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How is society reflected in literature
How is society reflected in literature
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Albert Einstein once said, “The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination.” The government wanted no one to become more intelligent than them, therefore they took away all books that citizens owned. Montag lived through his job, waking up, going to work and returning home to his bed. One night while returning from work, Montag met Clarisse, who helped him find happiness in his world. After the passing of Clarisse, Montag's universe turns around. Is it for the better or the worse? Montag and Clarisse have a unique relationship that symbolizes what an authentic friendship is. They begin transforming eachother the day they meet. Notably, they bring out the best in the other, even once one is no longer here. Everyday Montag would rouse, go to work, and then come home and do the same periodic routine the next day. Montag never knew that he was not living his life out to its full potential. Montag was a fireman, who lit books on fire to keep the government from allowing citizens to become smarter than themselves. He never questioned the idea of burning books, because it had always …show more content…
Subsequently, they begin talking and Montag realizes that this girl, Clarisse is dissimliar the people around her. She asks questions of Montag and just before leaving, she asks Montag if he is happy, yet he could not respond with a complete answer. Montag is not happy or sad, he is just living his life with no importance. Montag and Clarisse continue communicating and changing the dynamics of Montags outlook on life. He begins to notice aspects of life he never saw before, and behind to do simple acts like tasting and laughing in the rain. Clarisse talks about her life experiences and how she visits a psychiatrist. Topics and activities that Montag believes to be abnormal are normal activities for those here today. Clarisse vanshes and Montag does not know where she was for an unknown period of
Clarisse is a young 17 year old girl that has emotions, ambitions, and creativity because of the knowledge that comes from old traditions. “I'm seventeen and I'm crazy. My uncle says the two always go together. When people ask your age, he said, always say seventeen and insane.” ( Bradbury ) page 7. Clarisse is the only character to successfully exhibit all of these traits because she always talks to her grandfather that tells stories from the past. She can show emotion by always smiling when Montag encounters her. She also has the ambition of just trying to be accepted in society and trying to get through her treatments. Her creativity comes in two forms. The way she asks questions and the way she expresses her feelings towards simplistic objects such as flowers or even rain. Montag found his ambition to seek out the secrets of his society by receiving insight from Clarisse’s perspective of life. “Are you happy?” ( Bradbury ) page 10. With this one question Montag finally took the time to think if he was really happy. From there he continued to ask more questions which all turns into the events of the book. To recreate people who can feel, think and imagine knowledge must be actively present to create a unique individual.Bradbury asserts that man must retain knowledge in order to think
Clarisse shares with Montag that her entire family was almost killed by the government for knowing too much. The government said we were a threat to society and needed to be eliminated. Clarisse’s Uncle was very educated and knew the things they had to do in order to live. They then escaped in the night, but the government did not seem to care. The government then tried to cover it up by saying that she got hit by a car. Clarisse’s family then made it to the same intellects that Montag had been with, and they directed them to the city. Their family then reached the city, where Montag is now. They realized that books were allowed and accepted in that society, and have been living there for the ever since. About three hours go by of Clarisse pouring her brain out to Montag, and finally they look around and see that it is nighttime. The two of them gaze at the stars and let out a small
Clarisse is someone I would not imagine to have such a big effect on Montag. To me she seems to be out of Montag's comfort zone. Clarisse always has questions and wants to learn something. There was never a moment Clarisse was not wondering or questioning something. An example of Clarisse being curious is when she first meets Montag and says "Do you mind if I ask? How long have you worked at being a fireman?"(5). Clarisse begins asking many questions about being a fireman as soon as she gets to know Montag a little better(6). Clarisse is always the type of girl to wants to learn something new. Clarisse is very social and will like to meet anyone. She has no clue who Montag is besides her neighbor but she still starts talking to him, and makes a friendship out of it(3). Clarisse likes to be outside with nature and enjoys life. If Clarisse was a lot older her and Montag would be great together. Clarisse and Montag have so much in common.
However, both characters return home with new-found knowledge about the world, but cannot share it with society. In spite of the similarities, they did have a minor difference in how they completed this journey. Montag receives constant help and support from characters such as Clarisse and Faber. Clarisse is the first character to open Montag's eyes to the truth, but only when she disappeared did Montag take action against the society standing between him and knowledge.
Montag finds himself starting to grow fascinated with Clarisse and her eccentric idea’s. He hopes that when he gets off work ...
The fact that Montag actually thinks about Clarisse's question later on and starts admitting to himself that he is not happy is a big step for Montag. In fact it shows how he is no longer living as "one" with society which focuses a lot about "happiness". Therefore, Clarisse is the first person to encourage Montag on his way to self-awareness. Montag did not read books in the beginning of the story, but further in the book he starts to read the books instead of burning them. He still burns the houses and most of the books, but he also takes a few of them before burning the houses. In doing so, this changes his personality and his way of thinking about the society. One night when Montag starts reading a book he stole from a house that he had later ...
