"There was a silly damn bird called a phoenix back before Christ, every few hundred years he built a pyre and burnt himself up. He must have been first cousin to Man. But every time he burnt himself up he sprang out of the ashes, he got himself born all over again. And it looks like we're doing the same thing the phoenix never had. We know the damn silly thing we just did. We know all the damn silly things we done for a thousand years and as long as we know that and always have it around where we can see it, someday we'll stop making the god damn funeral pyres and jumping in the middle of them. We pick up a few more people that remember every generation."
Granger, Page 163
This is the very last metaphor used in the novel, and would be the most important metaphor portrayed. This quote outlines the whole plot in Fahrenheit 451 and also provides the answer to the difficulties in this novel. The answer that Granger stated was that it was for people to simply stop the book burning. Like the revival cycle of the Phoenix, the generations of this world had repeated the same actions over and over without trying to regret it or put an end to it. The quote "someday we'll stop the god damn funeral pyres and jumping in the middle of them" means that someday the people in the world would stop the cycle of mistakes they created. But presently, nobody would act to cause a change, that is why Ganger included the word "someday" in his quote because at that current time nobody would step out to cause a change in this injustice. Someday would be a time when somebody with great power would step up to cause a difference. But until then people with weak power like Ganger or Montag, would have to wait till somebody makes change.
Fahrenheit-451
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Post #5 By Ryo
"I've been a fool all down the line, I cant stay long. I'm on my way God knows where."
Guy Montag, Page 130
Montag regrets for the actions he took by calling himself a fool. "I'm on my way God knows where", Montag says this because he believes he is going to die. But After that quote Fable replies " At least you were a fool about the right things, and this statement of Fable, I believe is indeed true. I think that even though if a person does cause unrighteous commitments, if it was to protect one's justice, their guilt is acceptable. This idea works for both our world and the world in Fahrenheit 451. I believe that the law created in our world is incomplete and unfair, at times the law protects the people that need to be put to justice, and at times the law brings judgment to those who are innocent. This insufficiency of law works for both worlds.
Guy Montag, Page 130
Montag regrets for the actions he took by calling himself a fool. "I'm on my way God knows where", Montag says this because he believes he is going to die. But After that quote Fable replies " At least you were a fool about the right things, and this statement of Fable, I believe is indeed true. I think that even though if a person does cause unrighteous commitments, if it was to protect one's justice, their guilt is acceptable. This idea works for both our world and the world in Fahrenheit 451. I believe that the law created in our world is incomplete and unfair, at times the law protects the people that need to be put to justice, and at times the law brings judgment to those who are innocent. This insufficiency of law works for both worlds.
Monday, January 10, 2011
Post #4 by Ryo
“Well” said Beatty, “now you did it. Old Montag wanted to fly near the sun and now that he’s burnt his damn wings, he wonders why. Didn’t I hint enough when I sent the Hound in your place?”
Captain Beatty, Page 113
Captain Beatty says that Montag got punished for trying to change. Montag asked Beatty why he was being punished, and Beatty said, for being different. Here again Bradbury uses a metaphor to describe the situation that Montag is in. How Montag had tried to become different from the others is compared to how Montag tried to fly near the sun.
"Didn't I hint enough when I sent the hound in your place?" This quote shows that Captain Beatty knew that Montag had kept books and Beatty warned Montag to get rid of the books. I believe that Captain Beatty is the most complex character in the novel because although he is a book burner he has a vast knowledge in literature. Why does a book burner have such information about books? I think that at a point in Beatty's life he must have had a passion for books. But why did he become a firemen? Seems ironic why he had made that choice.
Captain Beatty, Page 113
Captain Beatty says that Montag got punished for trying to change. Montag asked Beatty why he was being punished, and Beatty said, for being different. Here again Bradbury uses a metaphor to describe the situation that Montag is in. How Montag had tried to become different from the others is compared to how Montag tried to fly near the sun.
