Fahrenheit 451 Literary Analysis

In Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury introduces two women who influence the life of the main character Guy Montag, a firefighter whose job is dedicated to destroying books. The seventeen-year-old neighbor, Clarisse McClellan, is mentioned first and provides the stimulus for Montag’s new outlook on life. His wife Mildred, whose personality differs completely from Clarisse’s, portrays the second woman who impacts Montag. With their differences, Clarisse and Mildred influence Montag in opposite ways with their words, emotions, and outlooks on life.
Since words can either inspire or degrade a person, the words that Clarisse and Mildred speak impact Montag differently. These women coexist in the same world but have quite a difference with words. Clarisse decides to show the beauty of the world to Montag with expressions that make him think. Within her family, Clarisse communicates and interacts with them in a real-life setting. Her relatives share about society in the past, and they help Clarisse to verbally express her thoughts. Clarisse’s words inspire Montag to ask more questions and to experience a taste of real life. Mildred, on the …show more content…
Montag struggles with his view of how society operates with the burning of books and the oppression of free thought. The major stimulus in his life to motivate this change arose from a young girl named Clarisse. His wife, Mildred, has withdrawn from him, and he tries unsuccessfully to evoke the same emotional responses from her. Even after Clarisse’s death, Montag pursues the new changes he happens to feel. Much of a person’s life is influenced by words, emotions, and outlooks on life. Some people can be positive influences like Clarisse, and others can be negative influences like Mildred. Since it is up to the individual to decide to whom to listen, Montag decided to listen to the