Fahrenheit 451’s Guy Montag, is a fireman who starts his journey as a worker loyal to the government and complying with all its orders. Throughout the novel, Montag goes through the stages of conflict and denial and ultimately sets out to free himself and others from the oppression. He comes to the conclusion that book burning was nothing more than suppressing dissenting ideas for change, which is the principal theme of the novel. This essay argues that Montag’s transformation was largely due to Clarisse’s influence.
Clarisse is a 17-years-old girl whose curiosity drives her to play the Devil’s advocate and make others question their convictions. Before meeting Clarisse, Montag was desensitized to the state brutality and too numb to revolt against the societal order. The neighborhood girl opens his eyes by asking a series of questions, focusing on “why,” instead of “how (Bradbury, 2012).” She is a fish out of water among her peers, and being an outcast makes her immune to peer pressure. Because of her poise and intelligence, the main character is able to break free from his bubble.
However, what was probably the final push for Montag to make a change is learning that Clarisse disappeared. Her company was incredibly precious to the fireman because she embodied the lost beauty of the world engulfed in lies and propaganda. Montag was distraught when she died as he realized that all that was genuine around him was now completely out of reach. It was through this tragedy that the main character was able to awaken from his dreamlike state.
The plot of Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 is set in the dystopian world where books are outlawed and subject to regular state-mandated burnings. Montag’s superficial world is shaken when he meets Clarisse, a girl who is unapologetically authentic, unorthodox, and intuitive. Only a person like Clarisse could make Montag question his decisions, and her disappearance only strengthened his growing angst and dissatisfaction with his way of life.
Reference
Bradbury, R. (2012). Fahrenheit 451: A novel. Simon and Schuster.