"Didn't I hint enough when I sent the hound in your place?" This quote shows that Captain Beatty knew that Montag had kept books and Beatty warned Montag to get rid of the books. I believe that Captain Beatty is the most complex character in the novel because although he is a book burner he has a vast knowledge in literature. Why does a book burner have such information about books? I think that at a point in Beatty's life he must have had a passion for books. But why did he become a firemen? Seems ironic why he had made that choice.
"How close the wilderness is in the night"
“When we forget how close the wilderness is in the night, my grandpa said, someday it will come in and get us, for we will have forgotten how terrible and real it can be” (Page 157, Granger)
Throughout the entirety of Fahrenheit 451 the author has been preaching to us the dangers of embracing technology too much at the cost of our own critical thinking and free will. As Montag has finally escaped from the city he used to live in and is now out in nature with other likeminded individuals, he hears this warning from Granger. This serves to remind Montag not to become complacent. While it may seem like he has finally escaped from the Mechanical hound and other ghosts of his pasts, if he becomes complacent it could all return. He could become just like Mildred, depressed, attempting suicide, and lost within the walls of the “parlor.”
Another point to mention is that at the end of the book, it appears as if his old city has gone up in flames, probably due to an atomic explosion of sorts. It’s a warning that even if the entire old structure of firemen and censorship was torn down, you still have to watch out for any potential pitfalls that could return the world to such a state.
"An unreality that was frightening"
“He was moving from an unreality that was frightening into a reality that was unreal because it was new” (Page 140, Narrator)
This scene seems to be one of 2 crucial divides of the story. The first of which is after Clarisse opened Montag’s eyes to the world beyond just Seashells and Parlor walls. It seems that after wading around confused in a fog of blurred images and sounds that have assaulted him for so long, Montag’s finally out of it. Similar to the feeling that you get after you finally wake up from a long nap and you splash some water on your face. The water wakes you up from your old dreams, snapping your attention to the present. Strangely this revelation of Montag’s just happens to take place by a river, which shows the author’s skill at connecting his tale with real life scenarios. At the same time though, this hope is tempered by fear of the unknown, which is perfectly natural considering that Guy Montag is a fugitive from the law. On the plus side, he’s finally out in nature. After all this ideal concept of nature was referred back to in the book as soon as the first 20 pages, with this in mind, I’m looking forward to seeing how the author portrays this nature after idealizing it so much. It’ll be interesting to see if nature can live up to the high expectations Montag has of it.
Post #6
(whoooooo final post :D)
"When we reach the city."
This quote is the very last line in the book. So it should hold some significance.
I think this quote is important, not only because it's the last line, but because I think this represents the 'new' future for Montag and his new friends.
They are heading to the city to look for survivors and rebuild civilization.
What does this mean? What does it mean by rebuild civilization?
I think this last portion of the book reflects on a slight flicker of hope in the world; note that just before the quote mentioned above Montag recalls a quote from a book he had read before.
Then he says that he will save the quote for the city.
I think that represents his future actions; maybe he will spread the word. Maybe he will try to change the ways of the former society.
Maybe the destruction of the city was a good thing.
As Granger had previously said, there are a massive number of refugees like themselves - ex professors with literature and books engraved in their heads.
This could mean all those refugees can reach the ruins of the city and re-civilize everyone.
Another thing to mention here is the discussion between Montag and his friends previously; when Montag insists that he had forgotten about the books he had read before, Granger explains that books always remain in their minds - even if the actual books are burn to ashes.
So yes, the books may be burn and destroyed along with the city. But these refugees represent books because they carry the meaning of the books which is the most important.
Books are more than just papers, words, ink, and covers. They carry meanings. The meanings are most important, and they stay engraved in these people's heads.
They will reach the city.
They will have the books with them, not in their hands, but in their heads.
They will remember.
It will last forever.
"When we reach the city."
This quote is the very last line in the book. So it should hold some significance.
I think this quote is important, not only because it's the last line, but because I think this represents the 'new' future for Montag and his new friends.
They are heading to the city to look for survivors and rebuild civilization.
