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- Make a comment about how Bradbury offers a solution to one issue in our society, using textual support.
**Remember general blogging expectations--be respectful, use school-appropriate language, use only your own ideas, proofread, and cite your work.
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ReplyDeleteI feel that Clarisse is Montag's guardian angel leading him to people that understand what he is going through because they have been in the same situation as him. On page 140 when Montag is led to the people that had strayed from society because they read the books as well. It says that he almost knew Clarisse was on the same trail as him so he continued on and eventually found a comforting place.
I think that this statement is very accurate and a very interesting way to perceive this situation. In addition, this makes me wonder if Clarisse was killed by the government for her interests in books.
DeleteIf I was put in the same life or death situation that Mildred was I think that I would escape and pull the alarm just out of pure scardom. Also I think that is heartbreaking that someone who is supposed to love you and stand by your side through everything abandons you so quickly (divorce). What would you do?
ReplyDeletePage 108 at the beginning of part three has to be the most sadening part because Montag can't even get a response from his wife when he asks her if she pulled the alarm.
Yeah I agree that part of the story was really sad and really important. I definitely think that their reaction further justifies that their society is unhealthy, since the scene shows that there is no strong relationship or connection between Mildred and Montag, as well as messes with Montag's emotions since that moment would make him feel truly alone. It goes to show living with someone doesn't mean they have a connection.
DeleteI have noticed that Montag has a lot to deal with, he is the antagonist to society's eye, but the protagonist in others. He is trusted by some but not by many, he has multiple sides to go to but which one will he chose.
ReplyDeleteI agree with this Aden, Montag has a very mixed personality that makes him different than any other character. Also another thing to think about is when did Montag begin to have so many sides of him? Was it when he met Clarisse?
DeleteLook back at the titles for each part. What do they reveal about character development and theme? For example, Part 1 is called "The Hearth and the Salamander" whereas Part 3 is called "Burning Bright."
ReplyDeleteA hearth is a fireplace and people once thought salamanders could endure a fire. The first title shows how Montag could be able to survive the fire and challenges thrown his way but later on in the novel he runs into more issues that almost "engulf" in like a fire would. When a fire burns bright most people would think it's a good fire if it's burning bright and strong but in that title it shows how his problems are growing and how he has to deal with those challenges.
DeleteI think it is interesting that Bradbury uses the word "Hearth" in this scenario as it is the place around the fire while "Burning Bright" sounds like it is in the fire. This shows the progression of the book. Starting calm with just a few sparks here and there such as the women burning with her books. However the end seems like it is in the midst of everything. In the fire, everything around them is burning which is similar to how the book ends.
DeleteI believe that burning bright is to show that everything in this section is burning bright lol. Montag's house was burning bright and so was Beatty body.
DeleteWhy do you think the government lied about Montag's survival?
ReplyDeleteThe government in this society doesn't want to show they are wrong or incapable of anything so by putting a poser out there it makes them look so much more reliable and perfect.
Deletetrue.
DeleteWill Montag return in the end to save the day??????
ReplyDeleteafter whats he'\s done and the thoughts that have gone through his mind i don't think theres a way for him to return
DeleteBeing with the group of other learners/readers perhaps allows him to craft, create a new society.
DeleteP.S. How might this novel be similar to "Anthem"?
Maybe Montag will return to his society with something that will put everyone in shock, but what could it be.
DeleteOn page 136 and 137 of the GN Montag is walking in the woods. This is the first time we really see Montag walking and thinking like Clarisse did at the beginning of the novel. I think this is an important part Bradbury puts in because it shows how Montag continues to change. "Montag listened. Nothing." "Half and hour later, cold, and moving carefully on the tracks." Montag is finally distancing himself from all the technology and book burning and I find that to be a really important piece.
ReplyDeleteGreat observation, Izze. Bradbury creates a whole motif of cold vs. hot throughout the novel. So, how might the idea of being "cold" here connect to Montag's rebirth?
DeleteI agree, that the deeper that Montag walks into the woods, the farther he gets from the society that he could connect with or deal with. I don't think that Montag will miss his old life and technology because of all the struggle that came with it. For example, when Mildred tried to overdose and Montag had to deal with that put extra stress that he didn't need. I believe that he will have a better life with people who think like he does.
