Friday, February 20, 2015

In the book Fahrenheit 451, what does Mildred fail to tell Montag about Clarisse?

Mildred fails to tell Montag about Clarisse's disappearance. There's a question as to whether she left with her family or was killed. Mildred's telling is fragmented:



No. the same girl. McClellan. McClellan. Run over by a car. four days ago. I'm not sure. but I think she's dead. the family moved out anyway. I don't know. But I think she's dead.



Her choppy sentences and repetition that she doesn't know show a few points about her character. One, she is clearly distracted at this point. Although she is talking to Montag, she also has a Seashell in her ear, and so is also listening to radio broadcasts. Also, her ability to remember anything that truly happens (as opposed to those things which happen on her TV screens) has been essentially destroyed by her addiction to "the family."


Montag, of course, is deeply disturbed by this information, and his future actions are somewhat dependent upon this exchange. He becomes reckless, and questions Beatty about the McClellan's disappearance, and ultimately turns his fire hose on the other firefighters in an attempt to escape his living hell.

No comments:

Post a Comment