Category: Character

Simon’s character, was a complete opposite from all the others, because he represented the best of humanity. The Lord of the Flies, was written by WIlliam Golding in 1954, and is about a group of young boys who get stranded on an island, and are forced to create their own society to survive. The main theme of the book is the conflict within all humans between their civilized selves and their natural savagery. Near the beginning of the Lord of the Flies, Simon is a positive boy who always tries to keep the peace, but towards the end, Simon becomes solitary and introspective.

At the beginning of the book, Simon is a happy boy who is at heart the best humanity has to offer. One of the earliest times we see Simon’s true goodness, is when the shelters are being put up and no one else is helping Ralph, except for Simon. “All day I’ve been working with Simon. No one else.” From that we see that Simon is truly a great person, and even though he’s not the strongest, and is prone to fainting he still helps out, because he has a desire to help people. We also see Simon’s desire to stand up for people and keep the peace. We see this early on in the book when he stands up for Piggy. “We used Piggy’s specs…He helped that way.” Piggy is a character who is made fun of occasionally by the other boys and sometimes even ralph, but Simon is different from the rest, and here he stood up for Piggy. Simon started out as a happy caring person, who wanted to help everyone.

Towards the end of the book, Simon becomes like a stranger and more secluded. We see Simon starts to become more isolated, when he tells Ralph and Piggy that he likes to wander in the jungle by himself. “I wanted–to go to a place…just a place I know. A place in the jungle.” This quote shows us that Simon likes to go off by himself in the dangerous jungle, because he doesn’t want to be around the other boys. At the end, Simon is the only boy who sees the downfall of the boys coming. “Maybe there is a beast… Maybe it’s only us.” It is seen from here that Simon could already see the evil that was coming out of the boys, and he alone knew what they would become. At the end of the book, and overall the end of his life, Simon became the example of the good in humanity, but even then he was still killed by the other boys savagery.

At the beginning of the book, Simon is a happy cheerful boy who stands up for everyone, but towards the end of the book, he becomes sadder as he realizes the dark path the other boys are going down. Simon shows his goodness early on when he stands up for Piggy, and is the only one helping Ralph build the huts. We start to see Simon become more solitary when he tells others that likes to walk out into the jungle by himself, and we see him become more introspective and sad when he suggests that maybe the beast is within the hearts of the children. Simon’s character and his development are meant to represent the perfect person, and how that person can’t survive when surrounded by the savagery of others, and we see this become a reality when Simon is brutally murdered by the other children.

In a world where technology has taken over and freethinking and information from books is prohibited, how does one carry on with their life? Fahrenheit 451 gives us that giving technology a chance to assume control over us can prompt some detrimental results. Throughout Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury utilizes various instances of symbolism to show character advancement and to feature major themes.

One of the most noteworthy antagonists in the novel, The Hound, symbolizes the perils of technology and modernization. When Montag claims that The Hound does not like him, Beatty states, “What the hound?” he says, “Come of it. It doesn’t like or dislike. It just ‘functions.’ It’s like a lesson in ballistics. It has a trajectory we decide on for it. It follows through. It targets itself, homes itself, and cuts off. It’s only copper wire, storage batteries, and electricity.” The author uses this quote as and example of irony to feature what is normal in this society. The Hounds behavior is similar to the rest of society. Mentally programmed, dehumanized, and all following propaganda that they believe to be true. Another example is when. Montag came across the mechanical hound again, the text states, “Montag slid down the pole like a man in a dream. The mechanical hound leapt up in his kennel, his eyes all a green flame.” This quote shows how The Hound symbolizes how the society is under constant surveillance. The Hound is always alert. The entirety of the statements above show how The Hound symbolizes dehumanization and consistent reconnaissa

Books are a repetitive point in the novel. Books symbolize the knowledge that the government is repelling. The society longs for this knowledge, wondering what could be in books that makes them worthy of being hidden so carefully. We see the first example of this when Montag is talking to Millie about what happened at the house when the woman burned herself. Montag states, “There must be something in books, something we can’t imagine, to make a woman stay in a burning house; there must be something there. You don’t stay for nothing.” This quote shows how Montag is scarred from the woman burning herself. He longs to know what is in the books, what knowledge makes them so special. Another example is when Montag is talking to Professor Faber, Faber states, “Books were only one type of receptacle where we stored a lot of things we were afraid we might forget. There is nothing magical in them, at all. The magic is only in what books say, how they stitched the patches of the universe together into one garment for us.”

This quote shows how books symbolize the knowledge that keeps everyone together. Without books everyone is dehumanized, uneducated, and flushed of all emotions that makes them human. Every quote above shows how books symbolize knowledge being kept sacred, and how books show the topic of connecting pieces in society.

All through Fahrenheit 451, fire is used to symbolize destruction. We see the first evidence When montag is explaining how much he likes his job, Montag states, “It was a pleasure to burn. It was a special pleasure to see things eaten, to see things blackened and changed.’ This quote shows how fire is a symbol of destruction. Montag elaborates on how he likes to see fire consume objects, blacken them, and destroy them. The next quote that is seen is when Beatty is talking to Montag whilst making him burn his whole house down, Beatty states, “Now, Montag, you’re a burden. And fire will lift you off my shoulders, clean, quick, sure; nothing to rot later.” This quote shows Beatty using the word fire in a negative connotation, he uses it to threaten Montags destruction. This altogether shows how fire is used as a symbol of destruction in the novel.

All of the examples used above are evidence that show that fire is used as a symbol of destruction through Fahrenheit 451.

Taking everything into account, Bradbury utilizes numerous instances of symbolism to show character advancement and improvement just as to feature significant topics all through Fahrenheit 451. The Hound symbolizes constant surveillance and dehumanization. The Hounds behavior is always alert, and it simply acts the way the government wants it to. Books represent knowledge being kept sacred from us. They are the piece that holds society together, and without them everything seems to fall apart. Fire represents destruction, destroying and blackening everything in its path, leaving nothing behind.Montag’s opinion of fire changes at the end of the novel when he sees that it can also be used to provide warmth and is not only used to destroy things. Fahrenheit 451 gives us that without freethinking and information, we would not have the option to work as typical people. Is it really worth letting technology take over only to lose the ability to be a freethinker and live on your own means?

