Fahrenheit 451 is set in a future world where they burn books. The main character, Guy Montag, is a person whose job is to burn the books. One day he meets Clarisse McCellan, a 17 year old who is isolated by her peers because she questions the world they live in, on his walk home. She helps him she his world in a different light, by helping him notice small things like nature that his society has told him to ignore.However, she is tragically run over by a speeding car, leaving Montag sad but changed forever.
I find this two character's similar because they both fit the manic pixie dream girl archetype. Which is ...
I find this two character's similar because they both fit the manic pixie dream girl archetype. Which is ...
1. Brightness (they are intelligent or strong-willed and stand out from society around them)
Helen is incredibly strong-willed, because she bears all the punishment and humiliation she receives at Lowood silently and without complaint. In short, it's her strength that allows her to act so "weak" because she believes so much in Christian teaching.
2. Loveable different-ness (their philosophy, hobbies, tastes, etc)
Helen's philosophy's based off of her religion are so different to Jane. She believes in forgiving everyone, regardless of what they've done to her, unlike Jane, who until she meets Helen is really big on holding grudges.
3. Ability to change to way the moody protagonist sees the world
Helen changes Jane's views on what religion can be, and what it can mean. She goes from avioding hell by not dying, to avioding hell by being a good person.
4. Inevitably leave the protagonist
She dies of consumption.
5. Mostly static characters
Helen's the same through the entire time she's in the novel, but that it's a bad thing. She's consistently a good, kind, and forgiving person.
More on the MPDG archetype: http://invertedcommas92.blogspot.com/2012/09/the-manic-pixie-dream-girl.html
Bradbury, Ray. Fahrenheit 451. New York: Ballantine Books, 1953. Print.
Bradbury, Ray. Fahrenheit 451. New York: Ballantine Books, 1953. Print.
I never would have made this connection, I really like it! I see the connection and am starting to see if there are more connections withing Fahrenheit 451. I think that you did a good job of making it easy to see how the two characters are connected.
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