Examples Of Individuality In Fahrenheit 451

Conformity can generate consequences and limit personal judgment. Always agreeing with the mass opinion can indicate that one must take a moment to reflect in order to determine if they actually align with something or if it’s just the popular choice. In Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, the themes conformity and individuality are effectively depicted through characters such as Mildred, the firemen, Clarisse, and Guy Montag. Characters in the novel demonstrate conformity through unquestioning acceptance of society’s beliefs. Mildred, the wife of Montag, demonstrates conformity through her reliance on sleeping pills, unhealthy obsession with technology, and common belief circling books and how dangerous and useless they are. Relying solely on

He has the same beliefs society has, making him the same as everyone else. While at work, Montag asks him if the man who had a library deserved to go to an asylum. Beatty says, “Any man’s insane who thinks he can fool the government and us.” (Bradbury 31) By confirming that the man was insane, he shows obedience to the government and believes they were right to send him to an asylum. Since he assures Montag that the government was right, he agrees that books are evil and having them is a punishable crime, holding that common belief. On a similar note, when he says “the government and us,” he says that the government and him are an alliance. An alliance is a union formed for mutual benefit. Beatty gives obedience to them, and Beatty is content with books being burned in order to sustain a perfect society. Both characters have never once stopped to think about their society being the problem. They both are confronted by Montag, and completely dismiss him because his beliefs don’t align. Mildred and Beatty express conformity by falling into the traps society sets up such as sleeping pills, technology, and destructive beliefs and complete obedience to the

Those who chose conformity did not win because they did not want to win. Individuality wins against conformity because individuality allows for free thinking and knowledge while conformity keeps one limited in knowledge and growth. Conformity and individuality are often seen as opposing ideas, however they are related. There needs to be conformity in order to have individuality. Characters such as Mildred, the firemen, Clarisse, and Montag are used in Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury to accurately portray the themes of conformity and individuality. Without Mildred and the firemen, Montag would not be able to achieve intellectual freedom. Mildred demonstrates conformity by falling into traps such as sleeping pills, technology, and common beliefs about books. Beatty represents conformity through full obedience to the government. Whereas, Clarisse shows individuality through her curiosity about the world and Montag shows individuality through rebellion and desire. These work together to create a captivating narrative that effectively depicts the themes of conformity and individuality, and illustrates what ultimately wins in the