Throughout this essay, I will discuss the presentation of Juliet in Shakespeare’s play “Romeo and Juliet.” I will firstly discuss Juliet’s character traits, secondly her relationship with other characters, and finally, examine how Juliet’s character has changed throughout the play?

In act 2 scene 2, after meeting Romeo at the Capulet ball, Juliet seems to be cautious before she falls in love with Romeo. The repetition of Romeo’s name, “O Romeo, Romeo”, with the constant caesura shows her wonder of why she had to fall in love with an enemy; the Montagues. Also, this showing her intelligent trait, as she seems measured and considerable of the consequences, making the forbidden love more endearing. In addition to this, the tripling of “too rash, too unadvised, too sudden” suggests she is cautious and smart. A reason for this is that she is aware the love is dangerous physically and mentally, questioning whether it has been rushed. The simile using imagery of lightning, “too like lightning” suggests Juliet uses her intelligence to acknowledge the fact that their love may not be genuine and has come and gone too quickly like a bolt of “lightning”. Juxtaposing the cautiousness she has of their love; she is also a passionate lover as the metaphor “My bounty is as boundless as the sea” suggests her love and loyalty is never-ending and she continues to show her love towards Romeo nevertheless. However, she is rather controlling when it comes to the relationship considering the commanding imperatives “Hist, Romeo, hist! O for a falconer’s voice, To lure this tassel-gentle back again.” The imagery of bird-related to Romeo suggests Juliet has control over the relationship. This also suggests that love is brutal and is captive. Furthermore, Juliet seems estranged as she refers to the allusion of “Echo.” Therefore elucidating the impression that her character is lost and longing for something more; the greek mythology related to abandonment. The imagery of “a wanton’s bird” also suggests Juliet has a predominant nature; she keeps Romeo close to her in order to get what she wants.

Juliet is also very loyal. In act 4 scene 1, she has no other choice but to marry Paris, however, her passion and loyalty overrule this decision made by her parents; “O bid me leap, rather than marry Paris.” She frequently repeats the words “O bid” throughout her speech to emphasize her purity and being pure as a wife. Her hyperbolic nature of declaring her loyalty through “bid me lurk Where serpents are; chain me with roaring bears”; listing every possible danger she’d rather do than to be pronounced unfaithful to Romeo. In addition to this, in act 3 scene 5, Juliet marks her loyalty by announcing “If all else fail, myself have the power to die.” the emotive language, assonance, and caesura combined to give the audience a slower rhythm to express the sadness she feels for Romeo’s banishment. Considering she is willing to die for Romeo she emphasizes her loyal and passionate nature.

Secondly, her relationship with her parents; especially her mother, is quite distant and cold. Their relationship is very formal considering the discussion they have with each other in act 1 scene 3; with Juliet referring to her mother as “Madam” rather than mother and Lady Capulet rephrasing her command with the Nurse to be left alone with her daughter to discuss marriage only to remember the Nurse has a closer bond. Therefore elucidating the impression that their bond isn’t tight enough to have that discussion. Shakespeare deliberately juxtaposes the coldness from her mother with the affection and care from the Nurse as she refers to Juliet with appealing imagery “What, lamb? What, ladybird!.” the use of imagery suggests an informal relationship and a caring one as the nurse refers to Juliet as delightful creatures. Also, the exclamatory tone suggests she cares for Juliet’s whereabouts and; “God forbid, where is this girl?” Referring back to the formal relationship between mother and daughter, in act 3 scene 5 Juliet’s loving and passionate nature is replaced with cunningness as she persuades her mother that she is grieving over her cousin’s death. The rhetorical question used “Evermore weeping for your cousin’s death? What, wilt thou wash him from his grave with tears?” suggests the miscommunication between the two. The dramatic irony and metaphor of “thou wash him from his grave with tears” also suggests Lady Capulet misread Juliet’s tears because of course, she is grieving for Romeo being banished and that Lady Capulet makes a remark that Juliet is being false “some grief makes much of love, But to much grief shows still some want of wit.” Despite all this, her trust in the Nurse is lost after she tries to persuade her to marry Paris; the Nurse describes Romeo as “a dishcloth to him.”

It is clear that Romeo and Juliet share intimate feelings and express them with emotive and hyperbolic language. However, in act 3 scene 2, Juliet is conflicted between Romeo’s dual identity using oxymorons to identify his satanic qualities “O serpent heart hid with a flowering face” and “beautiful tyrant, fiend angelical! Dove-feathered raven, wolves-ravening lamb!.” All with a Biblical reference to satan; meaning Juliet doesn’t know Romeo as well as she thought due to his hidden identity. The oxymorons describing her physical attraction to him however his personality is hidden behind his innocent appearance. Nevertheless, her commitment overrides this as the beginning of the end in act 3 scene 5 states with emotive language to create sympathy, “If all else fail, myself have the power to die.” The foreshadowing of this creating suspense for the audience as they know Juliet’s loyal nature will be established in the denouement.

Lastly, Juliet’s character faces many challenges throughout the play forcing her character to change towards the denouement. In act 1, Juliet is very much an innocent girl who abides by her parent’s rules. She has no intentions of marriage at a young age, even though she has no choice but to do so; “It is an honor that I dream not of”. The variation of assonance, and I suggest Juliet’s tone varies and speed varies meaning she is miserably certain of her announcement not to marry. However she changes her mind and decides to try marriage as she is powerless; “I’ll look to like, if looking liking move.” The paraphrasing suggests acceptance to the offer and that Juliet will give her mother benefit of the doubt.

In act 2, there is a transition from an innocent young girl to an independent and intelligent young woman as she becomes more intimate with Romeo in Act 3. Her independence shows as she differentiates from a stereotypical lady in courtly love. The simplicity of “Dost thou love me?” suggests the rituals have overturned and that Juliet is the one declaring her love for Romeo. It also suggests fragmented deliberation of which she is confused about her feelings for him. Also, she refuses to fake love as she refers to courtly love rituals “I’ll frown and be perverse and say thee nay.” This suggests she is aware that courtly love is fake and she is sworn to honesty. She also differentiates by emphasizing her choice of opinion that cannot be changed “But trust me, gentlemen, I’ll prove more true.” the frequent use of caesura makes Juliet a more measured character by slowing the pace down making the audience take her seriously.