What does this mean? What does it mean by rebuild civilization?
I think this last portion of the book reflects on a slight flicker of hope in the world; note that just before the quote mentioned above Montag recalls a quote from a book he had read before.
Then he says that he will save the quote for the city.
I think that represents his future actions; maybe he will spread the word. Maybe he will try to change the ways of the former society.
Maybe the destruction of the city was a good thing.
As Granger had previously said, there are a massive number of refugees like themselves - ex professors with literature and books engraved in their heads.
This could mean all those refugees can reach the ruins of the city and re-civilize everyone.
Another thing to mention here is the discussion between Montag and his friends previously; when Montag insists that he had forgotten about the books he had read before, Granger explains that books always remain in their minds - even if the actual books are burn to ashes.
So yes, the books may be burn and destroyed along with the city. But these refugees represent books because they carry the meaning of the books which is the most important.
Books are more than just papers, words, ink, and covers. They carry meanings. The meanings are most important, and they stay engraved in these people's heads.
They will reach the city.
They will have the books with them, not in their hands, but in their heads.
They will remember.
It will last forever.
Post #5
"BEATTY WANTED TO DIE..."
This is what Montag thinks when he's running away from the Mechanical Hound - just after he had cauterized Beatty to death. He comes to this realization/suspicion/speculation when he rethinks how Beatty had spent his last moments alive:
-He handed a fire-loving fireman (Montag) a flame thrower, fully aware that Montag has his reasons to loathe Beatty.
-He would not stop talking until it pushed Montag over the edge even though Beatty knew he was very vulnerable.
Then we have to ask this question:
Do you think Beatty actually wanted to die? Do you believe Montag's reasoning?
This quote is important because this gets us readers thinking about what kind of character Captain Beatty had been...If he truly was an antagonist and a bad person, why did he walk into his own death knowingly? Did he have a death wish?
Is Captain Beatty your typical antagonist?
Or was Beatty too overconfident? Was a lack of intelligence and quick thinking the cause of his death?
But did he lack intelligence? Certainly not, from what we have read.
Another important thing to mention here is Beatty's speech before he died.
He told Montag that fire exists to burn. Fire is the solution to anything burdensome. If things get too burdensome, throw them in the furnace and they're gone. Fire burns consequences and responsibilities. Cauterize them out of existence.
Then fire burns Beatty out of existence.
How ironic.
Was Beatty a burden? Did Beatty's own philosophy simply turn on him? It looks like it.
Maybe he told all this to Montag to make him commit murder. Maybe he knew this speech he had given to Montag will tip him over the edge and do what he had done. Just maybe.
This is what Montag thinks when he's running away from the Mechanical Hound - just after he had cauterized Beatty to death. He comes to this realization/suspicion/speculation when he rethinks how Beatty had spent his last moments alive:
-He handed a fire-loving fireman (Montag) a flame thrower, fully aware that Montag has his reasons to loathe Beatty.
-He would not stop talking until it pushed Montag over the edge even though Beatty knew he was very vulnerable.
Then we have to ask this question:
Do you think Beatty actually wanted to die? Do you believe Montag's reasoning?
This quote is important because this gets us readers thinking about what kind of character Captain Beatty had been...If he truly was an antagonist and a bad person, why did he walk into his own death knowingly? Did he have a death wish?
Is Captain Beatty your typical antagonist?
Or was Beatty too overconfident? Was a lack of intelligence and quick thinking the cause of his death?
But did he lack intelligence? Certainly not, from what we have read.
Another important thing to mention here is Beatty's speech before he died.
He told Montag that fire exists to burn. Fire is the solution to anything burdensome. If things get too burdensome, throw them in the furnace and they're gone. Fire burns consequences and responsibilities. Cauterize them out of existence.
Then fire burns Beatty out of existence.
How ironic.
Was Beatty a burden? Did Beatty's own philosophy simply turn on him? It looks like it.
Maybe he told all this to Montag to make him commit murder. Maybe he knew this speech he had given to Montag will tip him over the edge and do what he had done. Just maybe.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
"What traitors books can be!"