DeleteI made a comment about this too, but in another part of the book when Montag was running. I think it's crazy to see that Montag was so influenced by people like Clarisse that he wanted to try it out for himself and experience this whole new life without his necessities.
DeleteAs I was reading, I found it very interesting that for the first time, Montag was able to find peace and feel comfortable, and he did this through nature. The text states, "The river held him comfortably. and gave him time, at last, to consider this month, this year, and a lifetime of years." I think that this quote demonstrates to readers that when living in such a hectic time period, it is important t be able to have a space that offers a sense of peace, such as nature.
ReplyDeleteGreat insight, Grace. I think it's also important to consider what the metaphor of the river might symbolize for Montag. Ideas, anyone?
DeleteBut why do you think that this time period is so hectic? People get to sit around and watch TV all the time, so what makes Monatg's or Midlred's life so all over the place?
DeleteI think the river symbolizes a new start for Montag. He is washing away his past and him burning the books, and starting clean. He is also maybe washing shame from himself, from living in this cruel society, that he was apart of.
DeleteI completely agree. I thought this was very interesting. I thought that this metaphor meant that he is being washed clean. Throughout history rivers have been used in many ways to show cleanliness or a new beginning because the river is constantly moving and effecting/changing its environment.
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DeleteI agree. I think we find our true happiness outdoors and exploring the world around us, but the characters in the novel always thought their true happiness was indoors and watching TV.
DeleteBeatty wanted to die, however he didn't just want to be another suicide. He wanted to push Montag even more to the point where Montag murdered him, was this another example of self pride within Beatty?
ReplyDeleteI disagree with you, Riley. I feel like Beatty want Montag to kill him to push him to the woods. To push him to run and make change. When Montag was playing cards, Beatty had an eye out for Montag. I think after all of book talk at Montag house he knew it was his time to pass the change onto Montag.
DeleteI think it is because it shows how much attention he wants and how far he will go to get it. He wanted to do that so badly that he was willing for Montag to murder him which shows Beatty's true personality and how he reacts in a situation. Their way of life wasn't "normal" compared to use and at that point nobody really knew what to do in a circumstance like that.
DeleteWhen Beatty tells Montag that firemen are "custodians of peace of mind" and that they stand against "those who want to make everyone unhappy with conflicting theory and thought." How well are the firemen accomplishing these objectives?
ReplyDeleteI think that in the eyes of society, they are doing a good job because they obviously think that books are bad in a sense and when trying to maximize pleasure, books aren't a very good way in doing so. They burn the books and the people that try and project these conflicting theories and thoughts.
DeleteThey accomplish burning the books very well but they don't seem to get the point that books are paper with stories to tell.
DeleteWe all know that the government is hiding something (burning books) but what is the harm in having people find out the truth? Montag after being a wanted man in a sense says,"They would have killed me...For no reason at all in the world they would have killed me." pg 128
ReplyDeleteI think they want to hide the truth because it is "unclean". The truth allows for differing opinions. Without these opinions the people of this society are easier to manage.
DeleteI'm not entirely sure that the destruction of books and thought was completely done by an over controlling government. Back when Beatty goes to Montag's house while he is "sick" the Captain explains this fade of literature and critical thinking as the fault of apathetic societies and disassociated connections (due to overstimulation), which simply fed to the hatred of thought. So, in many ways, society led to the burning of books.
DeleteGood to question motives here, Alex C. Let's think, perhaps, about the connection to modern day. Why does any higher power control information? What motivates such a fear of truth?
DeleteThis is just like our world because the government hides stuff from us because they don't want it to cause a massive outbreak from the public. I feel that's what bradberry is doing in his novel because there government doesn't want them to know about anything there doing.
DeleteThis reminds me of the Hunger Games because the Capitol is hiding something and they make sure that the districts don't know what is going on except what they want them to know, so they threaten to kill people and all of that stuff to discourage people from rebelling against them.
DeleteBradbury brings up a point where a man is walking and now he is being hunted, this shows that in this society almost everything must be done, made, or shown with some sort of machinery. This is a solution for our society because walking is always better than driving, you get more exercise, and you don't pollute.
ReplyDeleteI think that this book and our society are similar and different at the same time because he is being hunted because he is not driving a car and in our society we wont hunt you but people just don't use the anything else but a car to get around.