In act 5, it is evident that the challenges she faced have shaped her character towards the end being a more loyal and compassionate character for the audience to emphasize with. She uses emotive language towards the end to further convey her love “I will kiss thy lips, Haply some poison yet doth hang on them, To make me die with a restorative.” this makes the denouement more dramatic as she dies knowing they shared one last kiss.

Robinson Crusoe prayed to God to help him survive his illness and he also repented to his sin because of his past doings; as he had quarreled with his family and pursuing his dreams. He regretted it because he was being put into danger and realized that if he obeys his parents in the first place, his life would not be in danger. Like, the Doctrine of Repentance by Thomas Watson (1668) has the same theme as Robinson Crusoe, it said that repentance is least used but can be remembered when things are tough. As well as to Robinson, when his life is in danger and all things are tough he realized to pray and repented of the sins he made. Also Repentance: A Daring Call to Real Surrender by C. John Miller, (Miller, n.d.) Repentance begins at conversion. Robinson realized his past doings that is why he prayed to the Lord and ask for forgiveness. He is converted and denying his bad doings. But repenting of the sins is not for a moment but an ongoing attitude. We may see how brave Robinson is, he was able to fight for his safety even his life is crucial and was surrounded by unknown people. But because of his faith and his relationship with God, he was able to repent and express his feelings to God. Lastly, by the book, Recovering Redemption: A Gospel Saturated Perspective on How to Change by Matt Chandler (2014), how better person and brave we are there’s something that we cannot do but only God can. One thing that we cannot do alone is repentance. Without a relationship with God, repentance is useless. So to have true repentance, we should have first a relationship with God.

Human beings are “social animals” and therefore naturally seek the companionship of others as part of their well-being (Aristotle, 382-322 BC). In 28 years, Robinson got stuck on an island. Together with the other guys, they were on a journey in a ship and met a storm that only Robinson survived and led him to an island far from civilization. For almost 25 years, he lived alone, conversing with no one but a parrot that he trained himself. Humans are social animals, they need to communicate since it is a fundamental need for human beings and Robinson wasn’t able to do that for 24 years which made it absurd. We evolved as social animals, and with that evolution of social behavior, came the need to communicate (Rikke Dam, 2017). “No Man is an Island” is a poem by John Donne that states mankind’s connection is in one large structure, and the absence of one small part would render us incomplete (Ethan Ahlstrom, 2017) yet Robinson survived without the presence of co-species for more than 2 decades. There are many things we fail to realize the true value of until they are missing from our lives (Ashle Fern, 2013). In 26 years of Robinson’s living, never did he appreciate what he had before it was too late. He was sick at that time when he prayed to God to help him survive his illness and realize how lucky he was to possess things he used to have and how lucky he still is because Providence still gave him a chance to repent and regret his past doings. He never thanked nor apologized to God for giving him blessings not everyone was blessed to have. It never occurred to him that he was so lucky to live a life like his before he got stuck. Regrets and gratefulness filled his heart.

The novel “Robinson Crusoe” shows Robinson Crusoe, an Englishman, whose faith in God is frail from his journey to wealth and power but has been strengthened in his isolation on an island for twenty-eight years. This change in character is a strong depiction of how important change is to a person (Mekler, 2016). When Crusoe got stranded on the island, he underwent both changes in which he is in control and he is not. His isolation was not in his control, which made him adapt a lifestyle to the wild, and this is good. Uncontrollable external changes make a person more flexible to any situation, more understanding of what is now, and are more prepared for an uncertain future (Pettersson, 2015). Also, the change within his heart which is his willingness to be more open to God in guiding him on the island is salient. This realization of something is a change a person has full control of and can pinpoint weaknesses in him to be a better person (Pettersson, 2015). Being mentioned in the novel that Crusoe survived for twenty-eight years being alone is pure fiction. Human beings are naturally social, and it is unhealthy to not be with other human beings for the need of companionship and communication (Dam, 2017). Loneliness is unhealthy for it increases blood pressure and weakens the immune system; it makes a person vulnerable to addiction; and distorts his thinking towards other people, making him feel unreal emotions like being unloved but in reality is loved by people around him (Zetlin, 2015). During his stay on the island, Crusoe found faith in God and repented his past actions of being proud and materialistic. This is a good realization especially to those who are lost in their “own islands”, searching for a treasure that isn’t true wealth, and happiness that does not bring the true smile. Robinson Crusoe was extremely materialistic at the expense of his spiritual religious faith and morals (Fowler, 2018), but his internal conflict of material desire and faith shows the start of change when he washed ashore to the isolated island; finding faith in God and still holding to his worldly wealth. Crusoe is a unique individual; someone who has faith but at the same time materialistic; on the island was his darkest time, but it is how he reacted to it that matters. He turned back to the Lord, placed his trust fully in Him, and his faith grew deeper (Diaz, 2019), witnessing the miracle of having Friday and seamen who came and gave him a ride back home to England, showing that indeed, God’s works are done in mysterious ways.

Most people know what a fireman’s job is. Common knowledge is that they put out fires and occasionally rescue a pet that’s stuck on top of a tree. In Fahrenheit 451, firemen are a special group who are tasked with burning books and people who read them. Fahrenheit 451 is set in the future, in an American city that is not named. The main character of the story is called Guy Montag, a fireman who rebels against his society after opening his eyes to its horrors. Ray Bradbury, the author of the book, develops Montag’s character through the use of his societies flawed traditions and politics.

The beginning of the novel begins with Montag walking back home from work. On the way there he has a chance encounter with a girl named Clarisse. Ray writes as if Montag has already sensed her presence before laying eyes on her. The girl is unlike anyone Montag has ever met. He describes her gaze as having “a kind of gentle hunger that touched over everything with tireless curiosity.” This look has to be especially rare for the firemen to have to note in his head. This foreshadows how Clarisse is unlike everyone else in the city. Clarisse asks montag if he is fireman and he confirms.

