Fahrenheit 451 - Character Crafter
"And then, Clarisse was gone. He didn't know what there was about the afternoon, but it was not seeing her somewhere in the world. The lawn was empty, the trees empty, the street empty, and while at first he did not even know he missed her or was even looking for her, the fact was that by the time he reached the subway, there were vague stirrings of un-ease in him. Something was the matter, his routine had been disturbed. A simple routine, true, established in a short few days, and yet . . . ? He almost turned back to make the walk again, to give her time to appear. He was certain if he tried the same route, everything would work out fine. But it was late, and the arrival of his train put a stop to his plan." (Bradbury 32)
In this quote, Montag shows how he has become dependent on Clarisse for someone to listen to his thoughts, and how he wants to hear her thoughts about what is happening around them in their town. How did Montag become so connected to Clarisse although he, when they first met, thought she was irrational? Why do you believe he changed that way?
Ashley you are absolutely right! Montag did become dependent on Clarisse, coming from Montag’s perspective Clarisse was an irrational little girl due to the fact that she acts, talks, and thinks so differently than others. Plus there was to a point where it wasn’t even because she did things differently, it was the fact that she did things too much. Montag even said “you think too many things” (Bradbury). She defiantly over did things, Also she said it herself that she was a little irrational or silly; she said “I’m still crazy. The rain feels good. I love to walk in it” (Bradbury). It’s these things that she does in society that makes her stand out and be different and that’s why Montag likes her. He began to like to fact that he had someone to talk to. These weren’t his average talk’s ether, the questions that she asked and things she said really intrigued Montag and by her having such irregular conversation is what got Montag hooked on or became dependent of her. She would say things like “I like to smell things and look at things, and sometimes stay up all night, walking, and watch the sun rise” (Bradbury). In Montag’s society that’s not what’s considered “normal”. I believe by having Montag talking the Clarisse so much is why he changed, he like the way she saw society and how she thought things should be, like in the beginning, Clarisse asked him questions; like didn’t firemen used to put fire out, Instead of starting them? As humans we take interest in things that are abnormal because different is unique and that’s why Montag became dependent of Clarisse, through her unique differences.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great answer Jian! I completely agree with you when you brought up the point about how he began to like the fact that he had someone in his life that he could have intriguing conversations with. I believe that this is the part of the story where Montag began to truly express his long held beliefs and feelings that he could not communicate with anyone else, thus creating a strong bond with Clarisse. The reason he was ignored may been because the people he cherished, for example Mildred, most likely never cared to ask about his opinions when they were slowly becoming addicted to the parlor walls.
DeleteMontag used to think that Clarisse was irrational and foolish by how and what she talked about while they were walking on the street. When they first met each other, she told Montag, "You know, I'm not afraid of you at all" (Bradbury 5). and she bravely asked him if he ever read any books that he burned before. She even said, "Strange. I heard once that a long time ago houses used to burn by accident and they needed firemen to stop the flames" (Bradbury 6). This could have made her seem suspicious by Montag that she might own a book but she wasn't afraid like the others that she was able to ask him and tell him what she knew. Before Clarisse left, she asked Montag, "Are you happy?" (Bradbury 7). which made Montag confused. The things that she have said were odd and dangerous that normal people would not ask anyone especially a fireman like Montag who enjoys his work and feels proud of what he does. Clarisse was definitely strange and odd but she was a positive young girl. As what Jian said in the above comment, the conversation with Clarisse really intrigued Montag that he kept thinking of Clarisse even after he arrived home. One night, he saw happiness between Clarisse and her family in her house. He felt that they were a happy family with good relationship with each other. Montag might have became even more connected with Clarisse after seeing her family because Mildred and Montag did not have a happy marriage. He didn't even have anyone he could talk with like the conversation Clarisse and he had. Clarisse was a positive influence on him which allowed Montag to see the problems that has been going on in his society. She changed how he think and the way he is now. New things were hard to accept and approve for Montag, bu after he accepted Clarisse and her uniqueness, he was able to change.
ReplyDeleteYour usage of several quotes from the text reassures me that you have a lot of evidence for your reasoning and explanations, great job! I really connect with your statement of how Clarisse was a strange and positive young girl. This difference most likely made her stand out to Montag compared to all the other youth Clarisse had described in the text where most of them were just superficial bullies. I also agree with your statement of how Clarisse was a positive influence on him which allowed Montag to see the problems that has been going on in his society. To me, she was the motive for Montag to start putting the pieces together to see what was wrong with the society he lived in.
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ReplyDeleteMontag got caught up in the way Clarisse worked. She stood out from society. Just as Jian and Rebekah previously mentioned, Clarisse was definitely a strange young girl, Montag himself said, “’You are an odd one’” (Bradbury 8). Though, I think that her youthfulness and light-heartedness brought about a different side of Montag. She was an individual soul and it sparked a fire under Montag which ultimately caused him to change his viewpoints on the constant burning of books. Her differentiating traits instigated him to rethink how society worked because he realized society never took any risks or really did anything except agree with the higher authorities. Plus, adding on to Rebekah, the first night he met her he saw her family and her description of them was “like being a pedestrian, only rarer” and said, “Oh, we’re most peculiar” (Bradbury 9-11). This showed him how different society could be, happy and full of intelligent risk takers. A similar comparison to Rebekah’s thoughts, is how there was a void of love and a caring human being in Montag’s life which caused him to want more of what Clarisse and her family had to offer. For example, on page twenty-two, Montag got very defensive when the dandelion didn’t rub off on his chin and made a scene by saying, “’I am, very much in love!’ He tried to conjure up a face to fit the words, but there was no face. ‘I am!’” Here it is noticeable that he was trying to seriously prove his love for Mildred to Clarisse, and essentially himself as well. Although, it clearly wasn’t true love because Mildred was just another lifeless and soulless person that gave great insight into their lifeless and soulless society. Overall, I believe that Montag changed his perspectives on Clarisse because she brought up so much more interests of his, unlike anyone one else he knew. She filled the holes in his heart with affection which before had long been empty. He even said, “How like a mirror, too, her face. Impossible; for how many people did you know her refracted your own light to you?” (Bradbury 11). This suggests Clarisse slightly as a foil of Montag, a good foil. I trust that Clarisse brought out the good in Montag, and he enjoyed that quality.
ReplyDeleteBradbury, Ray. Fahrenheit 451. New York: Del Rey Book, 1991. Print.
Wonderful answer Diana! The points you made were very sincere and veracious, thank you for that. I really can connect with your statement of how Clarisse brought out the good in Montag, and he enjoyed that quality. She changed his mind about the way he perceived books and let him think for himself. Mildred, as you said was just another lifeless and soulless person that gave great insight into their lifeless and soulless society, hardly cared for Montag's opinion at all but only wanted her demands to be filled.
Delete(No Grade) Lovely question. I think along with dependence, it shows his affection for Clarisse. He met her and she was like no one else he had ever met and she really showed him a whole new way to look at the world. Since she was so different he was fascinated before and the more he thought about it the more attached he became to her.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJaSTcmVHYw&feature=kp
DeleteLovely answer. I agree with you to a certain extent Cameron. He was starting to show affection and was intrigued by her at first because she was truly different than everyone else, but I think he was influenced most by how self aware she was. I'm fairly certain Montag has met his fair share of different people who were pro-literature and he thought them to be insane. But I think it was most likely the thought provoking and deep conversations he had with her the night when they met walking that sparked the interest about her within him.