DeleteOne thing that I think is, in a society that is so reliant on technology, people don't not realize that their relationships are so vital for society to continue on. On page 148 Montag is leaving the city he once knew and he says that his wife is back there. Montag doesn't even try to turn back, and he even says that he doesn't feel anything. I think that because he doesn't feel anything about his wife is because he doesn't know his wife. That might be a reason why they never had kids, because they never go to know each other, and it seems in this society many people dont know each other, and there aren't really kids around anymore. This is the way that the human race is going to die out, because people don't have kids and they don't get to know each other anymore and have face to face conversations.
ReplyDeleteI agree, I think that in their society everyone seems disconnected from each other and know the minimal amount about each other in order to maintain a relationship.
DeleteOn page 125 of the novel, Faber expresses himself under a new light of courage (yet is afraid he may still be cowardly) and I'm curious as to the relation between Montag's intellectual journey and Faber's overcoming of fear? They both reach a strengthening moment in their own ways which is why I believe Bradbury used a lot of his character's paths (Faber's courage, Beatty's internal conflict, Mildred's death) to reflect a specific character (Montag) and a specific idea (censorship).
ReplyDeleteI think that it was very significant the Bradbury had Montag go to the hobo camp. Hobos are outsiders and different. People usually steer away from them and it just showed more clearly how society preserves Montag. This is evident on page 137 of the graphic novel where they were excepting of Montag and welcomed him in. They even gave him coffee and warmth. This also reminds me of divergent when Tris and four are welcomed into faction-less, the outsiders.
ReplyDeleteI strongly agree with this statement and I did not look at that situation from that perspective at all but I am happy that you were able to highlight it in that way. I think that this event is very important in connecting back to our everyday society because it goes to show that you cannot judge a book by it cover. Like you stated, hobos can be considered "outsiders and different." While this can cause people to look the other way, it is vital that you really learn about an individual before you make decisions on the way that you will judge them.
DeleteI found it very fascinating when the men sitting around the camp site spoke out to Montag as he made his way there. The men did not know that Montag was among them, but they state, "All right, you can come out now. You're welcome here." They all spoke as if this was something that regularly happened, as if they had experienced it before.
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DeleteI agree I like that they were welcoming to him even though they did;t know him but they knew that people who had escaped were the ones that appreciated books
DeleteAll Beatty wanted to do was to die and he wanted people to know how he did and if he just killed himself no one would of cared and it would just be another death. But since Montag killed him there is a greater purpose for his death. Why do you think Beatty wanted to die?
ReplyDeleteI think he wanted to make a statement and give the people a villain. If he had just killed himself then it would just be sad but since he was murdered by Montag it makes him kind of a martyr in a way.
DeleteI think (if?) he wanted to die because he was at a crossroads. He kept questioning his explanations of why things are how they are and even said how every fireman get curious about books, implicating himself. I think he was too afraid of ruining his reputation but too upset with his surroundings.
DeletePreviously we have been able to see he wanted to die, with subtle hints or he was thinking of this plan all along and he was waiting to see if he could push Montag to decide he is the right one for this. Beatty does not try to stop Montag from blasting him with the flame-thrower, instead, he grins and quotes Shakespeare, mocking Montag and challenging him to do it. This leads Montag to believe that Beatty’s death was more of a suicide.
DeleteI think that he waved to die because he wasn't happy like most people in their society, and he wasn't in denial and he just wanted all his unhappiness to end.
DeleteIt was interesting how Montag says, "Beatty Wanted to die". I wonder if this could have partially been him wanting to justify his actions and make it seem as if it was okay for him to kill Beatty.
ReplyDeleteThe first mention of the "hobo camps" which Faber describes on page 128 leads us to believe that maybe not the whole world or even the whole USA has fallen under the regime of the book burners. He makes it seem as if Los Angeles even resides outside of their influence, so this quote makes it appear that their whole society is still just a fraction of the rest of the world,
Absolutely, Grant. Bradbury's structure seems pretty important here. We go a long time in the novel before we know much about setting. It's only at the end, I believe, that Montag mentions Chicago. What's the effect, then, of such anonymity?
DeleteThis has a kind of snowball effect of ideas in a way, but during the last few pages (about 148+) We mostly see Montag traveling to the professors and finally crossing the threshold into a new lifestyle, away from common society.