Readers can note a difference in these two as they speak. Even Clarisse points it out that Montag never stops to think what she asks her and answers right off. Clarisse being an odd member of montag’s society is like Ray Bradbury’s way of showing how an outsider would perceive these people. This shows that many people don’t really have meaningful conversations in the city. Clarisse also points out that drivers drive extremely fast so much so that everything is a blur when they drive. This is the norm because Clarisse’s uncle was jailed for two days for driving 20 miles an hour.

Clarisse also reveals a lot of other abnormal things that happens in Montag’s society that the fireman considers normal and doesn’t even think about. Like how there are 200 foot long billboard ads because cars rush so fast that the advertising had to be stretched for it to last. Clarisse asks Guy one last question as their conversation ends “Are you happy?” Montag thinks about this question at home, his eyes moving up towards a ventilator grille in the hall. The author implies that something is hidden up there but doesn’t really get into what exactly it is. As he goes to sleep Montag repeats to himself that he is not happy.

The author states “he wore his happiness like a mask”. This shows that montag has not been happy this entire time, and has instead been acting as if he was. Clarisse takes off montags mask of happiness, and the author alludes to montag never being able to get it back. Montag goes home to see his wife in a bad state. As he stands there jet bombs go off In the distance but montag does nothing but call the hospital for his wife Mildred. There he finds out that she overdosed on sleeping pills.

We also learn that overdosing is extremely common in the society of Fahrenheit 451 and that there are multiple cases every night. People In montag’s society also do not interact with each other much as Montag says “There are billions of us and that’s too many. Nobody knows anyone.” This goes back to what Clarisse was saying how no one listens to what anyone says. Montag overhears Clarisse’s uncle say “this is the age of disposable tissue.” This means that in montag’s society people merely use each other, and move on after they’re done. Just like how one uses a tissue and throws it away after sneezing. After this the author gives some insight on guy Montags and mildred’s relationship.

Mildred doesn’t do anything but watch the people In the rooms who’s walls are television screens called the parlor. She calls the people In the screen her family. She acts distant to Montag and doesn’t talk to him much except to ask about installing a fourth screen in the room even though they only recently installed the third. The author depicts the twos relationship a lot in this book to explain just how disconnected people are to each other, even married couples like Mildred and montag. Montag can’t rightfully seem to love her and a major part in the story is him trying to remember when they met.

A major symbol in the story is when Clarisse tells Montag that if he rubs a dandelion under his chin and it rubs off it means he is in love. When Clarisse does this to montag it doesn’t rub off meaning montag has no love for Clarisse. This is just another way of the author stating that montag and Clarisse have no emotional bond other than the title of husband and wife. Montag tries to make it work with Mildred attempting to confide in her his secret stash of books and telling her that he is unhappy with life. Mildred however is cold, only caring about her belongings and that the family will be burned if montag gets caught. Mildred calling an alarm on Montag is the final straw of their relationship.This betrayal officially pushes Montag to his breaking point and make him realize that his old life is over and he can never get it back. On the way there In the silence Montag begins to think of what Mildred would say if She was with him in the country. He realizes that Mildred would probably tell him to shut up and this makes him sad.

Montag suffers in this society because he doesn’t feel truly happy. He thought being a fireman made him happy, but when the old woman died protecting her books he realized that this wasn’t what he truly wanted. If people died standing up for their books, montag realized it must have meaning. Before the old woman dying montag had already been subconsciously stealing books and stashing them in his ventilator grille. He even admits to this multiple times by saying the hands are doing it, and he can’t stop. This is Ray Bradbury showing readers that even though Montag physically and maybe even mentally at one point was acting like the rest, he was always subconsciously against the society that he lived in.

When Montag finds out Clarisse dies, coupled In with the fact that his wife is slowly trying to kill herself by taking sleeping pills, he realizes that books must be the solution. Montag begins to pick up on the flaws of his society that he hadn’t seen before and begins to detest the parlor. He calls on a retired college professor who he had met in the past to help him understand what he is reading and retain it. On the way there he attempts to read the Bible he had stolen on the train, but the blasting ads called denihams dentriface prevent him for keeping any of the information. Montag gets mad and screams in the train before going to Faber’s house. Montag tries to get Faber to teach him, but the old man is reluctant because the fear of getting caught. Montag threatens to rip out the pages of the only remaining Bible In the world if he doesnt help him and Faber agrees. Many intellectuals like Faber are forced into hiding because knowledge and information is not preferred in their society. The Faber’s and Clarisses of Fahrenheit 451 have to be secretive otherwise they risk the chance of losing their lives. Faber reveals to montag that all this time he has been wanting to speak up and rebel but he didn’t because he was a coward. Faber and montag come up with a plan to destroy the fireman by the inside by planting books In their homes and sounding the alarm.

Their plan falls apart, however, when Mildred turns an alarm in on Montag. Beatty shows up to Montag’s house and forces him to burn his own house. Montag enjoys burning the house especially the parlor room which most people in his society enjoy the most. Montag grabs the flamethrower from Beatty and points it at him, but the captain of The Firemen continues to tease him. Montag kills him, and reasons in his head that Beatty wanted to die. Montag escapes from the authorities and goes to the outskirts of the city where he joins a team of cast out intellectuals. Towards the end of the story when Montag leaves the city he began to reflect more on his relationship with Mildred. He tries to bring up the memories of them interacting but can only remember her watching television and is concerned that he doesn’t miss her. He is reassured by granger however that he shouldn’t feel bad because people only miss people that have shaped something In the world.

The author shows the complete growth of montag when he remembers the question his been thinking about since the start of the book. Where did he meet Mildred. This is like the author’s way of showing that Montag has finally left the mindset of the flawed society. He remembers that he met Mildred in Chicago. Montag also begins to remember the Bible and the words start coming to his head easily. This is also very significant because earlier in the book, Montag could not retain what he read but now after getting away from the city he is able to recall everything. Along with granger and the other band of intellectual outcasts he goes with them to rebuild the city and teach the remainders of the society.