“What traitors books can be! You think they’re backing you up, and they turn on you. Others can use them too, and there you are, lost in the middle of the moor, in a great welter of nouns and verbs and adjectives.” (Page 107, Captain Beatty)
After reading this brief passage, I couldn’t help but feel sorry for Captain Beatty. Whilst before he was portrayed as a one-dimensional character, whose sole purpose in life was to burn books, this quote adds to his character much needed depth. It seems to me that at one point or another in Captain Beatty’s life he was an avid reader of books. At some point in his life it seems as if books had turned on him. Perhaps it was a personal crisis of some sort, or maybe his precious books no longer held the former allure they used to. Either way, whatever happened had shaped him into the person he was today. I have no doubt of his intelligence, as he’s shown his memory in applying book quotes to real-life situations, but you just feel sorry that he’s burning books instead of fighting to keep them. Understandably he’s bitter, and when there’s that much hatred or dislike of something inside of you, eventually it gets released. While some people punch a wall, or scream loudly, Captain Beatty’s way of release is much more violent. He attacks his former interest directly, burning away, leaving only ashes.
"No. Not from wars"
“I’ve never known any dead man killed in a war. Killed jumping off buildings, yes, like Gloria’s husband last week, but from wars? No. Not from wars.” (Page 94, Millie)
This sentence seems to sum up everything that seems to be wrong with people in Fahrenheit 451. Throughout the book you constantly have this uneasy feeling that something’s very wrong, but you can never really place your finger on it until this quote. Do people no longer die from wars? Or have the people in this society merely grown so desensitized to what actually happens in war, and ignore the casualty figures? The second option seems much more likely, after all Mrs. Phelps said “Fourty-eight hours, they said, and everyone home. That’s what the army said.” It appears as if the country that this story takes place in is one of the world’s superpowers, most likely the U.S.A. They’re constantly at war against the world, but the average sheltered citizen never has to deal with any of that nasty business. Everyone is within their own little world, which they only come on out to interact with others out of sheer necessity. Is this really a world that you’d want to live in? No social interaction whatsoever, constantly bombarded with advertisements, and your nation always at war? Nobody in their right mind could agree to such a dire prospect, but it seems as if in this story the people have. Not only have they agreed to it, but they’ve embraced the concept completely. The problem however with living in your own little world is that once that bubble bursts, and you’re forced into the real world, there can be quite a shock…
"“I’m antisocial they say"
“I’m antisocial they say. I don’t mix. It’s so strange. I’m very social indeed. It all depends on what you mean by social doesn’t it?” (Page 22, Clarisse)
In this brief sentence made by Clarisse, the point that’s brought up here is that everything’s based upon perspectives. In the eyes of Clarisse, she seems to be the one who’s perfectly normal and loves to speak with others. Yet in the eyes of the average person at the time she’s antisocial for shunning the “Seashells” and other trappings of technology that others such as Mildred (Montag’s wife) seem to embrace. In this story, Clarisse and Mildred appear to be “foil” characters, or characters whose traits oppose and show the traits of the opposing character. However, what struck me the most about the situation was how easily the 2’s situations could've been reversed and how things would’ve changed as a result. I think this is the reason why we’re able to connect with the characters in this book so well.
Mildred represents one side of us, while Clarisse represents the other . Sometimes we feel just like Mildred, we no longer want to be caught up in the petty troubles of the world. Instead it’s just easier if we just lose ourselves in a world of fast action and immerse ourselves into a fictional perfect world. At the same time though, sometimes we’re Clarisse. We cannot help ourselves but questions the why’s of the world, why things are the way they are. While at first it seems that we have nothing in common with Mildred if we closely take a look at ourselves, we’ll most likely find at least one situation where we’ve behaved exactly the same way. This really serves to bring in the point that technology is pervasive, and if we don’t treat it accordingly, we may lose our inner “Clarise” in the world of 100MPH beetles and parlor walls.
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