Fahrenheit 451 Group

Question:

johnroda
johnroda
Student

Can you explain the blurred distinction between life and death, referring to Mildred, Clarisse, and the life-like machines that dominate society?

Rate question:

Posted by johnroda on Sunday June 21, 2009 at 12:36 PM and tagged with clarisse, death, difference, life, mildred.

Answers:


  1. marilynn07 Teacher
    High School - 9th Grade

    eNotes Editor

    The harsh realities of "death, pain and suffering" are glossed over by the tele-screens' soap operas that include the participation of the audience.  Mildred has her friends over for tea and coffee and mindless chatter, she has the shells in her ears to keep some noise going constantly, and she has the cousins on the tele-screen. Mildred does not experience a single independent thought. She is a mindless roboton.  She is happy and content, but not really...she overdoses on sleeping tablets and must have her stomach pumped.

    One of Mildred's friends' husband was "killed in the war" but the news report said that he died from an accident.  The war is ongoing and the front changed frequently, but the tragic loss of life in the war is never really discussed openly.  The media does not give the true accounting of how the soldiers die.

    The same is true at the end of the book. It is important that someone like Montag is seen on the tele-screen as being shot and accountable for the rebellion. The government must appear to be absolutely in control even though the real Montag has escaped from the city and into the community of book people.

    The mechanical nose-hounds that smell paper are not very different from the bomb-sniffing machines that are currently being used in some airports and at military check-points in Iraq. People learn to trust the machine instead of the human. People put the machines in harm's way rather than risk a human.

    I think Mildred is less alive than Clarisse because Clarisse is able to think, feel and reason. Clarisse's passing is a blur because Mildred is  used to being overstimulated by outside influences. The loss of human life does not register to her other than "oh well"... Montag's experience with the loss of Clarisse was deeper and resonated more with him as Clarisse was his "wake up" call to self-examination and introspection.  Clarisse did not accept the status quo and therefore caused Montag to begin to question the status quo.

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/fahrenheit-451/critical-overview
    http://www.enotes.com/fahrenheit-451/themes

    Rate answer:

    Posted by marilynn07 on Sunday June 21, 2009 at 1:47 PM