Are you Happy?

Montag and Clarisse

Are you happy? A simple, but loaded question.

One of my favorite books of all time is F-451 by Ray Bradbury. It is also a significant piece of literature that a lot of middle school students read an analyze. It was well before it’s time. As a teacher, it was fun for me to help students make more substantial connections and discover new ideas throughout the process of reading the book.

Early on in the story, the main character Montag meets a girl named Clarisse. During the first interaction, the following exchange happens near the end of their conversation.

She laughed at this. “Good night!” She started up her walk. Then she seemed to remember something and came back to look at him with wonder and curiosity. “Are you happy?” she said. “Am I what?” he cried. But she was gone-running in the moonlight. Her front door shut gently. “Happy! Of all the nonsense.” He stopped laughing. He put his hand into the glove-hole of his front door and let it know his touch. The front door slid open. Of course I’m happy. What does she think? I’m not? he asked the quiet rooms.

Through further reading and by Montag’s actions the reader realizes that Montag is, in fact not happy, nor has he been for a long, long time.

I asked this same question to a student today. I got a very similar response. “What, why would you say that! Of course, I’m happy.”

My expertise is not in social-emotional well being, nor counseling. Every once in a while, and less often now that I am an administrator, something tells me that there is more going on than what we see. We try to piece together a student’s “story” through grades, attendance, behavior, and limited conversations and interactions in the hallway, but there are always pieces missing. And those missing pieces are the key that allow us to help them.

Unlike students, we eventually understand all of Montag’s missing pieces, which helps the reader identify, and empathize with/for him.

It can be difficult at times, to help someone who does not want to help themselves. I feel like I was in one of those situations today. A Counselor and I are doing a lot of things to help a student be successful, but still, they refuse help.

Not a lot of inspiration today, just some thoughts on how I am feeling.