“It was a special pleasure to see things eaten, to see things blackened and changed.”
(p. 3)
I thought it was interesting that the speaker would present burning of books as a pleasurable thing. Normally, burning something would be a corrupt act to commit. This sentence alone shows how the world in this book is different then the real world. It shows that the firemen in the book actually enjoy burning books, and proves society is so used to burning books already, that they think nothing of it.
“You never wash it off completely.” (p. 6)
Although he is talking about the smell of kerosene and how you can never wash the smell off completely, this particular statement could have some abstract and hidden messages. Instead of referring to the actual smell of kerosene itself, it could be referring to what it actually means to smell like the gas; that once you commit yourself to burning books, even if you stop, and your past will never go away completely. The fact that you burned books will stay in your mind forever.
(Page 10-11) In these pages of the book, Montag is continuing his conversation with Clarisse. At the end of their talk, Clarisse inquires whether or not Montag is truly happy. Montag doesn’t give a straight answer, and seems nervous and continually thinks about the question and Clarisse.
I think Montag is nervous at Clarisse’s inquiry of whether or not he is happy because he doesn’t really have the knowledge of that himself. These pages of the story and those before have led me to believe that Montag lived a superficial life of sorts.
“This machine pumped all of the blood from the body and replaced it with fresh blood and serum.” (p. 15)
This sentence really shocked me a bit. The fact that they can do that, however, is an obvious sign that this book’s setting does not take place in the present, but in the future, since they don’t do that in hospitals in the real world. The fact that they can just drain all the blood out of a person and then put new blood back inside is greatly disturbing.
“Don’t you remember?” (P.19)
After the incident that occurred last night, where she was found by Montag to be half-dead and had to have help from the hospital, she seems to have no recollection of anything that happened on that day. It is interesting that she has no idea what happen because if someone were to be hurt and sent to the hospital, it would be hard not to know anything about that at all. There is an incredible lacking of information, unlike hospitals in real life.
“Montag touched the muzzle. The hound growled back” (p. 25)
The mechanical hounds and its apparent hatred towards Montag could be a hint of a conflict that will take place in the rest of this book. However, since it seems the Hound acts normally around others but hostile when around Montag, this could mean that Montag may be different from the other people. Since Montag met Clarisse, a girl who has been born thinking differently then others, he has been having second thoughts at the life he lives in. This hints that Montag may do something that will completely change the course of this story.
“Your laugh sounds much nicer than it did.” (p. 29)
I think this is interesting that she would say that because this would mean that previously, Montag’s laugh wasn’t nice. This change from not nice to nice means that in Montag’s time spent with Clarisse, he has changed for the better, in Clarisse’s point -of-view. However, since Clarisse in this world is put off as different, then her point-of-view that Montag is now nicer then before could be a sign that Montag is in a way becoming like Clarisse, and seeing things differently instead of just black and white.
“And then, Clarisse was gone.” (p. 32)
It was shocking that Clarisse would disappear so suddenly. After all the talking Clarisse had with Montag, she managed to get him to see things differently. In a way, Clarisse was an escape from the world around him for Montag. After she was gone, Montag expresses dis-ease that she is gone, showing that he misses her, but doesn’t really know it yet.
“At the last fire, a book of fairy tales, he’d glanced at a single line.” (p. 34)
By reading the book, even though it was just a glance, he had committed a crime. I assume that his glance at the book was not all an accident, but some of it was his curiosity that drove him to do it. Clarisse’s various inquiries and statements towards Montag seems to be taking effect on his mind and views on life, and Montag is starting to question the things around him.
“The woman on the porch reached out with contempt to them all and struck the kitchen match against the railing.” (p. 40)
The fact that people in this world are willing to lose their lives over books is amazing. This shows the censoring of books from them is completely idiotic, since people are willing to give so much for them. After all, not everything is worth losing your life over.
“”McClellan. Run over by a car. Four days ago. I’m not sure. But I think she’s dead.” (p. 47)
Clarisse dying could have a major impact on the story, even though Mildred is not sure whether or not she died, Montag believes that she is deceased, which still may be significant. Clarisse influenced Montag drastically, and now that she’s gone, Montag is left to think for himself.
