In Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, many different emotions are evoked. A writer can make the audience feel towards one person more than another and in this unusual novel, that is quite the case. .
In the beginning of the book, Mildred, the wife of Guy Montang, attempts to attempt suicide by overdosing on sleeping pills. This is interesting because the next day, Mildred has no recollection about her suicide attempt. As I was reading the passage when Montang figures out that Mildred had taken too many pills, I really didnt pity Mildred. Instead, Montang is the one that deserves pitying. He was the one who had to watch his wife being treating by seemingly second rate and emotionless technicians, not doctors. He was the one who stayed up all night, listening to Mildred, wondering what could have caused her to try to kill herself, and if she would do it again. In addition, Mildred seem like a hard person to care for; she seems so engrossed in just watching television. She seems to be slightly superficial and you get the feeling she really doesnt care for Guy. She is like a doll because her life force is sucked out. When Mildred took the overdose, it symbolizes that something was very wrong with her life and that deep down, she knew that, and that in her eyes, the only way solve the problem was to eliminate the problem, which is her herself. .
Though Mildred's problem did not evoke so much emotion, Clarisse's disappearance did. Clarisse seemed to be such a nice girl, open to the world, and willing to befriend anyone who was willing to enjoy life for what it was. Her absence in the novel affected Montang life greatly. The fact that 17- year old left was a blow in itself, but when you find yourself reading so much on how this affects Guy's life and how nobody seemed to care, you feel sympathetic towards Clairsse and to Montang also. Mr. Bradbury might have been trying to point out that sometimes we dont know what's important to us until it's too late.
