I was surprised to see Guy Montag’s personality change throughout the story. In the beginning, he was an ordinary firefighter who had despised books. However, as the story escalated and he met Clarisse, his perspective upon books changed. With Clarisse’s talking and Mildred’s television family, he begins to believe that books are what are missing from his life. His view on books changes from hating them to desiring them. This change surprised me because Montag’s description from the beginning of the text about fire convinced me how deep his hatred for books is. This is significant in the story because it labels Montag as a dynamic character.
Clarisse’s talking is significant to the outcome of the story. Her talking caused Montag to start reading books. This triggered the climax of the whole book. Her challenging Montag and his society’s thinking lead him to change his view upon literature. Even though Clarisse remained a static character, she influenced Montag to open his eyes and see what really is going on in his society. This insight is significant because it makes a connection to our society. Clarisse had certain characteristics that we have today. Since she was regarded as crazy, these characteristics of hers show how our society is different from their dystopian one.
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This is because her questioning of his happiness lead me to think how someone possibly could be happy in a dystopian society. The initial response recorded is significant to the background of the story because it provides information to why their society is crumbling apart. This background foreshadows what happens at the end of the novel. In the end, books would have to rise again and gain their spot above television and the
Montag’s society revolves around ignorance. His job is to destroy knowledge and to encourage ignorance. When Montag met with Clarisse she ignites in him the fact that what he’s doing is wrong. Meeting Clarisse changes Montag’s perspective on things. He starts to listen to knowledge instead of the ignorance of his society.
Montag at the beginning of the book is a person that you could love and hate. Montag was a person who loved his job as a firefighter. To Montag he got pleasure out of burning the books. One of Montag's favorite things from burning the books was he would put a marshmallow and put it on a stick and roast it.When Montag's done and goes home he goes to bed with a smile on his face. Then everything changes once he meets Clarisse.
Clarisse helps Montag realize who he really is and what he believes in. Clarisse and Montag are talking about each of their lives. While Montag and Clarisse are talking “He saw himself in her eyes, suspended in two shiny drops of bright water, himself dark and tiny, in fine detail” (Bradbury
Guy Montag’s character starts off as a representation of a satanic figure living in a destructive society where he burns books for a living. He explained how, “it was a pleasure to burn” (Bradbury, 1) because he belongs to a society that views the elimination of books as a sort of purification or cleansing. Ultimately, the fear of knowledge and ignorant view of the world around this society, leads them to their own death. Keeping books out of the hands of the general population, allows people to follow the norm and to be happy. When meeting Clarisse, Montag begins to realize that he has been living a lie and that he and others are blinded by the lies and live very unhappy lifestyles, which consist of war and misery. Montag states how he “wore his happiness like a mask” (Bradbury, 9) and realizes that he too “was not happy”(Bradbury, 9). Montag lives during a time where couples do not speak to one other, they do not have children and the suicide rates are high. His own wife Mildred comes close
Clarisse’s use of the society had impacted Montag early in the book to change. Clarisse appears to be different than others in the community. Montag meeting Clarisse seems to change his perspective of things in his life. After talking with her for a while he
Clarisse is one of the characters who influenced Montag by showing her own world. Clarisse remind Montag the fireman’s real job. Clarisse said ‘”strange. I heard once that a long time ago houses used to burn by accident and they needed firemen to stop the flames”’ (pg 8). Clarisse is the one of character who read a book in conflict read society. She confused Montag on
Guy Montag is a great example of a modern anti-hero. In the beginning of the book, Guy seemed to be law abiding and did not stand out, but then Clarisse and the house, in which the women burned herself with her books, influenced him greatly. He then rebels in his own silent ways and has great ideas on how to overthrow the firemen, but he does not have any leadership qualities. Guy is also is not good under pressure just like in the situation when Beaty came over the first time to talk about books while they played poker. “Stop blushing. I’m not needling, really I’m not. Do you know, I had a dream an hour ago. I lay down for a catnap and in this dream you and I, Montag, got into a furious debate about books.” (Bradbury, 106) Montag's unheroic
Guy Montag is the husband of Mildred and a fireman who was caught in the world of despair. He was like every other person in the world, without his humanity he,” grinned the fierce grin of all men singed and driven back by flame” (Bradbury 2). The smell of kerosene and burning books made Montag a happy man. Along his way his point of view was changed and his humanity snuck back in. Books were not allowed at all,” But Montag was gone and back in a moment with a book in his hand” (Bradbury 94). Montag wanted to know what they meant and said, therefore the way he was changed. Leaving him a different man than he was before.
The third reason was that Clarisse loved to ask questions. Usually, when something happens, we usually ask “how did it happen?” This is switched around for Clarisse. Clarisse wanted to know “why something had happened.” Montag tells Clarisse, “No, no, ” he said. “It was a good question. It’s been a long time since anyone cared enough to ask. A good question (26.)” I think that she asked many questions because she wasn’t allowed to ask them in school. At her school, students sat down in class and stayed silent. She stopped going to school because they weren’t supposed to talk to each other and ask questions. Basically they watched videos that taught them information. Clarisse hated school and people considered her as antisocial. Another example is that she asked Montag if he has read any of the books that he has burned. I think that Clarisse planted an idea in Montag mind that made him wonder about what was really inside of books. Because of this, he steals a book from the old woman’s house and
Guy Montag is a round character because he changes from a fireman who burns books to stopping others from burning books. He goes to Faber’s house so he can help him understand what’s in books. They talk about helping others understand books because they don’t like the society they live in. “I don’t know. We have everything we need but aren’t happy. Something’s missing. I’ve looked around. The only thing I positively knew was gone was the books I’d burn in ten or twelve years. So I thought books might help” (78). This quote shows that Guy Montag wants to change and learn
I feel Clarisse is introduced as innocence in its purest form a child full of questions. She is a bright light in Guy Montag’s dark life. She is introduced as having a “slender milk white face with gentle hunger and tireless curiosity”. Bradbury goes further and details the color of her dress as it being white as well as the “white stir of her face turning as she almost walks into Montag on the pavement”. Later, in the text Bradbury describes Clarisse’s face as being as “bright as snow in the moonlight”. White is associated with innocence and purity which what Clarisse is in the Guy Montag’s world.
Clarisse helped Montag to start thinking for him-self, instead of letting the society take over and make the decisions for
Clarisse’s role in the novel was a girl, but not just any girl, she inspired Guy to explore the world of books. Her death was important because it made Guy take things for granted, it made Guy think about Faber, she was important to the overall plot because she sparked interest, stirred up conversation. She is a spark of curiosity, “"Do you ever read any of the books you bum?" stirring up Guy’s curiosity, and she has very bright opinions, especially on things that affect her “... An hour of TV class, an hour of basketball or baseball or running,...,... never ask questions, or at least most don't;... That's not social to me at all…” showing how strong of an opinion Clarisse has on
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
But, books were illegal in this day and age, so he must keep the city protected. While watching the senior burn with her books, he learned that these books are so important to some people- there has to be something special about these books. As a result of this, he stole some of her books and took them to his home to read. This example proves that the old lady develops Guy Montag’s character considering he went from being fearful and weary about owning books, to becoming curious and wanting to learn the importance and significance of books. He begins to become intrigued, going against the law and putting his job- and life- at risk.