Q.1: Who are the main characters in the novel? Do you like them? Why or why not? What is special about them? What do they reveal about the universal human experience?
A: The main characters in the novel are a fireman named Guy Montag and a seventeen-year-old named Clarisse McClellan. Those two are totally different people with different points of views. Clarisse McClellan is a seventeen-year-old who shows Montag the beauty of life by her natural innocence and her curiosity towards life.
She sticks with Montag because she's an outcast from her society. This is because many people think she's odd and has odd behaviors like picking up flowers from the valley by herself and is just an unusual girl who doesn't have a care in the world. Clarisse doesn't seem to mind what people think of her and is happy most of the time, but still cares about what the world is becoming or has become. I like Clarisse McClellan in this novel because she knows how to be herself and express what's right or wrong. In the recent society, it's easy to lose yourself. Clarisse McClellan just does whatever she wanted and expresses herself to some of the highest people in society. Guy Montag was quite a high person in society to be looked up in this novel. This is what I most liked about her, she stood up to him and told him what was on her mind and didn't hesitate to ask any curious questions that was appealed to her.
Guy Montag is a futuristic Fireman who burn books for a living. His generation has taught him to make fire to burn books rather than put them out for people in trouble. Guy Montag is a very influential man who is gullible at the same time. He's loyal because he does what he's told. The bad thing about that is that he doesn't think for himself. He feels passion in helping the community and the war itself. I didn’t like this character at first because he was very narrow minded as to literature and writing. I didn’t like that he never thought for himself and always had to obey or do what he’s told without thinking it over. When he finds himself there was something that made you want him to be your leader. He took charge when to and helped others in not burning books. He also did it in a way that suppressed others to follow him and look for help.
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3 comments:
I also liked Guy Montag and Clarisse McClellan for the similar reasons of what you wrote. I especially liked Guy because of his personality traits such as being curious, brave, and adventurous. I liked his unique character of knowing how to think and ask questions unlike other firemen. As mentioned above, I liked Clarisse as well because she was the one who triggered Guy to think and question. However, I'm not sure if Clarisse was a main character of the novel. I think she was a minor character because she appeared only in the beginning, but not throughout the whole novel. Meanwhile, I thought Captain Beatty was the other main character other than Montag. I thought Captain Beatty was the other one not only because he appeared throughout the novel, but also because he was the antagonist and opposite force of Guy Montag.
I agreed with you about why you liked Guy and Clarisse, but I'm not sure if I absolutely agree with Clarisse being a main character. And I don't think you answered about what those two characters revealed about the universal human experience.
Yeah, I didn’t like Guy Montag at first because he was once a fireman. Actually, I began to think wrong about Montag. I thought he would be a cruel firefighter but he was the character who wanted to find a meaningful life. I felt he was connected or related with this curious girl. He is unique and views the world differently from others in the novel. In another words, Montag does not think like the ‘robot’ in the society where they are brainwashed. Montag is adventurous and curious person. He asks such questions “Do I want to be this person? Are these things meaningful?” Even his behaviors are complex and illegal he doesn’t give up until he finds the accurate answer.
Clarisee was an important character in the opening, although I personally considered as a minor character or extra. However, she did played a huge role, which she talked about how Montag was unique and curious.
Also, I think you missed Captain Beatty who was the main characters in Fahrenheit 451. He was the main antagonist and the outer conflict for Guy Montag. Beatty would provide wrong ideas to Montag. So I think you could have added Captain Beatty as a main character.
I think you didn’t answer the question “What do they reveal about the universal human experience?” Your reasons why you didn’t like the character first but liked him after all work out well. Anyways, you wrote support the reasons why you like or dislike Guy Montag, Clarisee, and Faber. I hope my comment was useful to you.
I personally liked Clarisse McClellan and Faber but disliked Guy Montag. At first, I disliked Guy Montag because he was narrow-minded about books and only did as he was told (which is basically why you disliked him as well). After Guy Montag changed, I still disliked him because he was too naive and trusting of the world. Montag was still too much of a "goody-two-shoes" and didn't seem natural.
On the other hand, I liked Clarisse and Faber because they were more realistic than Guy Montag was, so I could easily relate to them. Personally, I had a friend in the United States who was as carefree as Clarisse was in the book, and I could easily think of my friend whenever I read about Clarisse. I could relate to Faber because I could easily imagine a cowardly person who was afraid to stand up for his beliefs.
Overall, I can see why you like the characters you did. Keep up the good posts.
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