Fahrenheit 451 Cultural Characteristics From nomadic life to farming settlements, working in the home to commuting, rudimentary education to advanced specialty learning, and equal rights for men to equality for all, the world has undergone exponential numbers of change. Ray Bradbury, an author during an era of the most unprecedented technological advancements, wrote the novel Fahrenheit 451: the story of an intelligent man, named Montag, trapped in a world that has banned books. He, along with the majority of the population, has been programmed into the ignorant mold that the government wants. Montag is quite intelligent but needs a push to reach his potential, and that is where Clarisse comes in. She unintentionally shows Montag what society …show more content…
Most people are unaware of the current events around the world and are numb to emotions. They have no strive to become a genuine person. The culture is simply oblivious. Throughout the novel a war is brought up; however, the descriptions of it are vague. No one knows the reasoning behind the war, who is fighting in it, and when it is happening. Montag is confused about how the civilization has become so unobservant and he says: “How in hell did those bombers get up there every single second of our lives! Why doesn't someone want to talk about it” (Bradbury 69)? It even took Montag many years to notice the war going on just outside his front door. A sense of awareness is completely missing in the day-to-day lives of these people. The society is not only cultured to be uneducated, but they are trained to live life at a fast pace. The readings are condensed into one-sentence synopses to efficiently use their time. Even driving is changed into a speed event; the cars move by so fast that kids play games jumping out of the way of the cars to see who can get the closest to them. Because of the ridiculously fast speed limits, people are unaware of the beauty of the world, as Clarisse says: “White blurs are houses. Brown blurs are cows. My uncle drove slowly on a highway once. He drove forty miles an hour and they jailed him for two days” (Bradbury 6). This shows the lawful consequence of trying to break the shackles of …show more content…
She is a thought-provoking, conversant, and attentive teenager. She enjoys doing things considered unnatural or antisocial compared to the rest of society. While everyone is watching television she is out dancing in the rain or conversing with her family. Without specifically portraying the how Orwellian the world has become, Clarisse gets Montag to realize it. She talks of the past societies, how firemen used to prevent fires not start them, and how: “There's dew on the grass in the morning” (Bradbury 7). This may seem like an average occurrence, but it makes Montag contemplate on if he even knew that. Clarisse gives Montag the spark to revolt against society; she is to Montag what Montag is to Faber. Mildred plays just as big of a role in Montag’s revolt as Clarisse does. Mildred is caught up in society; she watches television every day, hates books, and even attempts to commit suicide similar to many other people. At times Montag feels as if he is not in love with Mildred. She is highly materialistic and can only be pleased through the means of technology. This shows how societies mold has encapsulated and brainwashed her. Because of her tedious characteristics, Montag sees what has gone on under the roof of his own house. When Montag asks Mildred where they met she says: “It doesn’t matter” (Bradbury 40). She is completely lackadaisical which causes Montag to lose it, and go attempt to save the world from
At the beginning of the book, Clarisse acted as Montag's mirror and changed his self perspective. Clarisse challenged societal views and in turn had influenced Montag to do the same. Mildred was a mirror image of what their society had become. And she was an illustration of where Montag would end up if he had not altered his actions. Their society had driven itself to a point of brainwashed mindlessness that eventually caused it to collapse. In the rubble of what society once was is where the rebirth of the human race must start, this can only happen if society is willing to look in the mirror to see it’s flaws and move past them. Bradbury created a world of people who were not willing to look in the mirror to reflect upon themselves; a world of people who had destroyed themselves in effort to avoid disappointment in what they had become; a world that now must spend a long time looking in mirrors to be able to even attempt to make diamonds out of their
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
First, Mildred is the exemplar of a citizen in this dystopian society. She spends her whole day plopped down in front of a television screen with her “family”. She also cannot even contemplate and gets deeply angered whenever Guy asks her questions that call for her to reason deeply and analyze her thoughts. These conclusions are evident by this quote spoken by Mildred, “It’ll be even more fun when we can afford to have a fourth wall installed,” (Bradbury 18). This quote artfully captivates the lack of thought that Millie partakes in which is reminiscent of a child. Despite the fourth wall costing one third of Guy’s income, which would surely make it particularly challenging to pay rent and afford food, Millie still wants to buy it. This shows how little Mildred thinks and cares about the outside world. She does not even posses the freethinking to understand the consequences of such an impulse buy. In contrast to Mildred, Clarisse is engrossed in nature and other ideas that are considered shockingly taboo in this society. For example, Clarisse opens Montag’s eyes to the beauty of the world by introducing him to flowers and long, engrossing conversations, which spark deep thought and analysis. This, ultimately, makes Clarisse a target of the government, as they are afraid of people who think and are different. Clarisse’s free thought is shown by this phrase spoken to
