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Clarisse is portrayed by Bradbury in Fahrenheit 451 as a vivid character as she stands out from the other characters. She is different from the others as her character is not influenced by the society she lives in. Together with her family’s dynamic and different style of parenting, this enables her to be wise beyond her years. Possessing these special characteristics, she is able to challenge other characters in their beliefs about what should be right and wrong.
Her presence affects many characters in the book. Guy Montag is in a loveless and cold marriage with Mildred Montag but doesn’t realize until he meets Clarisse at the pavement. He engages in a conversation with Clarisse and “he felt she was walking in a circle about him, turning him end for end, shaking him quietly, and emptying his pockets, without once moving herself.” She makes Montag feel uneasy as she studies Montag and asks him provocative questions that he’s never asked himself before. Clarrise also reminds him of a candle as she brings up a feeling of fondness, stirring up childhood memories “when he was a child, in a power failure, his mother had found and lit a last candle and there had been a brief hour of rediscovery, of such illumination that space lost its vast dimensions and drew comfortably around them, and they, mother and son, alone, transformed, hoping that the power might not come on again too soon…” It shows that Montag isn’t completely brainwashed by society as he still enjoys family relationships such as the one between his mother and himself where he hoped the power would not come on so that he was able to spend more time to bond with his mother. Due to circumstances, Montag is forced by society to be unfeeling and cold In a way, Clarisse acts as a catalyst or turning point in Montag’s life, allowing him to realize how sad and detached his life and relationships are. It prepares us for Montag’s relationship with his wife and how he wants it to change and forge a closer relationship with her.
Clarisse’s curious and outgoing personality proves to be different from the society in which she lives in. She possessed these qualities that other characters in the book do not possess. Unlike those around her, Clarisse seeks knowledge for knowledge’s sake. She pushes questions on characters and introduces herself in a very different way compared to others. Due to her outgoing nature, Clarisse introduces herself to Montag as 'I'm seventeen and I'm crazy.” She introduces herself that way even though she isn’t doing anything strange as being observant and criticizing in this society is seen as different and unusual. Clarisse is also very curious and fun-loving, exploring different things when she can. When she says “I like to smell things and look at things, and sometimes stay up all night, walking, and watch the sunrise.', she is met by silence from Montag as he gets uncomfortable by her presence and ability to think deeper. It shows that Clarisse does not conform to society as she enjoys nature around her. She lives in a society where no one goes walks outdoors and likes nature anymore but Clarisse is a stark contrast to society. She enjoys walking, playing in the rain, letting the raindrops fall onto her tongue, and looking at the morning dew. Her curiosity makes her a brave individual, having the audacity to ask pointed questions such as “Do you ever read any of the books you burn?” to Montag even though she knows that it’s against the law. She puts emphasis on the word “read” as if she could see Montag’s true self and that he is a deviant.
Through Clarisse, we can see the consequences of a cold and detached society. In this society, Clarisse is abnormal as she demonstrates a youthful and childlike curiosity, showing interest in everything. However, many others enjoy watching parlor walls, an advancement in technology, and do not interact with their families or nature. A woman with a similar liking to books as Clarisse was found to have books in her attic and her house was burnt down by Montag and his team. This is evident from “The woman on the porch reached out with contempt to them all, and struck the kitchen match against the railing.” The woman, clutching a kitchen match, struck it against the railing and she burned with her books. This was how the woman was trying to voice her opposition to the burning of houses and books. She loved and treasured books and knowledge so much that she dies alongside what she truly believes in, causing Montag to feel overwhelmed with guilt thereafter. Another example of this cold and detached society in the impact of technology’s advancements. When Montag gets home after meeting Clarisse, he finds Mildred overdosed on sleeping pills. Mildred had Seashells in her ears while she was close to death, showing how much technology means to her and that she would never let it go even while on the verge of death. Mildred doesn’t remember attempting suicide and in a way denies that she is unhappy, or she may have been so absorbed in her music and soap operas that she forgot what she was doing and kept on popping pills. Even when she wakes up, Montag finds her in the kitchen still with her Seashells plugged into her ears. “She looked up suddenly, saw him and nodded.”, and when Montag asked her how she was feeling, she nods again, being an “expert at lip reading from ten years of apprenticeship at Seashells ear-thimbles.” Mildred prefers technology over family relationship very clearly, and it is at this point when Montag realizes that Clarisse’s existential questions and his thoughts thereafter proved to be right, how he isn’t actually happy and he has put on a mask to cover up his passionless marriage.
Despite Clarisse’s disappearance from the story very early on, the impact she leaves on Fahrenheit 451 is large. Not only does she push Montag closer to deviance, she also acts as a reminder to Montag that not everything society pushes for is morally correct and how he must keep his beliefs in check. The memory of Clarisse helps him organize his thoughts and turn them into opposition against the society that he lives in.
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