Individualism In Fahrenheit 451

Furthermore, both author’s rely on complicated, round characters to enlighten the protagonist. In Fahrenheit 451, Montag’s perspective on life changes when the values of mainstream society are juxtaposed with Clarisse McClellan, a seventeen year old girl, who does not adhere to society's twisted values. After a single conversation with Clarisse one night as Montag walks home from work, Montag is forced to reevaluate his own beliefs. Bradbury comments,“How immense a figure she was on the stage before him, what a shadow she threw on the wall with her slender body”(9). Even though Clarisse only interacted with Montag for a brief duration of the novel, the impact of her character cannot be stressed enough. Clarisse leads Montag to question not

Unlike his peers, Tommy is prone to violent outbreaks of rage and has an extremely creative approach to art which involves drawing imaginary animals. Throughout his life, he has been victimized by his peers who consider him to be an aberration. Tommy, a free thinker, comes to the conclusion that the purpose of the art from Hailsham is to show the depths of the student’s soles. Intent on showing his individualism, Tommy pursues his own artist talent to great depths. When the truth is revealed, that the contents of his heart, will not liberate him from the donations system, which will take his life, Kathy, while returning Tommy to to the donation center notes,“I was waiting for him to say something about the pictures; it even occurred to me he was working up to another rage, when he’d throw all of the pictures out of the window. But he held the bag protectively with both hands and kept staring at the dark road unfolding before us”(275). In this moment, Tommy holds onto his pictures tightly, showing that he has no intention of relinquishing his own identity to a society which has taken everything else from him. Additionally, Tommy and Kathy both look out into the dark road ahead, which signifies that emanate darkness that their futures are to bring. It is further significant, that for the first time, Kathy realizes that she is in the same boat as Tommy, and this dark

Fire Captain Beatty, throughout the novel, intimidates and frightens Montag with the threat that comes with owning books and possessing knowledge in general. However, in spite of Beatty’s tyrannizing claims his love for books and knowledge cannot be ignored. When Beatty and Montag prepare to burn a woman’s library, the woman chooses to be burned with her books. Afterwards Beatty flaunts his literary expertise and quotes Latimer, saying,“We shall this day light such a candle, by God’s grace, in England, as I trust shall never be put out”(37). This demonstrates the amount of respect that Beatty has for this woman and the value of knowledge. Not only is Beatty well-versed in history, this statement illustrates Beatty’s subtle sympathizes for the woman and reveals that his character is internally conflicted. Yet, Beatty allows for the woman to be burned with her books because the woman could not return to the conformity that society is expected. Montag is receptive to Beatty’s sympathy and becomes acute to the dualities which govern society. When Montag escapes from the town, he liberates Beatty as well. When Beatty fulfills his obligatory duty to halt Montag’s attempt to abscond, the Fire Captain “was a shrieking blaze, a jumping, sprawling gibbering mannikin, no longer human or known, all writhing flame on the lawn as Montag shot one continuous pulse of liquid fire on