She does not express her views of the world since she spends her days watching and “communicating” with the parlor walls. Because of this, she is very forgetful of personal events and careless of others. Bradbury 40, Montag thinks back to when he and Mildred first met. “The first time we met, where was it and when?” “Why it was at-” She stopped. “I don't know,” she said. Also in Bradbury 49, Mildred states, “..let me alone. I didn't do anything,” as Montag shares his book conflict. This shows how Mildred lacks in thinking and considering the feelings of others. Therefore, she is the opposing side of the theme of the
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
The lost of connections with people, and when people don’t think for themselves can lead to a corrupt and violent society. Thats why in the novel Fahrenheit 451, Montag learns that when thinking for your own self you can achieve your goals. Having connections with other people like Clarisse and Montag is a good thing and not bad. They both learn that thinking different and have a real connection with other people can help society and not turn it into a corrupt and violent society.
People nowadays have lost interest in books because they see it as a waste of time and useless effort, and they are losing their critical thinking, understanding of things around them, and knowledge. Brown says that Bradbury suggests that a world without books is a world without imagination and its ability to find happiness. The people in Fahrenheit 451 are afraid to read books because of the emotions that they will receive by reading them and claim them as dangerous. Bradbury hopes to reinstate the importance of books to the people so that they can regain their “vital organ of thinking.” In Fahrenheit 451, Montag steals a book when his hands act of their own accord in the burning house, regaining his ability to read and think on his own (Bradbury 34-35; Brown 2-4; Lee 3; Patai 1, 3).
In "Brave New World", the main characters, Bernard Marx and John the Savage both slowly come to realize the faults with their societies. In "Fahrenheit 451", Guy Montag quickly discovers that things could be better in his society, because of some unfortunate events. His wife Mildred tries to commit suicide, Clarisse gets killed by a speeding car, and a woman refuses to leave her home and her books when firefighters come. These events force Montag to think about the way things are. He is forced out of his society to live with others like himself who think differently. Marx questions the lack of history that his society has. He wonders about books, banned because they did not encourage the new culture, which had no place for old things. By visiting
Beatty tells Montag how they do this, “‘You can't build a house without nails and wood. If you don't want a house built, hide nails and wood. If you don't want a man unhappy politically, don't give them two sides to a question to worry him; give him one. Better yet, give him none.Let him forget there is such a thing as war. If the government is inefficient, top-heavy, and tax-mad, better it be all those than that people worry over it. Peace, Montag’”(Bradbury 58). Hiding the knowledge make them able to create the world ignorant and oblivious to the world’s problem. They want to make people have an easy life, but fail to see, in the long run, how this could affect their future. The book's climax revolves around consequences of having them could lead to. Montag gets caught by Beatty with his books and spouts out to him how much of an idiot he is, “‘Alone, hell! She chewed around you, didn't she? One of those damn do-gooders with their shocked, holier-than-thou silences, their one talent making others feel guilty. God damn, they rise like the midnight sun to sweat you in your bed!’”(Bradbury 108). Beatty is talking about how Clarisse and her questions made Montag feel guilty about his life. It is true that Montag feels much regret for his life choices, but that is the price for knowing and seeing more. Though it gives the right of freedom for people to have their own
Citizens in the Fahrenheit 451 have a difficult time with critical thinking because they have simply been taught to spit out answers and move on. The central authorities change their rules to make critical thinking a taboo: “It’s a lot of funnels and a lot of water poured down the spout and out the bottom and them telling us it’s wine when it’s not” (Bradbury 29-30). Clarisse struggles with her peer’s lack of critical thinking, and being taught things but not learning their meaning. Without training to think outside the box, students are left with training only to find stale words that are the answer, but have no meaning to them. This in turn leaves society without problem solving skills. Montag also observes Mildred’s friends’ blank minds: “So it was now, in his own parlor, with these women twisting in their chairs under his gaze, lighting cigarettes, blowing smoke, touching their sun-fired hair and examining their blazing fingernails as if they had caught fire from his look” (Bradbury 95). Montag finds the lack of thought in the women to be astonishing. They simply exist, and run through their daily routines without questioning anything. They are nearly clueless without the ability to think critically. Their society lacks depth in different opinions and invention due to their deficiency in critical thinking. Some argue that if we’re all clueless and do not question
In this world society is different. In the novel, Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradburry, Mildred is the wife of the main character, Guy Montag. Society acts robotic, unfeeling, and self-centered all of the time. Mildred was just like all of these other people and society made her this way.
