Good day (see, I am thinking of new, creative greetings).
This was a really great, interesting section because Montag was so utterly betrayed by Mildred. She was so worried about her own appearance, that she called the firehouse on him. I was so surprised that anyone could be so uncaring and heartless. They were marries for a long time, they lived in the same house, and Montag obviously thought something of her, even if it wasn’t love. I was just so surprised.
The two most important scenes in this part of the novel, I think, are the scene in the parlor in which Montag reads the poem “Dover Beach” (which is a real poem by Mathew Arnold) and the scene in the Firehouse with Captain Beatty.
In the parlor, Montag gets so angry at the shows—the drivel—that his wife and her friends are watching that he reads them a part of “Dover Beach”, a poem from a book that he stole. He does it to show them how textureless their shows are with their screeching tires and screaming voices. This is important because I think that it is the main event that causes Mildred to turn him in. Mildred, more than her friends, seems to be shocked by this open show of disobedience to the law. She is more worried about how this act will reflect on her than she is about Montag getting caught.
I personally think that this scene is interesting (especially to my little decline of civilization theory) because Mildred leaves him so easily. She has friends that are on their third husband. She just doesn’t love him. I think that we are getting to a stage like that already. My parents are divorced and my father is remarried. I know that I am not the only one in that situation.
The second important scene, the one in the Firehouse, was after Montag goes back to work; turning in the book he stole (or a substitute) to captain Beatty. At first, the captain seems ready to let it go, but as they are playing cards, he brings up a dream he allegedly had. In it he was having an argument with Montag. Montag was spewing literature, and Beatty was quoting back.
This is important, I think, because it shows that Beatty actually knows a lot of literature. He knew the quote that the dying woman said, and he was able to fuel a whole dream filled with quotes. Obviously, he has read some of the books that he is burning.
I am really curious about what is going to happen next. I know that Montag’s house will be burned, but I’m not sure what he is going to do after that, now that he is out of a job, a home, and all of the books he stole. There are a lot of questions to be asked.
My favorite passage from this section, however, is the third-to-last paragraph on page 101, that starts with “‘Go home.’ Montag fixed his eyes on her…” It really emphasizes the unhappiness of the people in this reality and I think that is one of the most interesting themes in this book. Mrs. Bowles has this past, these three husbands and children that hate her, and so she immerses herself in these “parlor games”, but perhaps this is the cause of her unhappiness. “The salamander swallows it’s own tail,” Faber says. The beginning, the cause, circles around to meat the end, the effect and make on continuous circle until you don’t know what is the beginning, what is the cause, and what is the end, what is the effect.
Though this is a great metaphor, I think that my favorite is something Faber says on page 83 (it’s a little before our reading for tonight, I know, but is my favorite). He says, in paragraph two that if you were to put a book under the glass you would see life, teeming there across the pages in “infinite profusion”. I just think that is the most wonderful idea, partially because I believe that it is true. I said in my post on January the 21, that humans don’t like to look at their own ugliness. Books are so alive that it shows humans something they don’t want to see. I think that was the best metaphor, possibly in the whole book. In general, Faber has wonderful lines.
Good day (isn’t it cool how that can be used as a greeting and a dismissal?).
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3 comments:
Kit, I saw your reply on my blog, and I hope you don't mind if I continue to fight for my comrades around the world ;)
Aaaahhhh... but before we get into that, allow me to first comment about this large blog entry you read here, so that it doesn't appear that I solely came here to nag on you, eh?
This may/may not spoil something for you, but if you read the Afterword, Ray Bradbury speaks of a concept he had for a sequel to F. 451, and shares a little scene in which Beatty reveals his entire apartment is filled to the brim with books, but he never reads any. Just thought you might be interested in that.
Second off (For this subject, at least): I agree on the whole subject of how the wives don't really love their husbands in the book, and the real world is beginning to head down the same path. In fact, I wrote a little something about that on deviantART off yonder: http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/46711167/. For this subject, you want to look at the last three paragraphs, yes? I'm too lazy and too embarrassed to write out that whole anecdote again. What can I say, old habits die hard.
Now then, for the moment we've all been waiting for, my rebuttal to your post on my blog! Yay.
First off, I'd like to point out that you said that there was a distinct difference between the printing press and the computer, but you never quite elaborated on what they were. The way I see it, one mass produces things, one doesn't. That's about it.
Second off, your claim that bookstores are closing because of the net. If you saw the link I gave you at the end of my first post above, you'd see the reason why they're closing is not because books are dying, they are moving on. Advancing. We aren't losing the literature, just the leather covers and paper they were printed upon. On top of that, most of it is free now, and who can't argue with that?
