(AGG) With great obsession of meaningless “stuff” comes with great consequences. (BS-1) People in the novel Fahrenheit 451 are way too focused on the irrelevant things in life. (BS-2) This has caused them to destroy their relationships with family and friends. (BS-3) Some people are “different” and actually care about living life to the fullest and focusing on things that matter. (TS)
Most of the people in this sick society are too caught up in electronics, and because of this they don’t care to fix their broken relationships or look at what people have on the inside, not just the surface. o much on things that are irrelevant in life, and it is causing them to lose human traits and disregard important things in life. (SIP-A) Mildred is so obsessed with electronics that she has lost (MIP-1) These people are focused way the ability to communicate normally and only thinks about “stuff”. (STEWE-1) “She was an expert at lip reading from ten years of apprenticeship at Seashell ear-thimbles” (16). Mildred is so controlled by all this technology that she doesn’t even listen, she lip reads. She has almost lost the ability to communicate because of these electronics.
All she wants is “stuff”, and she does not want to (STEWE-2) When Montag throws up, Mildred asks like it is a weird thing to happen. ” ‘made him vomit… Why’d you do that? “.. ‘It’s a good thing the rug’s washable’ ” (47). Her reaction does not concern her own husband’s well being, but the rug’s wellbeing. When Montag clearly is not feeling good when he vomits, Mildred does not ask if she can help him but instead focuses on the rug and if it can be cleaned. (SIP-B) This society is so focused on expressionless “stuff” that they have gone against anything out of order or different, and they only are about how things look on the outside. STEVWE-1) They only see the surface of people and things, and they don’t care to think that maybe everything that matters is on the inside. ” You just don’t go running a little short man like that against a tall man. Besides- he mumbled… Fat, too… Even their names helped.. ” (93). This society is so much about materials and how things look that they just care about how things look, not about what people and things have to offer on the inside. (STEWE-2) People in this society only focus on “stuff” instead of life and growth and creation. The comfortable people want only wax moon faces, poreless, hairless, expressionless’ ” (79).
They only want flat surfaces, with nothing to do with different things or nature or anything that disrupts their lifeless ways. (CS) These people do not want growing or creation, they just want a flat surface with nothing on the inside. on too much “stuff” has caused them to have weak relationships. (SIP-A) Mildred has been so obsessed with all her electronics that she has developed a non communication relationship with Montag. (STEWE-1)” ‘Will you turn the parlor off? he asked. That’s my family. Will you turn it off for a sick man? ‘ I’ll turn it down’ ” (46). Mildred yet again shows the consequences of focusing on almost only electronics.
She is so addicted that she refuses to turn the parlor off even though Montag is sick. She even refers to the parlor walls as her ‘family’, even though they are not real, and her real family is right in front of her. (STEWE-2) Mildred’s addiction has gotten so bad (MIP-2) People focusing that her mind is so full of stuff that she doesn’t remember important events in her life. ” When did we meet? And where?. I don’t know,’ she said ” (40). Mildred has been so caught up in all this fake “stuff” that it has caused her to not really care about her relationship with Montag. STEWE-3) Mildred and Montag have lost connection because they have been only caring about materials and not each other. ” 1 can’t talk to my wife; she listens to the walls’ ” (78). Mildred yet again shows that she only cares about what is NOT important in life, instead of having a strong relationship with Montag. (SIP-B)
Other people in the society don’t have strong relationships because they are not focused on each other and they don’t truly care about each ther. (STEWE-1) Mrs. Phelps’ relationship with her husband shows that they don’t really have a strong bond with each other. ‘He said, if I get killed off, you just go right ahead and don’t cry, but get married again, and don’t think of me’ ” (91). To these people, marriage is like a game and they treat each other like objects. No sane person would not mourn a lost loved one unless they are focused on all the fake “stuff” instead of building a stronger relationship. (STEWE-2) They don’t even care about their own children and just let them focus on the virtual world ll the time. ” You heave them into the ‘parlor’ and turn on the switch. It’s like washing clothes… ” (92-93). The parents relationship with their kids is horible.
When they see each other, they don’t even talk to other, they just plop down in front of the TV. (CS) These people have stronger relationships with their electronics rather than with their loved ones. (MIP-3) Although most people focus on things that don’t matter, some people look at important things and understand the meaning of humanity. (SIP-A) Clarisse and her family show significant nterest in things in life that matter, like nature and family, instead of being obsessed with electronics. (STEWE-1) When Montag is talking to Clarisse she talks about what she does in her free time. I go out and hike around in forests and watch the birds and collect butterflies… I just sit and think’ ” (20).
Clarisse is a great example of someone who enjoys and focuses on things that matter like nature and thought. Unlike the majority of people in her society, Clarisse likes to go out in nature and think about things, rather than sit around and be entranced in electronics. STEWE-2) When Montag is walking Clarisse home, he is very suprised to see that Clarisse’s lights are on in her house, and it is because her family is bonding instead of watching TV. Montag had rarely seen that many house lights. ‘Oh, just my mother and father and uncle sitting around, talking. we’re most peculiar ” (7).
Clarisse’s family is also a good example of people who focus on things that are important, like family. They don’t care about all this “stuff” like everyone else. They still have a strong connection with each other, unlike most people in their society. You can see that most people don’t do this with their families because of Montag’s reaction to all the house lights being on. SIP-B) Montag meets Granger, and he finally learns what it means to be human. (STEWE-1)Granger quotes his grandfather about what he said about living life. ” ‘Stuff your eyes with wonder.. live as if you’d drop dead in ten seconds. See the world’ ” (150). Granger’s grandfather said this about life and humanity. When Granger tells Montag this, he finally learns the meaning of humanity. (CS)
Although most people in the Fahrenheit 451 society focus on meaningless stuff, ome people realize that they have to acknowledge reality and focus on important things. RTS) People care about things that don’t matter, but some people focus on the important things in life. (BS-3) There are some “outsiders” who like to focus on creation and growth instead of meaningless things. (BS-2) People focusing on materials too much has caused the destruction of relationships. (BS-1) People are becoming way too caught up in “stuff” which has caused them to not care about important things. (R) Do you want to become a robot because you only care about meaningless “stuff”?