What if you lived your whole life without ever getting to know anyone in the world? What if you could never have a meaningful conversation with anyone at all? Human connection is a prominent theme in “Fahrenheit 451” because it shows the reclusive reality that the main character, Guy Montag, lives in. Although socialization is one of the most important aspects of life, it is not accepted in the society of “Fahrenheit 451”. In Montag’s world, futuristic devices have interfered with face-to-face conversations. Modern technology has even affected his relationship with his wife. Without human connection, there would be no meaning to life.

Montag and his wife, Mildred, are not like your average married couple. Montag and Mildred are socially disconnected. Mildred is too occupied with entertainment and her addiction to sleeping pills, so Montag never gets to properly talk to her. Soon, Montag realizes that his wife is like a stranger to him, so he decides to ask her a sincere question. “The first time we ever met, where was it, and when? ‘I don’t know,’ she said” (Bradbury 40). At this moment, Montag realized that he didn’t know anyone in this world, let alone his own wife. It’s as if they haven’t spoken in years. When Montag gets caught for reading books, Mildred runs away like a coward. “She shoved the valise in the waiting beetle, climbed in, and sat mumbling, ‘ Poor family…, oh everything gone, everything, everything gone now…’” (Bradbury 108). In this quote, Mildred leaves Montag behind after ratting him out to the firemen for hiding books. She shows that she doesn’t care about Montag and she stands with the government’s rules. Montag had confided in Mildred with his biggest secret, but Mildred never trusted him. Their relationship shows that the social construct in “Fahrenheit 451” is introverted.

Clarisse McClellan is a critical character who makes Montag understand the truth about socialization in their world. Clarisse is a curious girl who took the time to observe the environment around her. She mentions several times that no one ever talks about anything during her conversations with Montag. When Montag asks Clarisse why she isn’t at school, she says “ ‘Oh, they don’t miss me,’ she said. ‘I’m antisocial, they say. I don’t mix” (Bradbury 26). To Clarisse, being social means paying attention to people and getting to know them. This quote shows that the kids her age think that socializing is bullying, sitting around, and never asking questions. Montag thinks back to a time when Clarisse’s uncle told her about front porches. They were removed by architects a long time ago, and he told her about the reason why. Clarrise tells Montag “the real reason might be that they didn’t want people sitting like that, doing nothing, rocking, talking; that was the wrong kind of social life” (Bradbury 60). When Clarisse mentions “they”, she is implying that a higher authority, like the government, didn’t want people to enjoy talking with others. This was most likely the reason that they burned books. They didn’t want the people to expand their imagination, because then it would give them something to talk about.

Technology has made a big impact on human connection in real life and in “Fahrenheit 451”. The technology in the novel is advanced and it is designed to keep people occupied, which completely terminates the human connection. Montag is often annoyed when he comes home to his wife listening to the seashell radio tamped in her ear every day. He wishes that he could talk to her, so he thinks “Why didn’t he buy himself an audio-Seashell broadcasting station and talk to his wife late at night, murmur, whisper, shout, scream, yell. But what would he whisper, what would he yell?” (Bradbury 39). In this quote, Montag thinks that even if his wife wasn’t focused on technology, he wouldn’t know what to say to her. The seashell radio was her escape from reality. Another source of technology is the parlor walls. Faber explains the purpose of the walls to Montag when they talk about the importance of books. He says “The televisor is ‘real’. It is immediate, it has dimension. It tells you what to think and blasts it in. It must be right” (Bradbury 80). In this quote, Faber interprets the parlor walls as devices that feed you information so fast that you have no time to think about its accuracy. The parlor walls isolate citizens because they can directly interact with them instead of other people around them. It creates a whole new world for the viewer to live in. Entertainment can prevent us from making healthy social relationships. Technology in this world is just another permanent barrier to face-to-face conversation.

Human connection is a significant issue in “Fahrenheit 451” because it presents a real and relatable message about the modernization of the world. Seclusion became the standard in Montag’s world. Making conversation and being curious was not widely accepted. Most people who wanted to learn real knowledge from books were shut out of society. They were viewed as antisocial. In some ways, our environment is very similar to the “Fahrenheit 451” world. Although human communication is a very crucial skill, it is something that the story lacks.

In Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, the motif of silence is used to symbolize society as lacking essential factors to be an accomplishment. In the novel, for example, Montag‘s wife, Mildred, overdosed on sleeping pills. Montag called the emergency hospital, and they brought a machine to pump out Mildred’s stomach. When the machine was being described, “Does it drink of the darkness? … It fed in silence with an occasional sound of inner suffocation and blind searching” (Bradbury 12).

While it appears that only the machine is facing darkness, suffocation, and blind searching, it is truly symbolizing the society. The darkness represents a dead period in society, silent in that nothing is coming from it, empty and without value. The society is searching blindly for a way to be successful, but are failing at their attempt by burning books. To begin, the motif of silence is originally dead and suffocating, without any noticeable hope. It is evident that much needed to be accomplished in order to get the society back to a neutral point with all of its needs met.

Additionally, in an idea within the text, Montag asks questions about the existence of books while on the phone with Faber, which were to be burned if found. When Montag attempted to call Faber, “Montag identified himself and was met with a lengthy silence” (Bradbury 71). Montag was faced with silence, which is a motif used in the novel repeatedly. Not only is Montag met with silence on the telephone, but views society as silent as well, without individuality and controlled completely, and the absence of a complete society. The motif of silence evolved into being lesser, because it was not an everlasting silence, only lengthy, with more hope than that was present earlier.

In order to have a fully functioning society, silence must not exist at all. In another instance, Montag listened to the conversation of his wife, Mildred, and two other women, who were talking about their husbands and kids. But, looking at them caused Montag to have flashbacks from when he was a child. After Montag recalled memories while listening to the women, “Lighting cigarettes, blowing smoke, touching their sun-fired hair and examining their blazing fingernails as if they had caught fire from his look. Their faces grew haunted with silence” (Bradbury 92). In this example, fire is repeated multiple times, relating to the fires in which books were being burned. In this quote, once fire was caught, silence became the reality. Symbolically, the society became dead once books began to be burned. Because of the lack of books, society is lacking and cannot function properly.

