An interesting thing about this novel is that one of the
points that Bradbury is making about his society is just how few actual values and
principles the society has. Montag lives in a world surrounded by people who don't
truly care for each other, who drown their miseries in distractions, and for whom true,
meaningful relationships are a nuisance and a bother.
The
values of the people in his society can best be seen through episodes with Mildred's
friends, and in hearing Clarisse discuss her classmates at school. Clarisse says that
her classmates are violent, and that "they kill each other." After school, all they do
is:
head for a
Fun Park to bully people around, break windowpanes in the Window Smasher place or wreck
cars in the Car Wrecker
place.
In addition, they
never talk about real things. Families don't communicate anymore; this is why Montag is
fascinated with Clarisse's family, who stays up late at night just to talk. When
speaking with Mildred's friends, Montag learns that they feel that children are a bother
and a nuisance; and even when their husbands die, they don't feel too badly about
it.
So your question is a good one: where ARE values and
beliefs in this book? They are severely lacking, I would say. However, Bradbury,
through Clarisse, Faber, and Montag's search for happiness through books, insists that
happiness, true happiness, come from reading, thinking, analyzing, forming your own
opinions, stopping to notice the beauty in life, and in forming lasting relationships
that are meaningful. Clarisse is happy--she notices the beauty in life, spends time
with her family, and thinks and ponders on things. Those values have led her to her
happy state.
I hope that those thoughts helped a bit; good
luck!
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