Wow. What an ending. I can't say I didn't see some of it coming, but I didn't expect this book to end on a bright note. I earned a new respect for Montag during the last 50 pages. I thought burning his boss was a little unnecessary, but I'm not unable to understand why he did it. However, my loathing for Mildred still stands. She turned her own husband in, put him in the position of burning THEIR house and/or being killed. She is one of the most hopeless characters I have ever read about.
I like what this book stands for: redemption, perseverance, devotion, dreams, individuality, the influence of technology, and the importance of intellect. I've found that it's hard to find books that are bold enough to write about societies such as the one depicted in 451. I'm sure they're out there, I just have yet to find them. Therefore, I have a very intense respect for this book and what it represents.
There are parallels that can be drawn between 451 and modern society. It is true that, through technology, people appear to be detaching themselves emotionally. On video games, people shoot each other, run over people, and it amuses them. That's a scary thought.
If I were to be a character in this novel, I think I would have been Clarisse. I would have been that girl that was different-- whose mind did not comform to the society she lived in. More than any other event in the book, Clarisse's death sent a wave of sorrow through my heart. For me, she was a symbol of hope, a light at the end of the tunnel. Who is the symbol of hope for modern society? I do not have an answer. However, I will say that I will strive to be the Clarisse of my society, minus getting brutally run over by kids hoping to cause injury for sport.
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