Finally, the motif of silence has evolved because there is much more hope. The root cause of the silent society is now evident, the cause being the burning of books, which appear to be very important. In the novel Fahrenheit 451, a main idea portrayed is that in order to have an acceptable society, there must not be crucial aspects which are absent.

In dystopian stories, characters, who are scarce in ego, are ignorant about the society which surrounds them. In Fahrenheit 451, a fiction book written by Ray Bradbury, the protagonist, Guy Montag experiences challenges in this cataclysmic society which resulted in character transformation. Over the course of the text, Montag changes from being conservative to progressive by meeting a mentor, Clarisse, who made him question his happiness.

As Bradbury opens the chapter of the story, he illustrates Montag as a character who is scarce in awareness of the society surrounding him. In this society, people are scarce in freedom of gaining knowledge. They are brainwashed to be insensible of the emotion, happiness, and the necessity of knowledge. Working as a firefighter, Guy Montag is feeling “pleasure to burn”(1). In this situation irony, Guy Montag is illustrated as a psychopathic character who feels pleasure by burning books rather than extinguishing the fire. He does not question if his job brought him true happiness, but rather follows what he was told to do. His true happiness is blindfolded and manipulated by the government which has great power. At this point, Guy Montag is scarce in the ability to make a decision just like a hound, which acts through programming rather than thinking itself or acting through its emotions. His scarcity in awareness is also shown when Clarisse asked Montag if he had “read any of the books”(5) that he has burned; Montag answers that reading books are “against the law”(5). Expressed in his response, Guy Montag is a conservative character who is obedient to the society. On the other hand, Clarisse often questioned her life and happiness which made her be magnified among the people who are in this society. This contrast of characteristics showed potential that Clarisse can pull out Montag’s stupor. The moment Clarisse and Montag started having a conversation after they met for the first time, call to the adventure in the hero’s journey has begun.

As the story develops, Clarisse addresses questions that make Montag grow skepticism about society. For example, a simple question asked by Clarisse, “Are you happy”(7) disconcerts Montag. Although Montag replies, “Happy! Of all nonsense.”(8), he couldn’t hide the perplexity by crying out “Am I what?”(7) and even repudiated answering the questions he threw at himself by shaking off his head. Clarisse’s question played a significant role in leading Montag to enter the threshold and eventually lead to the road of trials. In addition, Montag made up his mind that he was feeling upset when Clarisse said Montag is “not in love with anyone”(19). He was rather confused by experiencing a clash between the indoctrinated ideology of the society and his own belief, awakened by Clarisse. Although Montag has started to perceive the society that he lives in is not typical, he remains conservative by hesitating to take actions.

Comprehending the truth of the society, Guy Montag concedes the scarcities surrounding the society and intrepidly take self-initiated actions. “Nobody listens any more. I can’t talk to the walls because they’re yelling at me. I can’t talk to my wife; she listens to the walls. I just want someone to hear what I have to say. And maybe if I talk long enough, it’ll make sense. And I want you to teach me to understand what I read” (78). This quote proves how Guy Montag transformed as a progressive person who can boldly share his emotion, frustration, to others. Not being able to communicate with his emotionally stunned wife, who remains as a member of a controlled society, clearly supports how Montag is now pulled out from the catastrophic world, and start to resemble Clarisse, who freely enjoys sharing her own idea. He also expresses a passion towards learning. This shows how Montag finally understands the necessity of knowledge. Adding on to that, a quote, “A suitcase, get it, fill it with your dirties clothes, an old suit, the dirtier the better, a shirt, some old sneakers and socks” (129), illustrates how Montag is ambitious towards making own decision for his life rather than being controlled by the stronger power. He expresses his desperate emotion by choosing dirty clothes which is usually not people’s ideal choice.

In the book Fahrenheit 451, the main character undergoes character transformation from being conservative to progressive due to the mentor, Clarisse’s influence. With Clarisse’s help, Guy Montag was able to break from society and bring up hope for rebuilding the devastated society.

Works Cited

1. Ray Bradbury. Fahrenheit 451. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1951.

Penelope’s Dual Role as Wife and Mother

Homer’s Odyssey is a story of the homecoming of Odysseus after the Trojan War. Odysseus left his wife, Penelope, and their young son, Telemachos, almost twenty years before the telling of this story to fight in the Trojan War. His absence places Penelope in a rather precarious position. Faced with many different circumstances, both good and bad, Penelope is on her own to decide the path she wishes to take. Depending on her decisions, the situations could either be filled with wonderful opportunities or perilous dangers. The strong character of Penelope is revealed by her decisions.

While Odysseus is away from home, Penelope finds herself playing the role of dutiful wife coupled with the conflicting role of a single mother trying to run a household. As a dutiful wife, Penelope is faithful to Odysseus, although she is plagued by suitors who are all eager to marry her. She waits patiently, albeit sadly, for Odysseus to return while successfully keeping her suitors at bay. There is nothing that she would like more than for her husband to return safely to her and so she yearns for his return. ‘Since the unforgettable sorrow comes to me, beyond others, / so dear ahead do I long for whenever I am reminded / of my husband, whose fame goes wide through Hellas and midmost Argo’s (Odyssey 1.342-344).’ Since Telemachos was so young when Odysseus went off to war, he is not even sure that Odysseus is his father. It is up to Penelope, in her mother’s role, to dispel this doubt from Telemachos’ mind. He states, ‘my mother says indeed I am his. I for my part / do not know (Odyssey 1.215-216).’