Montag was this young Fire man with issues of his own. He has faced multiple problems in his life. One Incident was when his wife took a whole pill bottle and overdosed herself. That incident made him feel some type of way towards her he’s coming out of love with her he tired of her habit even though they been married for years he has reached his limit. Then one day all that changed Montag meet this interesting young lady that made him have a different outlook on life her name was Clarissa McCallen. When Montag had a specific conversation with her she ask “Are You Happy”? After that specific question life for Montag really change for the worst. When she ask him was he happy at first he saw it as an non sense question and answer with no problem but when she left his presence he ask himself are you happy Montag he ? Then he stop laughing and kept asking are u happy? As the day’s go on Montag and Clarisse continue to stay in contact. You can tell Montag had some type of connection with her for the simple fact when he with Clarisse he doesn...
The first event that results in Montag becoming a dynamic character is his conversations with Clarisse McClellan. She is seventeen, and people consider her insane and anti-social. She is considered anti-social, because she is talkative and expressive. In Bradbury’s made up world, the meaning of social is staring at the parlor walls (large TV screens), and having no thought at all. Clarisse is very different from the rest: “I rarely watch the ‘parlor walls’ or go to races or Fun Parks. So I’ve lots of time for crazy thoughts, I guess. Have you seen the two-hundred-foot-long billboards in the country beyond town? Did you know that once the billboards were only twenty feet long? But cars started rushing by so quickly they even had to stretch the advertising out so it would last” (pg.7).Clarisse’s enthusiastic and cheerful disposition lightens Montag’s attitude, making him a more optimistic person. He is not so closed-minded anymore, and he learns to be himself, and sometimes care free. Montag learns to see the brighter side of things and believe in him...
He soon realizes the problems created by burning books, and now finds it hard to reveal his true feelings about the situation. Montag now faces a new external conflict brought upon him by his fire captain Beatty, as he attempts to keep his books and feelings a secret. After seeing a women willingly commit suicide to prevent her from losing her books, Montag begins to reason to himself that books have to hold some power. Captain Beatty, now suspicious about Montag's actions, comes over to Montag in order to teach him a lesson. Beatty claims to know about the history of firemen and explains to Montag more about the downsides of books stating, “I’ve had to read a few in my time, to know what I was about, and the books say nothing!” (Bradbury 58). This quote depicts Beatty, the antagonist of the story, trying to convince Montag that books are dangerous to his society, and can lead to its downfall. Montag though is now set on his new perspective on books and the way of life, which reminds him of his neighbor Clarisse who helped Montag open his eyes to a new world full of possibilities. He suddenly decides to quit his job of a fireman, and live his life solely on gaining knowledge and books, supporting the theme of knowledge versus the influence of
One night, while Montag is walking home from a day's work, he meets this "odd," bright girl, named Clarisse McClellan. As an idealist, she hates the social structure of the society she lives in. She says that firemen once put out fires instead of starting them. Montag thought this to be nonsense. He never thought he was doing anything wrong until he talks to Clarisse, who said that people weren't always afraid of books, that books made people brighter and they couldn't imagine life without them. Books were in the past and they fulfill our life today.
To begin with, Guy Montag is a happy person, however he is now starting to see the world that he’s living in. The author states. “He felt his smile slide away, melt, fold over and down on itself like a tallow skin,” (Bradbury, 9 ). This quote explains that after spending time with Clarisse
She opens his eyes to many things he has never seen or has long forgotten about. She influences him to see more, such as nature and rain. Clarisse shares many of her beliefs and feelings with Guy Montag which causes him to think a lot more about his life and his happiness. She is very persistent on asking him about his job and why he is comfortable burning books. Montag finds himself in devastation after hearing the news that the newest addition to his changing life, his inspirational friend, Clarisse has died in a tragic accident. This causes him to promptly comprehend that life could end at any moment pushing him to grasp onto the understanding that he should pursue what makes him
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.
Clarisse is a young, but intelligent girl that, unlike many children in the novel, was raised with discipline. “I was spanked when i needed it, years ago.” Clarisse said to Montag referring to how she was raised. Kids used to be loving and caring, but now it’s not like that anymore. The world is a dystopia and everyone has lost hope, but Clarisse, her family, a group of hobos who want to join the fight for books, and a secret team of Harvard graduates. Clarisse met a man named Montag, who is a firefighter that burns books down along with the house they were in if the owner of the books refuses to reveal their location. Clarisse walked with Montag, right after they had met, and told him of the many things life has to offer that he doesn’t see because he is caught up in burning books for a living. She caught Montag’s emotions and this is what ultimately ended up with Montag deciding he was going to stop burning books and even help the Harvard graduates memorize and spread the words and knowledge of the books that remain. Clarisse filled Montag with empathy and this changed Montag’s view of life
Montag made the choice to kill Beatty rather than risk his own life due to Beatty trying to arrest him. This choice shows that Montag has reached a point where he no longer cares about the world around him, he has even become okay with murdering others. Montag’s use of a flamethrower to kill Beatty and the mechanical hound, show that Montag is also using the very tool that has kept him confined to an empty life, and is now using that tool to liberate himself from everything he was. While Montag is attempting to escape from the city he nearly gets run over, this on top of his rapidly thinking mind, makes Montag really consider the things he has done and the world that he has lived in. Montag hears on his radio that another mechanical hound has been sent after him, so to escape from the hound and to find the intellectuals that Faber mentioned, Montag waded in a river to mask his scent and travel to the countryside.