ReplyDeleteIf I were to summarize what these 'book people' are, I could describe them as people traveling around with no permanent home (nomads), carrying very few possessions (burning books after reading them), telling and passing down their stories vocally to their children and other members of their group. Sound familiar? This leads me to a few different ideas:
1) This is almost like history repeating itself and starting over, and since nomads are a pretty early-on/primitive(?) concept, but they're more educated than people in the collective common society, would this suggest that people like Mildred and her friends are--with all their technology and medical advancements and organization--almost less intelligent and adept to living?
2) Bradbury is painting an idea that feels almost synonymous to that of what most apocalyptic mythological story lines do. Some larger authority is starting a fight, a 'savior/designated survivor' is warned ahead of time, and a large destructive force annihilates the remaining unfit population. The designated survivor is then left to help recreate a better humanity OR everyone dies and that's all. Reference Ragnarok or Noah's Arc for examples of the former.
So is it possible that Fahrenheit 451 is somewhat of an Apocalypse myth? And do you think this story will have a rebirth or be destroyed and stay that way?
In the beginning of the book, Clarisse asked Montag if he was happy and he answered yes and then realized it was a no when he walked into "the cold marbled room of a mausoleum". Later in the book, on page 148, he was talking to the Granger and said "My wife is back there... It's strange, I don't miss her, it's strange I don't feel much of anything." I think it took Montag the whole book to realize how he truly felt about the society and the life he lived and who he lived it with. I think this is important because it showed how the society didn't allow for anyone to feel anything true or pure and that was their way of outlet.
ReplyDeleteI would agree, in today's society, we often turn to our phones or televisions to "tune out" the world of stress around us. It's interesting how Bradbury expanded on that idea of outlet and transformed it into our minds' hate for deep ideas and thought provoking situations.
DeleteI disagree, yes it took him a long time to realize that that specific society didn't allow for feelings to happen, but I don't think that it took him the whole book to realize he didn't have happiness. I think that he knew that he wasn't happy when he knew what was going to happen after the dog came to sniff his house. I think this because he sat down and started to read the books searching for a reason why books were illegal and searching for something to make him happy again.
DeletePowerful thinking! It's such an important lesson to understand that change takes a long time, we cannot expect to change ourselves or society overnight. Faber encourages Montag to have "Pity, Montag, pity. Don't haggle and nag them; you were so recently of them yourself" (Bradbury 99).
DeleteI feel that montag isn't really meant for human connection. I feel clairesse dying helped him opened his mind but with her death we could she how it kind of let his world down. Being alone would perhaps be best, and his best bet at survival would have to be just observation of others and learning from other people. Because he could be the face of a rebellion but I don't think it's in his character.
DeleteI feel that Montag has always questioned whether what he was doing was right even before he ever met Clarisse. On page 63-64 in the graphic novel, Montag is remembering when he first came in contact with Faber. Faber was reading in the park but rather then report Faber, Montag holds on to Faber's personal info. All of the other Firefighters would have either taken the book from Faber or reported him.
ReplyDeleteReally solid inference, Dante. Another reason I think that Beatty is more similar to Montag than we first assume. His actions could show us one of the choices that Montag could have made.
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ReplyDeleteI don't think the point of this book is to stop the advancement of technology, which may seem like the theme on the surface. If this book was made in modern time, the main idea wouldn't be burning books, it would be banning the most popular medium to express ideas, which is why they chose to include burning the bible, since that's not just a book but a way of life. Therefore, one real idea of this book, in my opinion, is that we should value long term solutions over short term ones. This is first expressed near the beginning of the book, on page 40, when Montag realizes society's solution to boredom (watching TV all day) also brings up memory loss to the point where Mildred can not even remember where they met. What may seem good realistically took away people's basic functions.