As for chat rooms... As I've said before, chat rooms are furthering communication between humans. You claimed that the phone is much the same, but being an absolute hater of that infernal contraption, I must disagree. Let me explain the reason to my madness. With a phone, communications are relayed solely through audio. Very poor quality audio, at that. I find it that I always have to struggle to hear what my friends are saying. With chat, not only is it far easier to understand (Unless you're talking to some retard that conveys his thoughts solely through the words "Lol" and "WUT?", much like Daniel Rodriguez. Don't tell him I said that.), but also most kids can type faster they can speak, allowing them to communicate more of their thoughts, thus giving them more time to think, thus making them more thoughtful. I assure you, the stereotype of teens speaking about nothing through the use of some mythical language called "l33t speak" lives on through only one man, and that is the retard I described above. Once more, don't tell him I said that ;) Why, even the little children that go on the computer to play Disney games are more intelligent than that. I should know, for VMK (A sort of virtual Disneyland) is just about all I do on the computer when I'm not programming.
Now, the ever controversial subject of blogs and/or Social Networking sites, AKA: The Myspace fad. Myspace... I've never really understood the kids' obsession with it. I've tried it, and there is nothing of interest there. But, I do have two years more experience in a website that is only slightly different in function: deviantART.
I think what is so appealing about social networking sites is, basically, it's a chat room where everyone doesn't need to be on all at once. It's convenient. You can be with your friends even if you're 60 miles away, as I am. (Bloody Temecula. Why can't YOU guys be closer to ME so I don't have to COMMUTE every day? :P I jest, I jest.)For the umpteenth time, tell me that's a bad thing. As for "losing the human interaction," as you put it... I don't think you lose the human interaction at all. I mean, just look at this little debate we are having here. Sure, you can't convey hand gestures, but that is what emoticons are for.
As for blogs... just like a diary, it's a good way to get stuff off your chest. The difference is, it's public. You don't have to burden yourself with trying to keep it secret, and you know you can put embarrassing stuff up without the fear of someone laughing, because everyone else has probably posted something up worse, or will in the near future. Atop that, if you have some sort of moral dilemma or short burst of extreme emo, others can see it and try to help you with your problem. It's not just kids chatting the day away, it's a very... psychological experience, for lack of a better word, as well.
I think if there's anything about the internet to worry about, it's the Edge of Chaos. If you ever read Michael Chrichton's "The Lost World," you should be familiar with the concept (In fact, the views I'm about to explain I adopted from the book, as well.). If not, allow me to explain:
In evolution theory, in order to advance, a species' ability to adapt must be within a certain range to a boundary known as the "Edge of Chaos." If a species is too far away from the edge, they become isolated and become obsolete (Which is what another thing described in Lost World, "The Red Queen Phenomenon," is based off of. But, that is for another time). If they go too far and fall off the edge, the system deteriorates into anarchy.
Now, with the advent of the internet, and mass media in general, the former of the two scenarios is where humans are headed. As I explained, the internet is bringing humans together. But, it seems as if it does that a tad too well. Everyone is beginning to think alike. Everyone goes on myspace. Everyone has seen the new commercial with Mr. T. Everyone has seen the new Harrison Ford movie. The variety of the human race is slowly deteriorating through the most trivial of things. The television is teaching everyone to think alike, because that is what is cool.
Soon, the entire world shall be full of not billions of different people, but one person occupying a billion spaces through a billion different bodies. Free thinking will become nonexistant, and the human race will slowly slip away from the Edge of Chaos and into the history of a time long since passed.
I'm looking forwards to your next rebuttal. This is the funnest debate I've had since that socratic seminar about the Allegory of the Cave my class had in 7th grade.
In any case, it's certainly better than helping little emo children learn that VMK is just a game and is NOT the source of all their problems, something that has become quite frequent in my routine, sadly.
American Idol is on now, so I must bid you farewell. Wouldn't want to miss a minute of hilarity!
Mundus Mea Ostrea Est!
-Justin
Ahhh kit! You always have such long blogs! They take a while to read, but are definatly worth it. You ask what happens next? It's so tempting to ruin it for you, but I won't, and I'm sure you've read ahead to there by now anyways... I never thought about "good day" meaning hello AND goodbye. Thats really interesting. I want you to read what I said in my blog tonight about the whole fire=anger thing(I wrote more about it in last night's entry) I'm curious to know what you think about this.
With love and spiky helmets,
Beth the Viking
Well Kit, did you reply to Justin ..
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