The Suitors’ Threat to Penelope’s Household

Penelope is in great danger of losing control of the household, a position she took over when Odysseus went off to war. This danger comes from both the suitors and Telemachos. The suitors have taken up residence in her house and they refuse to leave. ‘For my mother, against her will, is beset by suitors… (Odyssey 2.50).’ Assuming that Odysseus had died in the course of the war, they wish to marry her, although no news has yet been delivered as to Odysseus’ true fate. Meanwhile, the suitors are eating all her food, killing off all her livestock, and generally using up all the resources of the household (Odyssey 1.248-251). Elders of the town suggest Penelope forget her pride and go home to her father and for him to arrange a new wedding for her. ‘Let him urge his mother to go back to her father’s, / and they shall appoint the marriage and arrange for the wedding presents… (Odyssey 2.195-196)’ Thus, the suitors pose multiple dangers for Penelope. If the suitors ruin all the household’s resources, or if one were to successfully persuade her to marry him, she would lose her power position. Likewise, if the resources run out and she is forced to move back in with her father, she would lose both her power position and her autonomy.

Telemachos’ Underestimation of Penelope

Along with the suitors, Penelope also faces possible dangers from her own son. Even though Telemachos is not in support of sending Penelope back to her father, he does not fail to underestimate and otherwise disregard her. Following the typical Greek mindset, Telemachos views women as inherently inferior to men. This view includes how he sees his mother. He automatically assumes that she cannot run a household because she is a woman. When Telemachos develops a plan to sail to Argos and Pylos to inquire about the whereabouts of Odysseus, a trip sanctioned by Athene, he neglects to tell his mother. On one hand, he loves her dearly and does not wish for her to have to worry about him. ‘But swear to tell my beloved mother nothing about this… / so that she may not ruin her lovely skin with weeping (Odyssey 2.373-376).’ On the other hand, he lumps her together in a category with the serving women, a derogatory categorization, although she is the woman of the household. ‘But my mother has been told nothing of this, / nor the rest of the serving women’ (Odyssey 2.411-412).’ In this vein, he treats her activities as trivial and presumes the household power as his own, not his mother’s. ‘Go therefore back in the house, and take up your own work… but the men must see to the discussion, all men, but I most of all. For mine is the power in this household (Odyssey 1.356-359).’

Extended Metaphor: Parallels with Agamemnon’s Story

Homer employs an extended metaphor when he parallels the story of Penelope, Odysseus, and Telemachos with that of Klytaimestra, Agamemnon, and Orestes. In the latter story, Agamemnon is also away fighting in the Trojan War. Klytaimestra has an affair and ends up killing Agamemnon upon his return. In response to these deeds, Orestes kills both Klytaimestra and her lover. Penelope has the potential to be placed in a remarkably similar situation. If she were to pick a lover from one of her many suitors, Telemachos could be right there to end both her life and her lover’s.

Penelope’s Opportunities Amidst Odysseus’ Absence

Regardless of these ominous prospects, Penelope is also presented with many unique possibilities. With Odysseus out of the picture, Penelope had opportunities most women in ancient Greece never had. She is given the chance to display her own abilities, including wisdom and cunning, as well as her good character. ‘She is so dowered with the wisdom bestowed by Athene, / to be expert in beautiful work, to have good character / and cleverness… (Odyssey 2.116-118)’ Unlike Klytaimestra, who took a lover while her husband, Agamemnon, was away, Penelope retained her honor by staying true to her husband and refusing her suitors. If like Klytaimestra, her character had not been as strong, she, too, may have succumbed to infidelity. ‘Now in time before, beautiful Klytaimestra would not / consent to the act of shame, for her own nature was honest, / … but when the doom of the gods had entangled her, so that / she must submit, … she was willing as he was (Odyssey 3.265-272).’ Penelope not only refuses her suitors, but she also goes to great lengths to keep them from pursuing her. This action shows her strong moral character as well as her creativity and ability to handle herself in situations that may not be ideal.

Penelope’s Cunning and Wisdom

One way Penelope shows her cunning is with a clever scheme she devises to hold off the advances of her suitors. She tells her suitors that they have to wait to court her until she had finished weaving a death shroud for Laertes (Odyssey 2.96-103). Using cleverness and trickery, Penelope develops the idea that ‘in the daytime, she would weave at her great loom, / but in the night she would have torches set by and undo it (Odyssey 2.104-105).’ In this way, she successfully deters her suitors for almost four years. Any ordinary woman would not have been able to keep up the deception for nearly that long.

By chance, Penelope is thrust into the position of the head of the household. Because Telemachos is neither old enough nor experienced enough to do so, the power of the household falls on Penelope’s shoulders. In a way, she is simply in the right place at the right time. In her wise decisions and cleverness, she is coming to be held in high esteem by certain Greek men. One example is the opinion of Nestor, king of Pylos. He states, ‘she is greatly resourceful (Odyssey 2.88)’ and ‘she is winning a great name / for herself… (Odyssey 2.125-126).’ Both these statements are signs of great accomplishments on Penelope’s part. Not only is she a woman who is being complimented on her achievements, but the person complimenting her happens to be a very well-known man.

Penelope acts very cautious and guarded whenever she is presented in The Odyssey. She treats others, especially her suitors, with extreme wariness. This treatment is understandable considering the many dangers that other people, especially her suitors, present to her. If Penelope did not show this extreme vigilance, all her opportunities would be transformed into perils. Her suitors would doubtlessly overtake the house and her. She would no longer be in control of herself or her house. Telemachos would be driven into a power position that he is not prepared for and there would be nothing awaiting Odysseus upon his return home. Penelope’s caution is shown in her epithet of ‘circumspect Penelope (Odyssey 1.328).’

Penelope’s Prestige and Untouchability

Related to her circumspection, Penelope is depicted with a certain air about her, as if she were untouchable. With her husband away and she not wishing to be pursued by her suitors, this is not a bad air to give. She envelops herself with an assemblage of servants and surroundings denoting prestige. ‘When she, shining among women, came near the suitors, / she stood by the pillar that supported the roof with its joinery, / holding her shining veil in front of her face, to shield it, / and a devoted attendant was stationed on either side of her (Odyssey 1.332-335).’ This prestige could be seen as the hard-earned prominence that she has been building during Odysseus’ absence. It could also be a way of cocooning herself in imagined safety until her husband returns to save her. Either way, her airs serve their purpose and she is both revered and untouched by her suitors.

