Divergent

The independent reading novel I have chosen is Divergent by Veronica Roth. I have heard a lot about this book and it seemed like something I would enjoy. At first, this novel seems quite similar to The Hunger Games, another extremely popular futuristic book. However, the entire plot is completely different and has a lot more meaning. Usually, I’m the type of person to read a book before I watch the movie. But, I saw the movie during spring break and I loved it. So, I figured I would read the book too.     

I’m on chapter ten and so far, I really like it. It was a little slow at the beginning which is expected with most novels. I can already tell that Tris is going to be a very relatable character and she is extremely interesting. I really enjoy Roth’s writing style. She is descriptive enough that you can see what’s going on, but not overly descriptive to the point of boring readers to death. I’m excited to continue reading and see where the story goes.

Fahrenheit 451 // Characterization (Clarisse)

One of the main characters in Fahrenheit 451 is Clarisse. She is a very interesting character and she has a lot of personality. Montag, another main character, describes her as slender and pale, with dark eyes. Montag also says something extremely vital to understanding Clarisse. “But Clarisse’s favorite subject wasn’t herself. It was everyone else and me. She was the first person in a good many of years I’ve really liked. She was the first person I can remember who looked straight at me as if I counted.” From this, we can tell that Clarisse is more of a listener. It seems she would prefer to carry on a conversation talking about the other person, rather than about herself. This also brings a more mysterious vibe to her. We don’t really know that much about Clarisse, which makes her all the more interesting.

What makes Clarisse different from the people in her society is her knowledge of the past. When she and Montag first meet, they do a lot of talking about his job as a fireman. “Strange. I heard once that a long time ago houses used to burn by accident and they needed firemen to stop the flames.” Considering Fahrenheit 451 is set in the future, we all know that her statement is true. Montag, however, dismisses her and says that houses have always been fire proof. Clarisse seems smart; she asks a lot of questions specifically about firemen. Her attitude towards them is curious, maybe even a little threatened by what they do.