“Every fireman, sooner or later, hits this.” (p. 53)
This could mean that Beatty knows about Montag and the books. He could mean that every fireman will eventually hit a stage where their curiosity entices them to learn about books. He also explains that they don’t explain the facts to the new firemen nowadays, meaning that Beatty probably knows a lot, but has decided to agree to the censoring of books even though he knows all the facts and the details that are now hidden from the public.
“’What’s this?’ asked Mildred, almost with delight. Montag heaved back against her arms. ‘What’s this here?’” (p. 56)
Mildred finding out about the book could prove disastrous towards Montag. Although she is showing signs that there is indeed a book behind Montag’s pillow and Beatty is in full view, it seems as though Beatty already knows that Montag has a book, and is just ignoring that fact. It seems that Beatty is trying to change Montag’s view of the world, and trying to explain to him just exactly why books are censored and why he should have them.
“The poor girl’s better off dead.” (p. 60)
Beatty showing this almost definitely shows that he knows more then he is putting out to everybody. It’s almost as if he is the one that killed Clarisse in the first place. If not, he at least knows about he death in detail, and is trying to cover up her significance from Montag by saying her family and she is weird. By saying all these negative things about Clarisse, he is attempting to succeed in changing Montag’s opinion back to what is “normal” – the opposite of what Clarisse tried to do.
“Well, Montag, take my word for it, I’ve had to read a few in my time, to know what I was about, and the books say nothing!” (p. 62)
“The moaning, she ran forward, seized a book, and ran toward the kitchen incinerator.” (p. 66)
Mildred’s reaction to the books was to be expected. She was completely shocked and immediately tried to eliminate every single one that Montag had. Mildred may, in the end, give Montag away to somebody purposely, since she seems to not care about Montag and just the elimination of those books. It is apparent she knows the dire consequences of having books, and fears it greatly.
“We’ll star over again, at the beginning.” (p. 68)
This shows that Montag is intent to really get to know the books before going back to his usual life, if he will in the first place. Montag is now extremely curious, and is truly starting to question the world around him and ask why things happen, instead of just letting them happen around him. He is amazingly set on learning about books before putting them down. Since he has already read a book, it is too late to go back for Montag, and he will probably end up going all the way and questioning the government itself.
Kelson Fung 22 February 2008
Journal for pages from seventy to one-hundred and ten.
“Is it true, the world works hard and we play?” (p.74)
Montag saying this sentence shows to me that he truly is starting to realize what is happening in the world around him instead of being confused and lead by society and popular culture. He is showing that he’s starting to question the world, and wondering how they can all be so happy while other people somewhere else is in grief.
“Lord, there were a lot of lovely books once, before we let them go.” (p.81)
I noticed that Faber said that “we” had let them go; instead of saying the government took it away or the like. This could mean that society willingly chose to give up all the books, and weren’t even forced to at one point. This is interesting because if everybody wanted to give up books, then there is little chance of getting them back again.
“I need you to teach me.” (p.88)
Montag has been acting unusual. He is showing an increased interest and thirst for knowledge of the world around him, and is not worried about risking anything in the process – even going as far as ripping up the bible in which he had so desperately clung to against all objections from Mildred.
“You reading up on firemen theory?” (p.97)
I found this inquiry interesting simply because it proved that not all books were banned from the world of Fahrenheit 451. It peaked my interests and led me to think what other books had the world been allotted to read. However, although this proves not all books are banned, I highly doubt that the books that are actually allowed are of no use as a provider of true information to the public.
“You were so recently of them yourself” (p.103)
Faber is trying to think of ways to calm Montag’s anger down. Montag is incredibly mad at everybody’s ignorance of the world around them, and by telling Montag that he was them not too long ago, he is showing that it is easy to lose sight and get distracted. He is using Montag’s own personal experiences to convince him to ease his own anger.
“We’ve stopped in front of my house.” (p.110)
I really didn’t see this coming. But this happening means that everyone, more importantly, Beatty, knows what Montag has been doing. People know that Montag has been reading books, and haven’t been taking action against him until now. This leaves me many questions as to what is going to happen next.
