8. Compare and contrast Mildred and Clarisse. How did each woman come to exist? What roles do they play in society? Can either truly survive? Use specific examples from the text in your argument.
Mildred and Clarisse are two people that are complete opposites. Mildred is this couch potato that sits down surrounded by her enormous flat screen TV's. Clarisse is this girl that wants to learn about the world and wants to have her own experiances by doing her own things.
Clarisse catches Montag's eye very quickly. No one ever walks around at night so when he sees the 17 year old girl he is very surprised. "The girl stopped and looked as if she might pull back in surpirse, but instead stood regarding Montag with eyes so dark and shining and alive that he felt he had said something quite wonderful." (6) Never had Montag felt the way he did we he saw Clarisse. Clarisse plays a unusual character in their society. "Have you ever smelled the leaves? Don't they smell like cinnamon? Here. Smell."(29) I don't truly believe that Clarisse could survive in the type of society they have because everything is so black and white, that is not Clarisse's personality at all. "Five, six, seven days. And then, Clarisse was gone."(32) Clarisse and Mildred share the characteristic of being very unique but when it comes to contrasting them, they're so different.
Mildred is Montag's wife. Montag doesn't realize he isn't really in love with her until Clarisse comes along. Mildred is so against reading like the rest of the community, that its hard to get along with her. "You took all the pills in your bottle last night." "Oh, I wouldn't do that," she said surprised."(19) Mildred came to exist by being the typical book-hater that the community wants everyone to be like. Mildred is in love with her TV and having all her friends over to watch their favorite shows. Mildred only proves to be a product of her enviornment. "Isn't this show wonderful?" cried Mildred" "Wonderful!"(93) I would image after awhile is would be extremely hard to function in the type of society that is happening. After Montag comes home with the book with her friends there she is in panic mode and can't help it. "Mildred had already anticipated this in a quavery voice." "Ladies, once a year, every fireman's allowed to bring one book home, fromt he old days, to show his family how silly it was, how nervous that sort of thing can make you, how crazy" (99) Overall neither Mildred or Clarisse would ever be able to survive because the society is just to harsh and if you make one mistake, there goes your house and everything you dreamed of having.
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