Sadie Smith Ms. Gundersen English Period 1 14 April 2023 Familiarity is good? Familiarity may breed contempt, but it breeds attraction too. Familiarity is what keeps us coming back, it keeps us turning our heads looking for comfort. Much like the hero’s journey, a style that has always been there, lurking around the corner, for better or for worse. The hero’s journey may be old, but it is what allows us to understand the unfamiliar, the new and the scary. Ray Bradbury, the author of Fahrenheit 451, used the hero’s journey style of storytelling, which made their story easier to understand, even with all of the detail and description. One example of this is shown through the character Clarisse, the Herald in the story. One morning, when Clarrise walked Montag with him to the train station, they talked, and she could only bring up thought provoking questions and ideas, unknown to this world, and even simple questions like this, “‘Are you happy?’ she said. ‘Am I what?’ he cried... Of course I’m …show more content…
After Montag and his wife, MIldred got into an argument over the books Montag has been secretly hiding, he searches for Faber, “‘My wife’s dying. A friend of mine’s already dead. Someone who may have been a friend was burnt less than twenty-four hours ago. You’re the only one I knew might help me.” (Bradbury 83). This shows that Faber is the mentor archetype, because it shows that Montag needs him for help, guidance, teaching, and that is all that mentors do. Montag, in the introduction of Faber, already hints at the fact that he is the mentor, this way of storytelling that Bradbury chooses to use, makes a descriptive, detailed, thoroughly thought out book, easier to understand. With things like this standing out, it makes the book enjoyable and not having to stop after every sentence questioning what was just
Faber grew more confident in himself and Montag lead him to become less afraid of the world around him. In this respect, both charters aid each other and mature with each other as time passes. As part two continues Mildred invites her friends over, and their conversations consist of talk of children, elections, and of course, literature It's known throughout
Hero’s Journey Archetype Literary Analysis - Fahrenheit 451 Ray Bradbury's novel Fahrenheit 451 describes a society where people are used to violence and danger. They are accustomed to strict laws and deadly consequences for owning books. People tend to hurt themselves and others because they are dissatisfied with their lives. Guy Montag is a fireman who burns the houses of people who own books. Montag begins to encounter various perspectives on issues that have evolved into becoming normalized in their society through the three stages of the hero's journey: departure, initiation, and return.
Mildred and Meryl's personalities are very selfish; this is shown through their speech. Throughout ‘Fahrenheit 451’ Mildred constantly talks about her finances. Mildred states, “It's only two thousand dollars… and I should think you’d consider me sometimes,” (Bradbury 18). This is significant for the story because it opens up a lot of personality for Mildred. It makes her appear selfish because it seems like she only cares about materialistic items.
In Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451, conformity is a prominent theme that is explored through various literary techniques. They convey the idea that it harms society by creating barriers to communication and hindering critical thinking. The novel is set in a dystopian future where books are banned, and individuality is discouraged. Bradbury uses his characters' experiences with each other and technologies to demonstrate the dangers of blindly following societal norms. The use of literary devices such as metaphor and symbolism allows him to highlight the harm caused by conformity and warns readers about the dangers of this society.
Society establishes a set of rules and laws to keep it stable and the people who live in it safely. Normally, the majority will follow these rules, although occasionally, certain individuals or groups will exhibit their disfavor and revolt. In the context of Fahrenheit 451, its society and the rebellion that happens within is akin to this exactly. Bradbury writes of a time in the future when books are forbidden and television becomes the dominant media in the pursuit of a simpler, less volatile society. In other words, oppression was produced precisely at the juncture where knowledge was denied.
Obedience and Conformity "Without obedience to a relevant ruling authority there could not be a civil society" (Meyer 10). To have a successful nation or society, you need an authority or ruler. People don't always choose to obey or listen, but most do because they think that is what is best for them. When one chooses to go against their morals and what they believe it becomes that the government is taking advantage of them.
“I have never listened to anyone who criticized my taste in space travel, sideshows or gorillas. When this occurs, I pack up my dinosaurs and leave the room”(Ray Bradbury). In the novel Fahrenheit 451, Bradbury conveys the true forms of individuality, creating complications and new views of life to the characters. Individuality emerges when Fireman Montag meets a girl named Clarisse who galvanized new views on life. Throughout the novel, there are many instances where individuality sparks in society.
Montag goes to see Faber because he is curious about the knowledge in books and wants to learn more about why books are being burned. When Faber asks Montag why he seems so upset, Montag says, “I don’t know. We have everything we need to be happy, but we aren’t happy. Something’s missing … The only thing I positively knew was gone with the books I’d burned in ten or twelve years.
Confused and hurt, Montag thought, “suddenly she was so strange he couldn’t believe he knew her at all”(Bradbury 39). Montag also changes a lot after that fateful night. He encounters a woman, who has books in her possession, that is willing to die for knowledge. She couldn’t bear to live a second without her books. What she did scar Montag forever,”the woman on the porch reached out with contempt to them [firemen] all, and struck the kitchen match against the railing”(Bradbury 37).
At the end of the novel, Montag is not in the best place in his life. He was talking to Faber and he said, “this is happening to me” (108).
He would never have questioned his lifestyle if he had not been so impressionable. Clarisse forced him to reflect on his life, making him realize that he was miserable. The suicidal woman and her willingness to die for her novels showed him that books contain important information. Without Faber’s guidance and persuasion, Montag would not have considered hiding books in other firemen’s houses or joining the Harvard graduates on their journey. The influence that these three people had on Montag caused his dynamic change and instilled a curiosity in him that caused him to take action.
Owen Bice Ms. Carino Accelerated English 10 14 March 2023 Hero’s Journey and Fahrenheit 451 Joseph Cambell’s novel, The Hero With a Thousand Faces creates the Hero’s Journey outline for stories to follow. The idea of the Hero’s Journey by Joseph Cambell creates the image of a “hero” in many stories such as Fahrenheit 451. Ray Bradbury writes about a futuristic and dystopian society in which the protagonist lives. Through the novel Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, the depiction of the main character Guy Montag can be conveyed as a hero through the steps of the Hero’s Journey by Joseph Cambell.
On page 84, Faber says, “Patience, Montag. Let the war turn off the ‘families.’ Our civilization is flinging itself to pieces.” (Bradbury 88). This quote conveys that Faber believes that their society is falling apart.
When Montag reveals his hidden books to Mildred, she does not take time to understand them. “‘It doesn’t mean anything!’” (Bradbury 65). She, instead, worries about how it might affect her image if they are found out. “He could hear her breathing rapidly and her face paled out and her eyes were fastened wide” (Bradbury 63).
Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury, is a classic novel that challenges authority through self-discovery and growth. The main character Guy Montag is a dedicated fireman. He enjoys his job, watching pages of books become nothing more than burnt ash. He has never questioned anything before, nor has he had a reason to. That is, until he encounters three important individuals that seem to influence a change in Montag and ultimately change his world.