Penelope’s most defiant and bold gesture is her deceit involving the weaving and unweaving of the death shroud for Laertes. She devises this scheme both to protect herself from her suitors and to show her capabilities. From this action, she begins to take advantage of the opportunities supplied by her less-than-desirable situation. Penelope shows that she was able to think for herself and that she possesses keen wisdom. She also shows that she is a woman who knows what she wants and is not afraid to use any means possible, even deception, to get it. Penelope is eventually found out by the suitors and is forced to complete the shroud. ‘So, against her will and by force, she had to finish it (Odyssey 2.110).’ However, she is able to keep up the charade long enough for Odysseus to return and save her from the suitors.

Conclusion: Penelope’s Strength and Resourcefulness

Through her unfavorable situation, Penelope faces both perils and privileges. However, she is a strong woman and is able to take the dangers and turn them around to her advantage. Although she is threatened by Telemachos taking over household power, he still respects her enough to give her a say in what happens to her. ‘I cannot thrust the mother who bore me, / who raised me, out of the house against her will (Odyssey 2.130-131).’ And, though the suitors are eager for her to pick a new husband, they also respect her enough to believe her when she requests more time to finish Laertes’ shroud, thus allowing for the success of her scheme to delay them. Penelope is able to use her wisdom to turn her potentially perilous situation into one filled with numerous advantages and opportunities for her.

As society constantly evolves, burdening expectations and norms continue to rapidly develop, resulting in considerable pressure from others in the community. Gradually, In the novel Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, the significant message is that expressing individuality, rather than conforming to societal norms, leads to one being truly happy.

Bradbury uses Clarisse’s values contrasted with societal norms to imply that individuality leads to happiness. When she first meets Montag, she declares to him, “You’re not like the others…When I said something about the moon…you looked…The others would never do that” (Bradbury 21). The fact that he looks at the sky after Clarisse remarks about the moon illustrates that he is curious, thoughtful, and inquisitive, a sharp distinction between not only other ordinary firemen, but the population as a whole. In addition, the author foreshadows the beginning of Montag’s endeavors to be unique in a society that holds sameness above all. This marks the first time Montag is recognized to be different and is the catalyst for his journey of self-discovery, forcing him to reflect on his life and values. Furthermore, throughout the first chapter, Clarisse continues to highlight distinctions between Montag and herself, and the rest of society. Montag inquires why she is never in school and she explains, “I’m antisocial, they say. I don’t mix. It’s so strange, I’m very social indeed…social to me means talking to you about things like this” (Bradbury 26-27). In the eyes of society, “antisocial” is used to describe a person with attitudes or interests unlike most others, and Clarisse expresses dissent towards being shunned simply because she behaves differently. She prefers to have insightful conversations, ask delicate questions, and observe the natural world, rather than containing her thoughts and spending every day in front of the television. Explicit opposition between Clarisse’s personality and the negative perspectives regarding dissimilarities sustained by this dystopian society reinforce the idea that lack of individuality has resulted in not only loss of communication and understanding, but also personal freedom and happiness.

Beatty’s beliefs regarding education represent that dissatisfaction with life is ultimately caused by willingness to conform. Faber reminds Montag, “The Captain belongs to the most dangerous enemy to truth and freedom…unmoving cattle of the majority…terrible tyranny of the majority” (Bradbury 104). It is apparent that society has grown to develop an unfounded democracy where the majority still dominates, but the majority have been consumed by mindless entertainment and a fear of intellectualism. It has finally reached the point to where resistance towards these norms is viewed as a threat to the “terrible tyranny of the majority”. Being Captain of the fire department, Beatty is critical to the prevention of “truth and freedom”; he is a strong enforcer of the practice of burning books and despising knowledge. Although he constantly emphasizes the worthlessness of books, he frequently quotes from them especially when aggravating or attempting to confuse Montag. This hints at his covert interest for literature, however controlling a crucial position authority. However, despite his critical status in society, it is clear that Beatty has grown discontent with his own life. After killing Beatty, Montag comes to a sudden awareness that “Beatty had wanted to die…how strange…to want to die so much that you let a man walk around armed and then…you go on yelling” (Bradbury 116). After burning his own house, Montag raises the flamethrower at Beatty, and it is ostensible that he is going to torch him. Instead of trying to save himself, Beatty deliberately continues to provoke him. It is likely that Beatty wanted to die due to his love for literature, inability to grasp the nature of this changed community, and the vicious quality of his occupation. The situation is ironic because Beatty invites his fate for the same reason Montag begins to read books, the fact that both are discontented with their lives. Therefore, the character of Beatty and his outcome reflect the little escape from this destructive dystopia caused by oppressive authority.

Additionally, the author uses Granger to demonstrate how resistance to conformity and retaliation are necessary to better society. Granger shares his grandfather’s words to Montag and his group, “It doesn’t matter what you do…so long as you change something from the way it was before you touched it” (Bradbury 150). Granger believes that everyone person must leave something behind to improve the world, and has been taught that change only comes with challenging and questioning ideas so it will endure. He goes on to describe that what his grandfather really changed was himself. This thought inspires Montag to learn that what is considered normal is not necessarily what is most beneficial, aiding him to develop strength and lead the group back to the city after it has been bombed. The author uses Granger’s recollections of his grandfather to further suggest the importance of rebellion. His grandfather also mentions, “I hate a Roman named Status Quo…live as if you’d drop dead in ten seconds” (Bradbury 150). This alludes to a Latin phrase meaning the existing state of affairs. Granger’s grandfather encourages him to choose his own path and refuse to conform. Granger memorizes books with a group of runaway intellectuals, and makes a point to not follow the “status quo”. Granger, his past experiences, and refusal to live like others contribute to instilling a desire of freedom in Montag.

The central message of the novel Fahrenheit 451, written by Ray Bradbury, is that in order to find happiness, one must stay true to themselves and refuse to adhere to societal expectations. In the light of this dystopia, individuality is seen as a threat to citizens, while conformity maintains obedience because societal norms discourage education and questioning cultures. In order to improve society and avoid discontentment, one should reject conformity and become comfortable with differences among peers, live by unique principles, and uphold individuality to maintain personal and intellectual freedoms.