Fahrenheit 451 Critical Lens Analysis

Bernadette Devlin once explained that, “To gain which is worth having, it may be necessary to lose everything else.” In other words, she is saying that everything has a price. Nothing comes free. In order to get, one has to give. In Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, Clarisse and Montag satisfy Devlin’s stance because they both strive to get away from the dystopian society and have to sacrifice their family, friends, and even their life.
Clarisse, who is a pariah, gives up a “normal” life in order to be herself and live freely outside the society. She decides that it is worth it to not have friends in order to express herself the way she wants: “”I’m antisocial they say. I don’t mix. It’s so strange… I haven’t any friends. That’s supposed to prove I’m abnormal’” (26-27). Because she expresses herself in a way that doesn’t conform with the society, she is ostracized by children her own age. This idea of giving friends up to be herself agrees with Bernadette Devlin’s stance because of the sacrifices that she has to make. By not conforming with the society, she is scene as a rebel threat by the people as well as the government. Because the government sees her as a threat, she is killed: “‘Oh no! You weren’t fooled by that little idiot’s [Clarisse's] routine… Flowers, butterflies, leaves, sunsets, oh,hell! It’s all in her file… what good did she ever
Bradbury truly wanted to emphasize this by showing it in at least 2 characters, including Clarisse and Montag. They both wanted the same thing and received similar ramifications caused by the dystopian society. Not only does this quote in relation to the book remind one that everything has a price, but it shows that sometimes this price or sacrifice is well worth it. Overall, in Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 the characters of Montag and Clarisse epitomize Bernadette Devlin’s quote by choosing to stop conforming with society and lose everything