Individualism In Fahrenheit 451

against. Henry tries to explain why he cannot deviate from the segregationist views of the rest of the community. Trying to justify his actions, he asks her if she has “ever considered that men, especially men, must conform to certain demands of the community they live in simply so they can be of service to it” (Lee Chapter 8). Henry points out that Jean-Louise is entitled to certain wildness with no regard for the consequences it holds because she is a “Finch” and “all Finches” are known to be amusingly “mad.” On the other hand, he is obliged to keep in line, because any misstep would be seen by noted as the “trash” within him rearing its ugly head. For upper-class Jean Louise, the ability to freely follow her conscience is taken for granted.

She shares her questioning nature with him asking him if he is happy, which prompts him to ponder over his life. Clarisse continuously rebels against society, questioning why her world is so intent on suppressing the population. She only sees her world as something that should be changed, and her brazen nature amongst her suppressed counterparts brings about her defeat.
When Montag asks Captain Beatty about Clarisse’s disappearance, Beatty describes Clarisse as a “time bomb” and justifies her death when he says: “[When] you ask ‘Why’ to a lot of things . . . you wind up very unhappy indeed, if you keep at it.” To him, her decision to rebel and refusal to submit to society’s subjugations makes her “better off dead” (Bradbury 58). Her relentless questioning that stems from her immense desire to transform the world she lives in costs her her

She admits to her uncle, Dr. Jack Finch, that she “can’t fight them,” and that she feels that she has “no fight left” (Lee 211). Her Uncle responds, showing her that her one-directional views and rebellious attempts have hindered her ability to see the truth that lies before her. “You confused your father with God. You never saw him as a man with a man’s heart, and a man’s failings—I’ll grant you it may have been hard to see, he makes so few mistakes, but he makes ‘em like all of us. You were an emotional cripple, leaning on him, getting the answers from him, assuming that your answers would always be his answers” (Lee 216). Failing to comprehend what truly surrounds her causes her a lot of unnecessary hardship and