ReplyDeleteFahrenheit 451 I think is terrifying, and should be terrifying when thinking about the future despite how old the book is. Think about it, the story is about a society that seems to feed its own fire. For example When Montag tries to confront his wife and friends with discussion requiring actual thoughts and opinions, he tries to turn off the TV and make them think for themselves a little bit, they seem to become angry and confused, and Montag realizes that they are beyond a point where they can think for themselves anymore, they don’t want to think and understand anything else besides what they know. this society likes to live in a box. Book burning started when people chose not to be challenged by thoughts they didn’t find comfortable to them, thoughts that challenged what they grew up knowing. We can see that everywhere around us today, and we all know people who only get their information from certain sources that largely comfort what they already think, validating their learnt opinions. there are attempts to ban or censor books, and still being challenged, but on social media you can witness people’s bad reactions to stories they don’t like, you can see how people create small “silos” of information to protect themselves from anything scary, some people are even proud of how little they read and how little they know beyond their own experience. Which means that the seeds of Fahrenheit 451 are already planted. That doesn’t mean it will come to pass at some point, but that’s why it’s a frightening book. It goes far beyond the concept of firemen burning books to destroy knowledge it’s a frightening analysis of how our society could collapse without a single shot being fired, and a mirror of our age where entertainment is available to us at any point in time, on phones we carry with us at all times, ready and waiting to block out any info we don’t want to hear
ReplyDeleteThe rebellion people have within struck me as a reader to come to the realization of the different ways people can be swayed into believing something based on only hearing one side of a story. Montag came to realize this, and for speaking up the world wanted him dead (page 128) After Montag's life basically blew up in his face, he felt his soul leave with his house, and as he saw all of his possessions fade away , he awoke, he awoke to the sight of truly seeing his surroundings and understanding the limitations that were placed on society. Media today is very filtered and depending on what station you listen or watch it on,m usually moves your views and opinions. In some cases I will hear about police brutality on the news and how someone was treated was unfair, but typically you never hear why the police were there in the first places or the person's previous actions. My dad Being a police officer I get educated on both sides of the story so I don't have biased views. This type of connection relates directly to how in this 451 society at this point people aren't getting any information, not good or bad. They are fed what the are wanted to believe and willing listen but do not understand unwillingly going along with society.
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ReplyDeleteI found it interesting that throughout the whole novel Bradbury never mentions the outdoors or nature and that we are "happier" inside, but at the end of the novel Montag finds his happiness in nature. On page 138 of the novel "Here was the single familiar thing, the magic charm he might need a little while, to touch, to feel beneath his feet, as he moved on into the bramble bushes." I think Bradbury is showing us that we don't find our happiness in our phones or inside, but we find what truly makes us happy outside and exploring the world around us.
ReplyDeleteKaylie, what a great observation. The GN has a few moments of nature, but they are mostly dead flowers. It's also important to see that there is no mention of natural animals either, just the mechanical hound.
DeleteI thought the river was also significant because of how it made Montag feel. This is evident on page 135 of the graphic novel he was able to find peace. I love how he was able to consider his thought process over the last couple years and how he's was at peace in the midst of chaos. I think it was put beautifully when it says, "He listened to his heart slow. His thoughts stopped rushing with his blood." I also love his word usage and how it sounds like a river but he's but he is saying the word in context of his thoughts.
ReplyDeleteI think that in a lot of movies/books, when a character enters water that usually represents change. In this context I think that the river is the final nail in the coffin of his old life. There is no way he will every go back again. Good thinking!
DeleteOn pg 156 Montag is talking about phoenix. The Phoenix sprang out of the ashes. Do you think all the fires Montag stated the ashes after helped him reached the point of running to the woods? Did he spring from the ashes too?
ReplyDeleteLove this, Hannah! It's fascinating to think about the image of the Phoenix, a symbol of fire, as being a moment of conflict (good and bad). You're absolutely right in your analysis--the firefighting he did destroyed him but the fire of ideas and desire allows him to be reborn.
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ReplyDeleteI think that Beatty is in a lot of ways similar to Macbeth in Shakespeare's play macbeth, and I had made an annotation about how Macbeth is ¨blinded by the power the “night” gives him. He seems to be addicted to the idea of death.¨ Beatty seems to be blinded by the ¨Night¨ or in the book night is seen as book burning. He even wanted his own death to happen and Montag found out about it on page 121 in the graphic novel.
ReplyDeleteWhat a cool connection, Hunter!
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ReplyDeleteI think that Montag thinks that all he did was harm by burning all the books that he learned to appreciate and love. I feel like he believes he did the wrong thing even though he was just doing what he was told and didn't know any different.
On page 149 in the novel Montag gets asked two questions, "What did you give to the city, Montag?" Montag replies "Ashes." "What did you give others?" "Nothing." Even though he doesn't think he gave anything to others, do you agree with him?
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ReplyDeleteWhy does nature give Montag a sense of serenity or peace?
