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Social foundations of conformity and exploring the reasons for nonconformity
Social foundations of conformity and exploring the reasons for nonconformity
Social factors conformity
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Montag questions his beliefs when he encounters his new teen neighbour Clarisse, who exposes him to what being social really means rather than society’s interpretation.
From one of his first experiences with Clarisse, Montag feels something that he realizes he never felt before in his daily life. He ponders to himself, "How rarely did other people's faces take of you and throw back to your own expression, your own innermost trembling thought?" (Bradbury 8). What Montag is pondering about is how she behaved so attentive and natural towards
“you’re not like the others...when I talk, you look at me. When I said something about the moon, you looked at the moon, last night… the others would never do that… that’s why I think it’s so strange you’re a fireman, it just doesn’t seem right for you, somehow” (Pg 21) Clarisse, 17 years old and crazy really makes Montage question who he is as a person. If it weren’t for her, he might not ever have had the thought to go against the society to do what’s right. This relates to the theme because society is trying to change everyone to be the same but because of Clarisse, Montag realizes questions who he is as a person and learns right vs wrong which helps him to stand up against the bad things that society is doing and do the right thing.
He is shaken by their meeting at first but then finds himself considering her ideas about nature and the other fireman, and he begins to think about straying from his society’s ideals. Montag does not fully accept Clarisse at first, saying to her “You think too many things” (9). Montag becomes uneasy because it is the first time his conformist way of thinking and his obedient actions have been challenged. At the end of their first interaction, Clarisse asks whether he is happy or not. After being caught off guard by her question, he hastily responds that he was happy with his life, and afterward thinks that the question was meaningless and silly.
Clarisse is talking to Montag as they walk down the street. This quote is significant because it shows the point where Montag is turned by Clarisse. He begins to doubt what the government and his friends are telling him. It might not seem like much at the time, but later in the book Montag begins to read books. ii)””A natural error.
Everybody has a point in life where someone reminds them of something they have long forgotten and suddenly everything make sense. In the dystopian novel by Ray Bradbury titled Fahrenheit 451, the curious, sweet girl of the name Clarisse pops the bubble that Montag lives in. Bradbury includes Clarisse in the story to act as an eye opener for Montag. She introduces him to a past where firemen put out fires instead of starting them. Clarisse remains immune to the chatter of television and instead gazes through a kaleidoscope of colors that filters out the dull views of the government.
For instance, in the beginning when Montag is talking about burning things, he compares it to a composer playing symphonies. Now, a composer is typically associated with creating beautiful music, not destruction and burning books. This exemplifies how burning books is thought to be positive and almost a ‘beautiful’ thing. Secondly, when Clarisse is talking to Montag, she mentions how many of her friends have been killed. She brings up this violence as though it is common, which contrasts with how things are now.
Here, Allende communicates some of Eva’s fears regarding Clarisa, she is afraid that the woman she so greatly esteems could actually be a terrible person, and not the saint she makes Clarisa out to be. Eva automatically assumes that Clarisa is a murderer or does not really believe in God, because of the remarks she made, “When I think over my trespasses, there was one that was very grave….” (Allende, 438). This causes the narrator think “if someone ‘saintly’ like Clarisa committed a sin, then it must be a greater than someone who is already basking in sin. “Many expected that at the last moment a significant miracle would occur, such as, the odor of rancid bottles that pervaded the house would be transformed into the perfume of Camellias or beams of consolation would shine forth from her body” (Allende,
(Bradbury, P. 9) Clarisse’s family is different than the normal family; they talk to each other, and let Clarisse be herself. Therefore, Clarisse never lost her childhood ideals. She is still free the think for herself, be kind, and be curious. When Montag meets Clarisse, the two clash in an interesting way.
Every person has something to contribute to society, regardless of age, sex or culture. The measurement of a person’s worth is determined by more than simply following rules and going through the motions. Accordingly, the combined contribution to society is more than the sum of each person. However, in The Chrysalids, by John Wyndham, the people of Waknuk live a life governed by strict social norms, which limits their expression of individuality. This pervasive attitude results in a narrow-minded perspective on what it means to be human.
Clarisse enlightens Montag on the past when people were not afraid to share their thoughts and opinions. Speaking without a filter in her mind, Clarisse immediately connects with Montag. He had not felt like that in a long while as his wife can get caught up in her own mind. Clarisse asks
Clarisse, being those rare people who were knowledgeable was killed by the fearful citizen, who were controlled
It is clear that John Wyndham wrote The Chrysalids as a warning for today’s society, based on the comparisons that are drawn between the society of Waknuk, the Old People, Sea land, and our current society. More specifically, the current technological advancements, the existence of fundamentalist groups, and the slowly changing concept of “freedom of speech”. The events of Tribulation serve as a warning to today’s society. Many current day countries have nuclear weaponry, chemical weaponry, bombs, and other massively destructive tools at their disposal. Comparably, the Old People had very advanced technology and the reader knows that a nuclear war has taken place based on the existence of such extreme mutations seen in both plants and people.
Each day, people make decisions that are influenced by what is considered normal in society. Whether it’s the clothes they wear, the activities do, the things they say, or the way they act, everybody participates in conformity on some level. The archetype of conformity is represented all throughout the short film, Destino, and the Broadway play, Sunday in the Park with George, by showing how one can stay true to themselves despite social norms, how one is forced to conform to social norms within society, and the struggle of attempting to remain true to oneself despite conformity around them. Is it always in one’s best interest to conform to these social norms? Conformity is a concept that is prevalent in society and hard to overcome, but the girl in the dress
In the novel, when Clarisse and Montag are talking, this line is shown: “Do you ever read any of the books you burn?’ He laughed. ‘That’s against the law” (5). The laws that the government enforces are strict and prevent any type of reading. The actions of the people are limited by the law and if the people do not follow the law, they are punished.