Kelson Fung 29 February 2008
Journal for pages from one-hundred and ten to the end.
“You’re under arrest.” (p. 117)
It was really surprising when Beatty first told Montag that he was under arrest. I had first believed that Beatty was a close friend of Montag’s, and was pretty nice overall, but it turns out he would turn on him and arrest him without hesitation. However, although this is clearly odd in our world, in the fictitious world of Fahrenheit 451, this may be perfectly normal, seeing as their society is overall cruel and unusual when presented to someone in the real world. The society in the book and the constant popular culture around it is most definitely influencing everybody’s minds to be this cruel.
“A shotgun blast went off in his leg every time he put it down…” (p. 121)
I could really feel the “shotgun blasts” that Montag was described to have felt after reading this sentence. I think Ray Bradbury described the pains that Montag were experiencing at the moment brilliantly with more then enough detail for the readers.
“The police, of course. They see me.” (p. 127)
Although Montag had committed the crime of murder, I highly doubt that the police would find him this quickly. I think that the police really aren’t there, and Montag is just imagining things due to a combination of his fatigue as well as his current state of confusion.
“A carful of children, all ages… from twelve to sixteen…” (p. 128)
This sentence celery indicates that no person over the age of sixteen was in the vehicle at the moment. I found it odd the children sixteen and under can be driving around in the streets, putting aside the fact that they’re completely reckless, at night alone. It hints that this world might have a lot of issues inside, which is hidden in the first parts of the book.
“…Instinctively such a high speed might turn the car upside down and spill them out.” (p. 129)
This means that if the fact that running Montag over with a car did not present a possibility of danger to the people driving the vehicle, they wouldn’t have stopped in the first place. This shows how greedy and self-centered the people in this book are and how they care about no one except themselves. It really gives an example of truly how everyone in that society is, like Beatty, for example, when he was arresting Montag.
“Tonight, this network is proud to have the opportunity to follow the Hound by camera helicopter as it starts on its way to the target-“ (p. 133)
I found it odd that the television network that was broadcasting this manhunt on Montag was actually proud that they would show a Mechanical Hound hunt and kill a man. I found it sort of funny that they treated it almost like a game or a sport of sorts, the way they presented it. This could mean this is just another way they are hiding true facts away from the public, and in this case, they are hiding the severity of death from them, and replacing it with thoughts that it is fun.
“Police suggest entire population in the Elm Terrace area do as follows: Everyone in every house in every street open a front or rear door or look from the windows” (p. 138)
Although it is a bit subtle and vague, this shows exactly how much control the government has over everybody. They have enough control to be able to command everybody to look outside of their homes and everybody would actually do as they commanded. It also shows how significant the voice of the government is, to be able to reach every single person in the area.
“It’ll change the chemical index of your perspiration.” (p. 147)
I think that it’s interesting that people would have this kind of technology when they’re underground and going against the government. This shows signs that there is a rebel group in hiding, and there may be more, and they’re actually intelligent enough to put up a fight against the government and censorship and popular culture.
“The chase continues north in the city!” (p. 148)
I found it a bit humorous that even though the police and the news know very well that Montag has successfully escaped that they would lie just to give a dramatic ending to their show and to give a satisfactory ending to leave no one curious in the end. This shows that lying is a thing they use very often, and little of what they say is ever the truth.
“All we want to do is keep the knowledge.” (p. 152)
This shows the throughout the book that there were intelligent people that were aware of what was happening after all. These people just don’t want to put up a quick fight, and just wants to remain into hiding waiting for a right time where everybody will actually want to listen to them, or agree to what they think. They’re doing exactly what intelligent people would do in a situation like this.
“It’s strange, I don’t miss her…” (p. 155)
This shows probably that Montag never really loved Mildred, that it was an empty marriage between the two. This leads me to think if weddings and love is set up by the government too to disguise information from everybody, or if the public sets them all up so that there would be no strays that think differently.
Kelson Fung 7 March 2008
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