F451: The Sieve and the Sand Part II

What are 3 ways that the women display their frivolous/superficial characters?

1. They vote for politicians purely based on their physical appearance (height/weight/etc) 2. They are not interested in discussing the war, even though their husbands are fighting and may die. 3. As soon as they get close to talking about life or death, they quickly switch to discussing a TV show

What can you infer from the following quote and why is it important? "What traitors books can be! You think they're backing you up, and they turn on you."

Beatty is educated and well-read. He seems to have a whole toolbox of quotes to pull out and argue with. He is saying that books often present multiple opinions on all sides, which is what makes them so problematic. In many ways, their power lies in the users' knowledge and understanding of them.

Montag thinks of the books as "dynamite". What does this metaphor indicate about literature, and the power of books?

Books are extremely powerful, but can also be dangerous. While dynamite has lots of positive uses for its power, it can also be highly destructive and damaging in the wrong hands; the same can be said for books.

What can you infer from the following quote and why is it important? "It shocked me to see Mrs. Phelps cry. Maybe they're right, maybe it's best not to face things, to run, have fun. I don't know."

Clearly Mrs. Phelps spends her life being completely distracted from the true and painful realities of the world. She uses TV and other things to keep herself from thinking deeply. Here, Montag is questioning this, and wondering if perhaps ignorance might not be such a bad thing if it keeps you from pain.

What can you infer from the following quote and why is it important? "But remember that the captain belongs to the most dangerous enemy of truth and freedom, the solid unmoving cattle of the majority."

Faber is making the point that there is often power in numbers, but that doesn't always make the majority right. It's easier to think with the masses, but it's highly dangerous to a free society when you can't break away from the masses and have your own thoughts. It's oppressive when a society values conformity over individual thought.

What does Montag compare the women to and what does this portray?

He compares them to statues, portraying the idea that they are hollow, unthinking, just replicas of humans.

What does Faber mean by the following quotation: "You're afraid of making mistakes. Don't be. Mistakes can be profited by. Man, when I was young I shoved my ignorance in people's faces. They beat me with sticks. By the time I was forty my blunt instrument had been honed to a fine cutting point for me. If you hide your ignorance, no one will hit you and you'll never learn."

He is saying that making mistakes helps you to refine your own thinking; don't be ashamed of your own areas of weakness, or lack of knowledge; while painful, people's criticism is necessary and important for growth.

What might Montag's hands symbolize in the following quote? "Montag felt the guilt of his hands."

His hands symbolize his true desire for knowledge.

What is the poem "Dover Beach" about?

It's about the loss of faith that the speaker's society has experienced. The speaker appeals to the reader, to cling to their connection in a world of violence and fear and pain.

What can you infer from the following quote and why is it important? "I don't want to change sides and just be told what to do. There's no reason to change if I do that".

Montag is clearly struggling with issues of conformity and individuality. He wants to break from society and think for himself, but he is concerned that he is just replacing being told what to do by society, with being told what to do by Faber. We see here his longing for his own opinions and ideas.

How does Mildred respond to hearing the poetry read?

She is deeply embarrassed by her husband; angry with him. She tries to cover it up.

How does Mrs. Bowles respond to hearing the poetry read?

She is so extremely angry at Montag for reading it. She says that poetry makes people feel bad.

How does Mrs. Phelps respond to hearing the poetry read?

She is so overwhelmed that she cries. She's almost confused/shocked by her own response.

What evidence is there that people are seen as disposable in this society?

The discussion amongst the women shows that they don't seem to value people highly. They talk about suicide and their death of their "loved ones'' in almost breezy terms. They discuss children as objects, and war as almost unremarkable.

Montag describes Mildred and her friends with the following simile. What can be inferred about these women based on this description? "They were like a monstrous crystal chandelier tinkling in a thousand chimes."

They make a huge amount of noise, the noise isn't pleasant, they are showy, their chatter is meaningless & for show, they talk over each other

When speaking to the women, Montag's "mouth moved like Faber's." What does this illustrate about Montag's ability for individual thought?

While he desperately wants to be able to think for himself, and think critically, he isn't yet able to. He's out of practice from years of being told what to think. While he's trying to break free, he's still reliant on other people's thoughts and opinions to guide him.