Examples Of Protest In Fahrenheit 451

After the government tried to oppress peoples’ individual freedom, they attempted suppressing their human nature as well. Many instances of Suppression of Human Nature is shown throughout Fahrenheit 451. The McClellans are a special family and display characteristics that is considered “wrong” in this novel. Her uncle, as said by Clarisse when talking to Guy Montag was “My uncle was arrested another time--did I tell you?--for being a pedestrian” (Bradbury 7). The government wants everyone to be situated in front of the TV and listen to all their ads and programs and they consider this behavior to be the opposite of what they want although this is actually very normal for a human being to do. Moreover, when Beatty came to Montag's house and

The society in Ray Bradbury's, Fahrenheit 451 is almost completely made up of the falsehood that everyone is “happy”. Up until the main character Montag, meets Clarisse, he believes that he is “happy.” Then he is asked a simple question…“Are you happy?” (Bradbury 10). This was the most significant turning point for Montag and is what caused him stop and think about what his life had really become. The propaganda throughout the book plays a substantial role in people's lives, but not in a positive way. The government brainwashes them to not think or read, and encourages them to have a hatred for whoever breaks the law. In Fahrenheit 451, propaganda plays a dangerous role in influencing the decisions made by the characters.

“Disobedience is the true foundation of liberty. The obedient must be slaves.” Henry David Thoreau, a well known essayist, wrote: Walden. Thoreau supports Wilde’s claim of disobedience promoting social progress. He mentions that people who live in obedience are not living at all. Progress is defined as a forward or onward movement toward a destination. The only way society can progress is through evolution, as people grow from a simple neanderthal to complex modern humans like us. And in order to evolve, there must be a break in pattern: disobedience-failure or refusal to obey rules in authority. There is no development if everyone is a collective mind. Examples are seen in Ray Bradbury’s novel Fahrenheit 451 with the protagonist, Montag,

Clarisse McClellan is a seventeen year old girl who Montag met while walking down the street one night. She claims she is crazy and always seeks out the answers to questions that nobody else thinks to ask. Faber is an ex-professor who is old enough to have watched the decline of intellectual life in his country. Montag once met Faber in the park carrying a book of poetry on his person and quoting it. Guy never turns Faber in to the authorities for possession of a forbidden book, but keeps Faber’s personal information in the case that he decides to do so. These two people alter Montag’s perspective on the world and the stories concealed in it by the media and government. Montag is so influenced that, by the ending of the story, Montag transforms into a completely different person who, desiring more out of his life, discovers that he can save his burning society by bringing back books and poetry. Montag changes throughout the course of the story by beginning to question authority and doubt the ways of his life and society. He is transformed from the beginning to the ending, through the influence of the people in his life.

Early in the book when Montag first meets Clarisse, she tells how violent this society has become, partially due to how technology has affected their society. She goes on to say:

Montag has grown to be a smarter and a more thoughtful person. He used to be like everyone else. Unaware, dumbed down, dull, and not being able to think to the best of his ability. The government likes to keep it that way. They allow for no progressive and interesting thoughts from the citizens. That all changed when Montag met Clarisse. The odd one out that made him understand what he could really be capable of and what books could be for humanity. He started going to work, noticing what was really happening. In other words, he changed for the better. As he continues to act more “strange” then the rest of his society, they start to see him as weird and confusing. Montag goes home and yells at Mildred and her friends. “Maybe the books can get

The Persistent Propagation of Pernicious Propaganda Everyone is happy. Why shouldn’t they be? There is enough to eat, enough walls with family in them to keep everyone occupied, enough sports for others, and cars speeding to a hundred miles an hour for those who are adventurous.

Fahrenheit 451 is a novel in which many characters can be identified as followers, conventionalists, and conformists. These characters are parallel to their neighbors in what they do every day. Mildred Montag is a member of this group. Not everyone is like Mildred, however. In spite of how controlling the society in which the story takes place is, there is the occasional independent individual. Clarisse McClellan is a nonconformist. She can see beyond the lies she has been told by the government. Even though these two characters seem like opposites, Mildred and Clarisse have similar and different qualities.

Clarisse, though she only appears momentarily, causes Montag to actually think about their society. For example, Clarisse says “You’re one of the few who put up with me. That’s why I think it’s so strange you’re a fireman, it just doesn’t seem right for you, somehow” (Pg. 21). When she says this Montag “Felt his body divide itself,” showing that Montag is actually thinking about what Clarisse is saying and it’s confusing him. She also asks Montag “Are you happy?” (Pg. 7).

The setting of the novel, Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury, is set in a large nameless city. It is believed to take place in 2053. The mood is dark and scary. The author shows you that it isn’t going to be a book with a very happy mood by starting it with Montag coming home from the fire station and meeting Clarisse. Montag seems to be a happy-go-lucky kind of guy.

Imagine that your government is controlling and unresponsive. The character in Fahrenheit 451 and people in real life found themselves in this situation where they were controlled by the government. In Fahrenheit 451 Montag wants fight against the government by restoring books with a printing press, which Montag and Faber would buy. In real life a way the people fought against the government is that they protest for their demands to be heard by the government. Through the book and real life one thing becomes clear they all want either want a voice to be heard or fight a controlling government in some way or another.

I chose to create a disruption within Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451. The female characters within this novel are often depicted as mindless drones. They are typically seen doing nothing more than listening to their seashells (what we would now think of as a bluetooth) or spend a majority of their time in living room parlors (tv rooms). Some only exist to wake Montag, the main character, out of his complacency. The manic pixie dream girl trope in the beginning of the novel is an example of this. Clarisse unknowingly helps his character progress and is then hastily written out of the plot. I wanted to bring these women back into the end of the story, but revive them as multifaceted and complex characters with equally elaborate backstories. Another

A protest is a statement or action expressing objection to something. They have shaped history dating back to 1688. Just like the protests that took place during the Vietnam War, there are protests impacting lives today. One is the Women's March, that led their protest the day after President Trump's inauguration to show that they did not support his beliefs regarding women. People choose to participate in protests to make a change, rebel against unwanted decisions, and to have a say in important decisions. What makes these protests effective is peaceful protestors and large gatherings.

“All literature is protest. You can’t name a single literary work that isn’t protest” was a quote said by Richard Wright. My interpretation of this quote is that through all of literature, there is protest. There is protest from the protagonists and even the antagonists. I agree with this quote because in every piece of literature there is a conflict that one faces, and characters show their dislike towards something in different forms of protest. This quote is proven to be true in “Screeno” and “In Dreams Begin Responsibilities”, both of which are short stories written by Delmore Schwartz.

In formality to human existence, protesting has been a right for all humans to speak to their mind. Some may say that the idea of revolting against injustices is embedded in our DNA; perhaps this may be true, but regardless, protesting has been a sign for craving transformation. Dating back from American Revolution to Black Lives matter, protest has been the only guaranteed freedom that gives us a voice to alter our future. In retrospect, movements – or protest – such as Civil Rights Movement quite literally changed the landscape of America for generations; speaking out towards the spiteful racism that was so prevalent during those times– leading to an importance in diversity. Similarly, Countries around the world have conducted protest that has revolutionized the way of life or inspired future generations. A clear distinction of this honor would be with Mexican Olympics protest of 1968, the infamous protest that captured the world’s attention. Public found themselves in a unique position in viewing the Mexican youth stand up against the corruption of the Mexican Government. This social unrest became a fundamental part of modern Mexican culture that has sparked transparency in their government and transpired an unexpected deeper effect internationally.