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Parlor Walls In Fahrenheit 451

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The character of Mildred is depicted in the novel as shallow, baseless, and performing perfunctory tasks that offer no stimulus to her husband, Montag. Montag seems to seek a stimulus as evidenced by his dialogue with Clarisse. Clarisse is a catalyst who incites Montag’s newfound perfidy towards this dystopian society. However, Mildred’s character and identity in the novel is essential since she is a glimpse into the society that Bradbury typically keeps hidden. She surrounds herself with her “parlor-walls,” and is comfortable with vicariously living through television as depicted through said walls. Unlike Mildred, Clarisse is vivacious, quixotic, and emotional. This galvanized Montag, and he seeks stimulus from the company of his peers. Mildred, however, is not able to reciprocate the thoughts that Montag wants to convey. This leads Montag to seek answers through other mediums, such as reading, and then …show more content…

Pace in sync with the chiming of the machine, I am out of breath as I race into the parlor and yank the switch to open up the parlor-walls. The room is quiet as I go to stand in the center. The screens are no longer dull gray, and are beginning to flicker to life. With each flicker, my heart beat syncs with the flickers and I slowly become one with the screens. The colors come in slowly. Static spots the screen, in small flashes. At first, it’s just a dull navy that paints the screen, until it’s replaced by a blazing cyan. An almost painfully bright pink joins into the mixture, as more and more swirl in. The colors are dancing, and for once, I feel just fine. They trickle in, until there is a stream, a torrent of just mixtures of hues pour onto the screen. Highlighter yellow pops in, as a thick magenta slowly drips its way onto the walls. A bright green finally twists it’s way in, and the colors are in equilibrium as they join and twirl on the

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