Fahrenheit 451 By Ray Bradbury

In Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 he portrays few characters in the story that have a significant impact. They affect the main characters to further the plot and develop character identity. In Bradbury’s future society burning books is considered normal, and education and reading books are intolerable. Montag starts out a fireman who finds immense joy in burning books until he meets Clarisse. Clarisse is a carefree girl who sees nature, not technology in a technology driven society. After one conversation with Montag, she opens his eyes to her view on the world. Where books aren’t so bad, and natural things like rain can be appreciated. Clarisse is a character that would have a huge impact on the plot and on Montag’s view of the world. The views

Montag reflects on his past encounters with Clarisse pushing him further towards a revolt against the government and his society. Going against the government is unheard of in Montag’s society. The acts of rebellion Montag has done for instance taking a book (34). It demonstrates his determination to find out the answers about knowledge the government hides. Clarisse’s presence caused so many little things in Montag to change. He now questions things he doesn’t understand, for instance the big question. Why are they burning books? Montag questions the why’s in their society, a trait he never had before. Throughout the book Montag gives subtle hints that he has had an interest in books before, but had always feared the consequences. When Montag first met Faber, a retired English Professor who gave his number to Montag saying “Put it in your file… in case you (Montag) decide to be angry with me” it was given to Montag to punish him and even knowing that Faber had books he did nothing except keep Faber’s number (71). Montag later went to Faber with a determination to understand what he was reading. In which Faber replies with explaining to him how knowledge is important and that everyone takes it in differently. Clarisse’s effect on Montag causes him to make choices and have thoughts that he used to frown upon. The first thing Montag says is it is “a pleasure to burn” (1). While later on

Montag with the Fire Captain, Beatty and the rest of the firemen went on a call later to be discovered as Montag's house. When arriving aat his house Montag struggles with straying away from his old views and believing his new values. During the time that Beatty is forcing Montag to burn his house. Montag thinks “and as before, it was good to burn…fire was best for everything,” he’s conflicting between his old and new views (110). After Montag burned his house he had a moment of clarity, realizing that all Clarisse had told him had made sense. In that split second Montag made the decision to take matters into his own hands. Montag pointed the flame thrower at Beatty and told him “we never burned right” (113). Relating it back to what Clarisse had told him about how the firemen used to help people put out fires (6). Instead of the modern society where they start the fires. Montag finds himself in a situation of running from his past life and moving towards people who can help him understand and break away from society's rules. At the ending of the book Montag has progressed into a full believing of the knowledge Clarisse had given him. After the bombing of the city, Montag see’s this event as “ ...a time to build up,” and create a new society based on the knowledge each individual possesses (158). Clarisse had given him a strength in which