Happiness is an emotion, which makes it subjective, so it is difficult to have a definite meaning for the word. Is happiness just the absence of a negative feeling or is it the feeling of fulfillment and joy? Depending on the person, the answer varies and different activities make different types of people happy. Furthermore, each individual is willing to sacrifice certain materials to bring them joy. Nevertheless, in general, as a society, people sacrifice certain things, like money and time, in order to “make them happy.” In the book, Fahrenheit 451, Bradbury displays varying perspectives on the idea of happiness through several characters and what happiness looks like to each individual, while unintentionally answering the question: What …show more content…
However, Clarisse is unlike the other characters, for she expresses her thoughts and talks about unusual ideas. She is viewed as antisocial, according to the standards of society, yet this is what she is willing to sacrifice in order to truly be content with her life. The interaction between Clarisse and Montag is what kicks off the journey for the rest of the story: “Then she seemed to remember something and came back to look at [Montag] with wonder and curiosity. ‘Are you happy?’ she said” (Bradbury 10). For the first time in a long time, Montag realizes that maybe he is not actually happy, rather he has just been going through life without connecting with how he feels. Montag is willing to give up what is considered societally correct so that he can go on a journey to find what is it that has been making him dissatisfied with his current life. Both Clarrise and Montag sacrifice their reputation in society to have that self exploration, which is what can truly make a person …show more content…
People buy things to achieve a sense of happiness, yet in actuality it is just an imitation of happiness. The fact is, worldly objects and events are not what makes a person genuinely fulfilled. Human brains are not built to make people happy, rather humans are complex creatures that were created to survive and reproduce. Nonetheless, humans are able to feel the sensation of happiness by connecting with other people and experiencing life as it comes. Happiness is not something that is achieved or earned and then lasts a lifetime. Happiness is a state of mind, and without a little bit of all the emotions, people are not able to truly appreciate happiness as it