ReplyDeleteHe's lived surrounded by noise and technology, so he probably enjoys the silence and change of scenery.
DeleteMontag has also been surrounded by fire and destruction. Having a quite place, with no rules and the feeling of being free, makes him a different person. On page 137 in the GN, Montag's face when it says "he saw the fire ahead" is sad, and completely broken. He had just gotten away from all this fire, but even in this quite, peaceful place, his past still follows him.
DeleteExactly what everyone else said, but nature basically represents the opposite of everything his society stands for, so by nature giving him serenity and peace, it truly shows that he internally opposes everyone else's views.
DeleteIt's really important to me that Bradbury's 'book nomads/last hope' also burn books. It kind of makes them a foil to the common society. One fears and tries and exterminate books, the other values them and works to keep the ideas alive. However both burn them.
ReplyDeleteWhy does Beatty program the Hound to track Montag even before Montag stole the book? Was he already suspicious of Montag before?
ReplyDeleteBradburys solution to society is the books. He wants to out the books to all of society once the war is over because he believes that will be what it takes to get back to former glory. He shows this plan on pg. 143 or so when he introduces all the other men with him that have stored the knowledge of their books in their brains.
ReplyDeleteIn the end, Montag ends up taking a book of fairy tails with I'm when he fled the city to be free of his consequences. I think that maybe has something to do with the way that Montag wanted his life to end like they do in the fairy tails.
ReplyDelete"He searched the house and found the books where Mildred had stacked them." (Page 93 - GN)
Montag was searching for all of the book that Mildred had as he was fleeing.
Also, when Montag was running away, while the hound was after him, he had taken a moment to hide from the hound, and the hound did't find him. But, the hound knew exactly where Montag was hiding. The hound had not made any mistakes, because it is very smart but it was also very sensitive.
"On the walls the mechanical hound.. spidering along... here and gone..." (Page 131 - GN)
The hound was searching and found them but turned around
Bradbury offers a solution to an issue in society by making a statement about how people who were trying to make a change for the better but it ends up taking a turn for the worst and instead of everyone trying to compromise and work together to solve problems, everyone turns against each other and no one is happy.
During the scene after the bomb has exploded and Montag is lying pushed into the ground, held down by pressure and an outside force, I couldn't help but think that this was symbolic message of what the society will be in later years with a possible revolution. It got me thinking about what Montag and the walking books will do and what it shows of society. How can thinking resurface after being oppressed for so long?
ReplyDeleteI think it happens when you get a person or a group that know something or have some way of finding out what the rest of the society doesn't know or someone curious like Clarisse and they want the societal ways to go back to how they have been before.
DeleteI think that through the text Bradbury offers a solution to the idea of human struggle in general. For example, Montag was proactive and he decided to educate himself about books and learn about them. He did these things for himself. This demonstrates that if you have issues going on in your life that you can control, then you should and that nothing will change unless you are willing to .
ReplyDeleteI agree, humans like to really complicate things when its unnecessary. If you can change something that we are unhappy about in life, change it. People like to blame others for their issues, but really, the only person who can change it is you.
DeleteI think a solution to the problem of consumerism is to train your brain to decipher what you need and what you want. WE DO NOT NEED A CELL PHONE! We don't need that new makeup, we don't need that new shirt. An example of consumerism in the novel an example of consumerism is how Mildred is so addicted to the TV that she wants a 4th wall TV. We do not need those things, yet, we get confused and insist that we don't ever have enough.
ReplyDeleteFollowing the theme of happiness what character seems the happiest? Is it better to not know things and be happy with the simple pleasures of life or does knowledge allow for greater happiness?
ReplyDeleteI think that there are so many bad things happening that living in denial to escape from the real world because they don't want to know anything that makes them sad. Which might be a reason that they try to get rid of books, to not feel.
DeleteUnless I've already forgotten how the book started, I would argue that Clarisse is the happiest character in the story. While she doesn't get tons of time to directly interact with Montag, in the few interactions we get to see, she comes off as playful. The same cannot be said about any other character. While some may argue that those who live under the daze of the society seem even happier, I would disagree. They simply lack an understanding of negativity; there isn't anything particularly happy about any of them, only an absence of any negative thoughts and emotions. The allusions to suicide regarding several of these characters only reinforces the point. In contrast, Clarisse has a few things that bother her, like her fear of the other children (as mentioned on pg 27 of the novel). However, these concerns don't stop her from genuinely enjoying her "alone time" and chats with Montag.
