Fahrenheit 451
Image Association
Quote: "Is it true that long ago fireman put
fires out instead of going to start them?”Pg. 8
This is spoken in the initial encounter with
Clarisse McClellan. After this conversation, the
seeds of doubt are placed in Guy Montags
mind as to whether or not there was even the
slightest possibility of truth in her question.
While at the time, Guy Montag was sure of his
answer, over the course of the novel, we see
that his thoughts and understanding to this
matter change.
The image is of a firefighter attempting to put
out a fire. This is an occurrence that never
would have happened in the novel, as it is
stated that all houses are fireproofed, with
the firefighters only objective to burn the
illegal books.
Quote: "And if it was not the three walls
soon to be four walls and the dream
complete, then it was the open car and
Mildred driving a hundred miles an hour
across town, he shouting at her and she
shouting back and both trying to hear what
was said, but hearing only the scream of the
car." Pg. 46
At this point, Guy Montag is becoming increasing frustrated with his wife Mildred and the virtual reality she lives in,
surrounded in the three video walls. He is trying in vain to communicate with her, but caught up in the simulation she thinks
harmless, or driving her car, it proves impossible for Guy Montag to communicate his issues with her.
A speeding car depicts this situation well as Guy Montag is never able to catch up and reach out to his wife who seems lost in
her own closed world. In addition, the world described in the novel is a fast-paced society. This is explained in part when the
necessity for stretched billboards is mentioned, as the citizens drive so quickly in their cars.
Quote: "And because they had mass, they became simpler."
Pg. 54
Chief Beatty is describing to Guy Montag the real origins of
the firefighters. As a more media became available, the role
of books in their society decreased. Instead of reading one
thick text, describing a single event or theme, a person could
watch many three minute television program detailing a
condensed versions of many more events or themes. This era
marked the end of books . At the time of the books writing,
with the emergence of television, it was only a small jump for
the author to take, writing of a society like that in the novel.
The cover of the book Shakespeare after the Mass Media
makes a perfect image to representing this. Other than the
bible, Shakespeare's texts are thought by many to be the
most frequently read of any English literature. In the novel it
is described that much of his work has been made into short
articles or descriptions. The amount of content that would
have to be discarded is massive, it could not be assumed
there was nothing of significant value in it.
Quote: “
Colored people don't like Little
Black Sambo. Burn it. White people don't
feel good about Uncle Tom's Cabin. Burn it.
Someone's written a book on tobacco and
cancer of the lungs? The cigarette people
are weeping? Burn the book. Serenity,
Montag. Peace, Montag.”Pg. 59
As Guy Montag is speaking with Chief Beatty, Beatty brings up another reason for book burning. The stories and facts
contained within them conflicted. It was neither possible nor advisable to keep many conflicting accounts of events. It
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Quote: "It's been a long time. I'm not a religious man. But it's been a long time." Pg. 81
Professor Faber is marvelling over the bible that Guy Montag had taken from the old woma
n’
slibrary before it was burnt.
There is an amazing sense of importance when dealing with a bible. It means a great deal, which can be reflected in the
quantity that were produced even before a practical printing press was created. In their conversation, the professor
describes their working together to be like fire and ice, a biblical reference to the miracle of Canaan, where water was
turned to wine.
The pages of the Gutenberg
bible were some of the first
to be printed on a movable
type press. This lead the way
to the birth of books. It
made
possible
the
duplication of literature for
the masses, hundreds of
years
before
radio,
television, and the movies.
In the novel, Guy Montag
discusses printing once
again, a way to recreate
what has been lost.
Quote: "now you did it. Old Montag wanted to fly
near the sun and now he's burnt his damn wings,
he wonders why." Pg. 113
The lines, spoken by Chief Beatty when dealing
with Guy Montag after he is caught in possession
of books is in reference to the story of Icarus and
Deadelus. In the story, Icarus builds himself wings
from feathers and wax, but plummets into the
ocean after flying too close to the sun. The story is
similar in the novel. Guy Montag has finally
crossed the line, and there will be no turning back.
The image of Icarus with his wings burning in the
sun is symbolic of the steps that Guy Montag was
forced to take. It was a decision made by Guy
Montag to try and do the right thing, rather than
continue to live his pointless life.
Quote: "but we've got one damn thing the
phoenix never had. We know the damn silly thing
we just did." Pg. 163
This final moment in the novel happens the
morning after the final strike, after the dust has
settled. A nuclear strike destroyed the city, and it
is the hopes of the banished intellectuals that they
can rebuild society to its former book loving form.
One of the men harboring Guy Montag describes a
pheonix. As discussed in the novel, the phoenix
rises from its ashes to build anew, and so too do
they hope will men. They do mention the
important thing about our civilization. It will not
happen again, as we have learned from our
mistake.