Fahrenheit 451
by Ray Bradbury
Table of Contents
Clarissa McClellan
Clarissa, Montag's neighbor, is an extraordinary girl with an unusual family and atypical family experiences. Contrary to other adolescents of the Civilization who spend their time watching television, entertaining themselves, and speeding around in their beetles ruthlessly harming creatures while doing so, Clarissa enjoys going for contemplative walks in which she absorbs herself in nature and reflection. She intrigues Montag with her inquiries about him and his job and expands his mind with her reflections on nature and with her descriptions of the way she and her family occupy their time—"just sitting around talking" (9). Clarissa was mainly responsible for Montag's development as a mature human being, and Bradbury consequently later reincarnated her in his play as one of the forest people welcoming Montag into a new and better world.
Clarissa, 16 years old when Montag met her, died an untimely death by a speeding car that deliberately knocked her over as she was taking a walk. She would survive in his play, although not in the book, as one of the Book Lovers in the forest.
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