As I have posted several times before I have read Ray Bradbury's book Fahrenheit 451 and find it a very interesting, out of the box book. I have also recently posted about how I enjoy how the book ends the way it does. It ends in a way that you can make up your own ending, and expand your thoughts on the book and what life has in store for Guy Montag and the rest of the gang. With saying this, what do you think the future holds for the characters of Fahrenheit 451 in let's just say 50 years?
I agree with you. The ending of the book was great. It really did end in a way that you could imagine all of the possible endings to this story by yourself. I think whats left in store for Montag and the rest of the gang is that they will carry on the knowledge and pass it down sonner than later. At the end they were all talking about passing it down. The bomb hit and destroyed on of the main cities, and I think the people in the book will come to realize the silliness in the world and freely express their opinions without any trouble. Ray wrote this book way before most of the technology in it was invented. He was is a great and inspiring author. I hope in the future to read more of his work.
I say the book does leave the ending up in the air. I also think that the people in the city after the bombing will realize how stupid it was for them to not express themselves. My favorite part of the book was when Montag walked across the river to the outskirts of the city. When he was walking through the river it was as if he was being cleansed of everything he had done. Also, the fire had now saved him ,and the fire gave him warmth.
I had never read any of his work, and as a rule, don't really read much science fiction (except in comic form) but I chose Fahrenheit 451 for bookclub as it often comes up in relation to other books, and as someone quite poorly read (in 'classics'), I'm slowly working my way thru the 'must read' books. I was so surprised at how poetically it's written - some of the descriptions and imagery are perfectly crafted. The menace in the conversation between the fire chief and Montag when he comes to visit his house is palpable. I adored it (the novel). What I found the most amazing, is how he foresaw (or imagined) a society so like ours today - all the i-pod/big tvs, all those ways of linking out of the real world...his take on the media is astoundingly close to ours at the moment. You have no idea about what's going on in the world but how the contestants on the Biggest Loser are doing is a front page story. It's amazing!! Anyway, I gush (but it's rare for me to be taken by a book - so much rubbish about!!). Any recommendations on what to read of his next?
Also have you seen the movie? How does Clarisse comeback? I don't think I would have liked that ending - might track down the film to see. I liked that she was killed by the carelessness (most probably) of the society trying to entertain themselves in a senseless manner and that Montag missed her more than his wife (in contrast to his panic with the OD).
Both versions of the Clarisse story have merits. Bradbury originally intended that she really was killed, but after Truffaut resurrected her said he would have considered that as possibly better. The book leaves it extremely open, as Millie, who may have been jealous providing she worked herself enough out of indifference to even bother, said she heard Clarisse was killed. Montag never heard it from any reliable source and certainly no one ever saw a body. The family was regarded as suspicious anyway and the whole thing--her death and the family's disappearance--sounds like a cover story for something which might be explained if/when the sequel ever appears.
Posts: 7334 | Location: Dayton, Washington, USA | Registered: 03 December 2001
Originally posted by dandelion: ...Montag never heard it from any reliable source and certainly no one ever saw a body...
I think this is a very important part of the narrative. Not because it means "she may be alive - let's have a sequel!" but because it points up the unreliability of the information sources available to the people in Montag's world. Nothing in print. Nothing definitive. Nothing that can be cross-checked against other sources.
In Truffaut's film, Clarisse's return is very understated. Montag is with the book people, and Clarisse is with the book people. They don't directly meet, and in fact they may not even be aware of each other's presence. By this point, Montag and the other book people start wandering around like zombies, so they aren't terribly interested in the external world any more. They've become almost as self-absorbed as the "ordinary people" in Truffaut's F451 world.
Ray DID re-use Truffaut's "Clarisse returns" idea in his stage play version of F451.This message has been edited. Last edited by: philnic,
Thank you both for your input - I took it as Montag's wishful thinking, but yes, there's nothing definitive, nothing that can be checked...might track down the play (if in print).
Originally posted by philnic: Ray DID re-use Truffaut's "Clarisse returns" idea in his stage play version of F451.
That is SO COOL! And you make a great point--in Montag's world there were plenty of video sources--but they are slippery. Sometimes accidents make the evening news, sometimes not. And even if they do, what were those details again? They are there and gone in a second because you don't have them in print. And, in a police state you hardly go bothering the police for accident reports. Really easy to have unreliable information regarding disappearance and even death!
Posts: 7334 | Location: Dayton, Washington, USA | Registered: 03 December 2001
In Truffaut's film, Clarisse's return is very understated. Montag is with the book people, and Clarisse is with the book people. They don't directly meet, and in fact they may not even be aware of each other's presence.
It is understated, but to me it seems they clearly meet and are aware of each other. In the final segment as Montag is being introduced to the bookpeople community, Montag and guide stop to sit on a bench by the river, Clarisse walks up and removes a copy of Tales of Mystery and Imagination by Edgar Alan Poe from Montag's hand. They look at each other and Clarisse smiles. And just before "THE END" they are clearly walking together.
Ifound the topic about if they had an affair interesting, as that was why I was curious about her return. I think definately not (she talked indiscriminately to people, which was why she was banned from school) and there is no such evidence in the text (and she was so much younger than the jaded Montag) but she got into his head and Montag may've been interested, which is why there is such a difference in his devastation over Mildred's OD and almost indifference to Mildred after her betrayal. I am tracking down the play, before I watch the movie. I will be disappointed if they do indeed, walk off into the sunset together. However, I like that Ray Bradbury clearly fell in love (so to speak) with Clarisse himself, enough to want to keep her alive at least...
Originally posted by Linnl: ...Clarisse walks up and removes a copy of Tales of Mystery and Imagination by Edgar Alan Poe from Montag's hand. They look at each other and Clarisse smiles. And just before "THE END" they are clearly walking together.
I bow to your superior memory of the ending! I'll have to watch it again.
It is understated, but to me it seems they clearly meet and are aware of each other. In the final segment as Montag is being introduced to the bookpeople community, Montag and guide stop to sit on a bench by the river, Clarisse walks up and removes a copy of Tales of Mystery and Imagination by Edgar Alan Poe from Montag's hand. They look at each other and Clarisse smiles. And just before "THE END" they are clearly walking together.