Fahrenheit 451: Change In The World Essay

Society can change for multiple reasons. For example it could the new technological advances made or changes in the ecosystem. When any of those things happen it transforms cultural, social institutions and rules which impact society. The book Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury, shows Montag as a fireman who burns books for a living and lives in a superficial society with his wife Mildred, but he soon starts to observe life differently after speaking with his neighbor, Clarisse.

Mildred has been made self-centered and unfeeling by society. One day, when Montag returns home, Mildred asks “How long you figure before we save up and get the fourth wall torn out and a fourth wall TV put in? It's only two thousand dollars”(18). Mildred is addicted to television and the radio. Mildred lives through the lives of her family on a parlor show, showing her real life is empty and has nothing to do with Montag. Later that day Montag has a vision “Without opening his eyes, her hair burnt by chemical to a brittle straw, her eyes with a kind of cataract unseen but suspect far behind the pupils, the reddened pouting lips, the body as think as a praying mantis from dieting, and her flesh like white bacon”(45-46). Montag's descriptions of Mildred as a praying mantis display Mildred as skinny and unhealthy. The only thing Mildred thrives on is the technology she has around her. In addition, when Montag sees Mildred in a Hotel while a bombing is happening he realizes its over for her saying “Get out run! He saw her in iher hotel room somewhere no in the half second remaining with the bombs a yard, a foot, an inch from her building. He saw her leaning toward the great shimmering walls of color and motion where the family talked and talked and talked to her, where the family prattled and chatted” (152). Montag and Mildred were living through a time when a war was happening. Mildred didnt seem to care and was so caught up watching TV when a bomb struck which ressulted in her death.

Clarisse has an impact on Montag, and she makes him question society and the world around them. When Montag meets his neighbor Clarisse McClellan,“Her face, turned to him now, was fragile milk crystal with a soft and constant light in it”(5). The first time he sees Clarrise, he pictures her as they walk home together. As a firefighter, Montag is used to hot heat, but being around Clarrise, he feels a soft warmth. Later that night, while they were walking, Montag asks, “What's going on? Montag had rarely seen that many house lights. Oh, just my mother and father and uncle sitting around talking. It’s like being a pedestrian, only rarer. My uncle was arrested another time-did I tell you?- for being a pedestrian”(7). Montag is surprised when seeing Clarrisses' family not glued to technology and talking to one another. Clarisse's family and their odd behaviors show how apart they are from the rest of society.  Long after Clarisse has been gone, Montag starts to wonder where she has gone. Mildred says the, “Whole family moved out somewhere. But she's gone for good. I think she's dead. We couldn't be talking about the same girl. No. The same girl. McClellan. McClellan. Run over by a car. Four days ago”(44). Montag is in shock and disbelief hearing the death of Clarisse. Mildred doesn not care one bit and acts like nothing ever happened.

Both Mildred and Clarrise make Montag realize socie that the society he is living in is not what makes him happy, and the certain people he is with changes him. After Montag sees “His wife stretched on the bed, uncovered and cold, as a body displayed on the lid of a tomb, her eyes fixed to the ceiling by invisible threads of steel, immovable. And in her ears the little Seashells, the thimble radio tamped tight”(10). This soon makes Montag reconsider the life he is living. Mildred is always on the bed staring at the TV, which demonstrates their distance. Later, Mildred reports about the stolen books. Mildred walks by Montag, muttering “Poor family, poor family, oh everything gone, everything, everything gone now”(108). Montags fire Captain, Beaty, orders Montag to burn his own house down. While Mildred goes to a taxi while walking by ,muttering “poor family,” she was not referring to Montag but the characters on the parlor show. Montag loses everything, so he goes against the social norm, and commits murder against Beatty the fireman captain. Although Clarisse had lots to Montag, one of the most important things she mentioned was, “You laugh when I haven’t been funny and you answer right off. You never stop to think what I’ve asked you”(6). Clarisse's odd behavior towards Montag caused him to be embarrassed, having him laugh without thought whenever Clarrise would talk. Montag has never been aware of his behavior while around her, which makes Montag think before speaking. After Clarrise leaves, Montag thinks to himself about what Clarrise said about him. He says, “Of course I’m happy. What does she think? I'm not? He asked the quiet rooms” (8). Questioning what Clarrise asked him, he knows that not everything he does in life brings happiness to him, including his job, wife, and  society. Clarisse's abnormal behavior showed Montag to appreciate the simple things in life.