Mildred’s Lack of Real Bond (Fahrenheit 451 Book Review)

📌Category: Books, Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury, Writers
📌Words: 981
📌Pages: 4
📌Published: 23 January 2022

In an article by “Heritage Healthcare,” companionship is described as a basic human necessity that aids in the sense of belonging and mental stimulation of positive thoughts. Companionship is extremely important to the mental state of a person no matter the situation, and the lack of companionship can be distressing even to a housewife in the dystopian novel Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. Mildred is the wife of Guy Montag in Fahrenheit 451, and though she is his wife, they would not be considered companions. As the reader follows Mildred’s path through the story, a simple question arises, whether Mildred is happy or not. Although Mildred has friends and minor connections to characters, she is caught in a state of suppressed depression from the lack of real emotional bond or companionship from anyone of value to her.

The marriage between Mildred and Montag would not be considered a happy one. Mildred shows that she does not feel companionship with Montag and avoids any real conversations with him. There is the moment within the novel where Mildred overdosed on sleeping pills, requiring her stomach and blood pumped out and then back in. Montag says, “‘You took all the pills in your bottle last night.’ ‘Oh, I wouldn’t do that,’ she said, surprised… She was quite obviously waiting for him to go. ‘I didn't do that,’ she said. ‘Never in a billion years” (17). Mildred is in complete denial and dismisses the possibility that she may have overdosed on purpose. Montag is showing he cares about her but she's so emotionally disconnected from Montag that she waits for him to go so she can avoid a deeper connection. Montag brings to attention the fact that neither of them are able to recall where they met. “‘When did we meet? And where?’... ‘It doesn’t matter’’’ (40). Mildred cares so little for the relationship that the small important details escape her, but she does not seem to mind. Montag shows that he thinks the detail is important but she dismissed it because that information is important to relationships of value. The severe emotional disconnect between Mildred and Montag shows that their bond is almost non-existent. Not only that, but the lack of communication just leads Mildred to bottle up her emotions until real sadness starts to form. The obvious absence of companionship between Mildred and Montag is a symptom showing that she is sad. 

Mildred’s lack of companionship creates a void within her, which she tries to fill in various ways. She seems to avoid real connections, instead fixating on material possessions and false senses of being loved. Mildred has already gotten Montag to purchase 3 full wall TVs and is attempting to reason with him why a fourth is needed. “‘It’s really fun. It’ll be even more fun when we can afford to have a fourth wall installed. How long you figure before we save up and get the fourth wall torn and a fourth wall-TV put in? It’s only two thousand dollars.’”(18). Since she does not allow emotional validation from Montag she instead falls into a false sense of belonging from the industrial family portrayed to everyone in the society. She is desperate for socialization and the connections and releases it provides but chooses fake socialization over those who desire true connections with her. Mildred neglects the possibilities of companionship provided to her and instead chooses to pursue validation through false bonds and materialism. It is clear she is not even sure why she feels a need for a fourth wall but has a strong sense of wanting for it. Mildred demonstrates an unhealthy coping mechanism when attempting to help her upset husband. “‘...I always like to drive fast when I feel that way. You get it up to around ninety-five and you feel wonderful. Sometimes I drive all night and come back and you don’t know it…’’’ (61). Mildred is showing how she uses distractions and materialistic things to get her mind off of the reality of her sadness. She even goes behind Montag’s back to just distract herself. Rather than forming meaningful relationships with others, Mildred instead always seems to fill her mind with meaningless and simplistic things to distract from her reality, her sadness.

In the story, the reader sees Mildred at times connecting with friends. Some might argue that in having friends, Mildred has a social life, companionship, and happiness. Indeed, friendships can be a sign of mental functionality, however not in Mildred’s case. These positive attributes of friendship are forfeit when the collective bonding experience between Mildred and her friends centers on materialism and superficialism. Mildred’s friendships instead are mind-numbing, contributing no real emotional relations but instead provide empty promises of support. Mildred lacks any real bonding or expression with her friends, and this can socially isolate a person leading to sadness. This lack of companionship leads to suppressed depression. This is further evident when Montag begins reading his poetry aloud to Mildred and her friends, upsetting Clara. “‘Clara, now, Clara,’ begged Mildred, pulling her arm. ‘Come on, let's be cheery, you turn the ‘family’ on, now. Go ahead. Let's laugh and be happy, now, stop crying, we’ll have a party!’’’(97). Mildred again is avoiding personal and deep conversations. She attempts to fill the abyss with the fake family because it is easier than forming bonds. So while Mildred communicates and socializes to a degree with her friends they offer her no real feeling of support nor emotional bond. And without true companionship with these friends, the reader can see that Mildred is not actually happy, but instead sad.

At first glance, Mildred appears to be happy. She is married to a fireman, has her expensive material belongings and a group of friends. However a deeper examination of Mildred’s character shows that her marriage and friendships lack any sense of companionship and these relationships are shallow and superficial at best. Her desire for material possessions reflects her own emotional emptiness, showing that she is not happy, but rather is sad. Companionship is an essential need, and without real emotional connections or companionship people can get lost in themselves. This can make it near impossible to create positive outlooks, leading to depression and sadness. In Fahrenheit 451, author Ray Bradbury gives an unsettling vision of a dystopian future. A look at Mildred and her lack of meaningful relationships show that it negatively affects her mental health.

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