DeleteThis book is not far off from our society, yes it goes to an extreme that our society could get to at one point. I think that Bradbury is suggesting that people need to talk and have intellectual conversations for society to keep improving in a healthy way. The reason why Montag didn't feel anything when he left his wife behind, and even when Midlred told the firemen about his books. They never had conversations like Montag and Fabre did, and that's why Fabre and Montag had such a better relationship than Mildred and Montag. So I think that Bradbury's suggestion is to make sure that we as human beings must have conversations face to face and talk like people did in times before cellphones and instant messaging.
ReplyDeleteBradbury's solution is that without books and being educated we would all be lost and just average, but with books in our lives we get to read and learn about anything whenever.
ReplyDeleteI think Bradbury suggests that removing conflict could solve many problems in society including unnecessary deaths due to war. However the cost is so great that it does not seem worth it.
ReplyDeleteWhy does Bradbury choose to demonstrate this with books and not something else?
ReplyDeletein the story the don't people to think about different world and how the one they live in could be better
ReplyDeleteHow does Montag's limp leg resemble the society's cognitive abilities?
ReplyDeleteThe foils of Faber and Beatty remind me of Dumbledore and Snape in Harry Potter. They are both trying to help Montag in a similar way as Dumbledore and Snape try to help Harry but both are doing it in extremely different ways.
ReplyDeleteIn the graphic novel the dog is portrayed as this big mechanical dog with eight legs, this dog is meant to protect people. But we never see the dogs face it is always covered in shadows, the only part of the dogs face we see are its eyes. Even the eyes contrast, the first time we see the hound (27-28). After that the next time we see the hound is when it begins to chase Montag (117+), that time though we see the eyes as red. So that begs the question of what does the hound really represent.
ReplyDeleteLife without life my dude. I see it as a metaphor for the senseless destruction and meaningless lifestyle brought on by the society within the story. The dog is a beast designed to kill, can anything different really be said about people who are spoon fed nothing but pure action to the point that they actively try to run over pedestrians? (pg 121 regular novel)
DeleteOn page 147 of the regular novel, Granger says the following: "[Man] never gets so discouraged or disgusted that he gives up doing it all over again, because he knows very well it is important enough and worth the doing." In context, the "it" of this quote is of course, the sharing of written word, but what could we apply this same logic to in our own daily lives? In other words, what is so important that you would never give up on it, no matter the odds?
ReplyDeleteIn the regular novel, page 113, Montag burns Beaty and Bradbury says that "Montag shut his eyes, shouted, shouted, and fought to get his hands at his ears to clamp and to cut away the sound." The fact that Montag is shouting and trying to not hear all of the painful sounds makes me realize that deep down Montag has never wanted harm with people or with books. He is a really true guy that just wants to change the way people view his world. The phrase "cut away" in the previous quote suggests a more powerful motion of Montag's because he is not only cutting away Beaty's sounds, but also he is cutting out the damaged part of his life that has made him a disapointing human.
ReplyDeleteOn page 130, when Faber is telling Montag to just leave town, Bradburry ends up saying "Montag ran." This is a very powerful statement because a verb like "ran" has not been used in this book because it is based around technology. The people use jet cars that don't allow them to take one look into nature. "Ran" to me shows a whole new side of the story and introduces what their society would be like without the techonology and new advancements. What else does the phrase "Montag ran," symbolize?
ReplyDeleteBradburry's solution is books contribute to more than just our literary lives, they introduce culture and new ideas. In that case keeping books around let people have new findings in life that they have not found before.
ReplyDeleteI think that mildred represents all of our current society in the way that she is always plugged into a screen or listening to something, she is never truly present to her everyday life and I see that alot in our current society. I have also thought of this as she is a perfect representation of the society that she lives in herself and that she fits the mold of what they would probably look at as "the perfect citizen."
ReplyDeleteAnother thought that has crossed my mind is that when reading the book most were probably looking at the Mechanical hound in a negative way because of it's impact on Montag but here is a great example of something made by Bradbury's imagination that would actually be really useful to any society where murderers are on the run or dangerous people as a whole.
A question I had was, have other firemen questioned their jobs the way the montag did and if so why are they not talked about in a way to show the consequence of doing so?