Clarisse’s death majorly influences Montag. Montag notices Clarisse’s absence right away “at first he [does] not even know he [misses] her" but he feels “a vague stirring of dis-ease in him”(Bradbury 36). Montag feels uncomfortable with Clarisse’s sudden disappearance. He begins to wonder about what happened to her, until he learns about her death. Clarisse's death motivates Montag to live life just like Clarisse. Montag believes gaining knowledge from books will make him happy plus understand life better, so he can live it happily and get as much out of it as possible. Montag continues to struggle with what leads Clarisse to be such an unique individual compared to others, but strives to find people similar to her. Montag notices that people view Clarisse as weird and out of place in their society, but feels Clarisse lives the right way while everyone else lives the wrong way. Montag’s life undergoes a major revolution when Clarisse arrives in his life then continues but more dramatically after she
Within a ten-year period, he was okay with his job and content with his work. During the story his train of thought switched up, therefore it causes him to become an enemy of his old self. This action highlights the idea of character vs. self-conflict. To push the action in Fahrenheit 451 even further the author introduces Clarisse, who ends up making Montag question himself even more. Clarisse asking this question makes Montag question himself even further and cause him to think if he is happy with the life he is living now. She even gets him question his relationship with his wife even though Montag and Millie have been married for years, Montag realizes, after the overdose incident, that he doesn't really know much about his wife at all. He can't remember when or where he first met her. Regardless of their differences, the two are pulled in to each other. Clarisse's vivacity is irresistible, and Montag discovers her surprising viewpoints about existence fascinating. For sure, she is somewhat in charge of Montag's adjustment in demeanor. She influences Montag to consider things that he has never thought of, and she compels him to consider thoughts that he has never pondered. If the author of Fahrenheit 451 hadn't added the conflicting thoughts within Montag heads there would be no push for external conflicts in the story. His
Some characters like Montag did not succumb to the ignorance of society. Unlike Mildred characters like Montag believed in the power books and knowledge. Montag was once like Mildred until he met Clarisse; his neighbor. Clarisse was different from anyone Montag had ever met. She made him question his career, his happiness and even his marriage. After talking to Clarisse, Montag realizes he’s been ignorant for his whole life and begins a dangerous search for knowledge. After eventually stealing a book and reading it Montag realized that knowledge is really important. Books symbol knowledge because they provide their readers with information they did not know prior to opening the book. Montag no longer believed that ignorance was bliss “”. Through Montag’s fight for knowledge Bradbury is able to help the readers to understand that people are afraid of knowledge because they fear making mistakes. “You’re afraid of making mistakes. Don’t be. Mistakes can be profited by” says Faber (Bradbury 104). Knowledge is gained from experience. The best and worst sides of Montag were revealed during his journey because he made mistakes and learned from them. At the end of the novel Montag like readers comes to the realization that knowledge and experiences is the true meaning of life.
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 their feelings. By the end of the novel, we can see that Montag is forever changed by Clarisse.