag hesitantly states that yes he was happy right when she took off. Later on that night we find out Montag’s wife Mildred had overdosed on ...
In Dystopian societies, conformity overrules curiosity, but occasionally people stand and rebel. In Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, Clarisse and Mildred represent these two classes of people. they stand on opposite sides of the overall theme to think for yourself. The curiosity of Clarissa and the conformity of Mildred define the opposing sides of Juan Ramon Jimenez's quote, “If they give you ruled paper, write the other way,” by showing both effects in Montag and the rest of society.
Montag is influenced by Clarisse a lot. And, her impact on him is tremendous. She questions his whole life, teaches him to appreciate the simple things, and to care about other people and their feelings. “You're peculiar, you're aggravating, yet you're easy to forgive..”(Bradbury 23) Through all Clarisse's questioning, Montag knows that she is trying to help him. Because of her help and impact on him, Montag is changed forever.
In Fahrenheit 451 the main characters are Montag, Faber, Clarisse, and Beatty. Montag is someone who knows what he wants and what he wants is change. He is a fireman who suddenly realizes the emptiness of his life and starts to search for meaning in the books he is supposed to be burning. Though he is sometimes rash and has a hard time thinking for himself, he is determined to break free from the oppression of ignorance. He quickly forms unusually strong attachments with anyone who seems receptive to true friendship. At first, Montag believes that he is happy. He thinks this because of the question that Clarisse asks him. When he views himself in the firehouse mirror after a night of burning, he grins "the fierce grin of all men singed and driven back by flame." His biggest regret in life is not having a better relationship with his wife. Faber is a very wise and intellectual man. He readily admits that the current state of society is due to the cowardice of people like himself, who would not speak out against book burning when they still could have stopped it. He berates himself for being a coward, but he shows himself capable of acts that require great courage and place him in considerable danger. Clarisse seems to always be of in her own world. She was a beautiful seventeen-year-old who introduces Montag to the world's potential for beauty and meaning with her gentle innocence and curiosity. She is an outcast from society because of her odd habits, which include hiking, playing with flowers, and asking questions. She asks questions such as, "Are you happy?
Most governments, at some point or another, have condemned certain thoughts under the justification of removing the most extreme threats to stability. In Ray Bradbury’s prophetic novel, Fahrenheit 451, these thought regulations are enforced by the firemen, and the flames they start, not extinguish, are meant to consume books and the knowledge within them. Despite the entirely separate worlds inhabited by Clarisse McClellan and Mildred Montag that fashion the two women into vastly different people – the first a child of nurtured nonconformity, and the second a sufferer of harsh reality – both show Guy Montag the flaws in the current society he supports through his work as a fireman.
Imagine a society where books are illegal, and being caught with them could cost people their lives. In the book, “Fahrenheit 451” by Ray Bradbury, the hero, Guy Montag, a fireman himself, changes several times throughout the story, mainly in part to the various conflicts apparent in the story. Montag, being a fireman, is in charge of seeking out people who own books, and burning their homes, and sometimes the people inside. Montag changes primarily because of his conflicts with his dystopian society, which has a unique view on the censorship of items such as books, which connects to the theme of censorship because his view on that topic changes.
Furthermore, Clarisse spends the time to observe Montag, recognizing that he is just a man, while others see his profession of being a fireman, which translates fear and danger. She notices his difference in comparison to her peers. “I’m afraid of children my own age. They kill each other….I’m afraid of them and they don’t like me because I’m afraid.” She fears mindlessness, where children are not encouraged to think, but regurgitate.
One night on Montag’s usual walk home from work, he meets a young unusual girl named Clarisse McClellan. She is different from most people, she is idealistic and hates what being social has turned into. She tells Montag of a society where firemen once use to put out accidental fires, and not start them as they do now. Montag thinks this is nonsense the Chief has reassured him that firemen have always started fires, it’s even in rule book. Clarisse continues to tell him about her uncle, who remembers such things from the past. She tells Montag about her family and how they stay up all night talking about a variety of different things. Montag thinks this is very odd, why would anyone want to waste their time just staying up and talking?
Early on in the book Montag meets a neighbor, by the name of Clarisse McClellan, a kindhearted teenager who likes conversations and is a very smart girl. Up to this point, Montag is content to continue living the way he has always lived. However, in a conversation with Clarisse, she asks him, “Are you happy?”. This sparks in Montag a question that he has never before felt. He has never asked questions or had thoughts of his own. Clarisse sees herself in a way that is different from society. She tells Montag what people think of her, “I'm antisocial, they say. I don't mix. It's so strange. I'm very social indeed”. Clarisse understands that there is more than one way to perceive something, she tells Montag that “It all depends on what you mean by social, doesn't it? Social to me means talking to you about things like this”.Clarisse has found that people only want to talk about what society wants them to. Clarisse speaks to Montag of his personal life, about being a fireman, to awaken Montag to think on his own and see the world for what it is. Clarisse sparks a huge change in Montag's life for the better. After Montag's meeting with Clarisse, he comes home to his wife unconscious on the floor.