Fahrenheit 451 - Section 4 Annotation

1. P. 114 - The new character, Faber appeared in chapter 2. The author add this character to introduce mentor to Montag. But, I believe the true reason for his existence is that Ray Bradbury wants to emphasize the value of books by Faber. For example, “The things you’re looking for, Montag, are in the world, but the only way the average chap will ever see ninety-nine percent of them is in a book.” (114) Like this, I feel that Faber is an author’s spokesman.

2. P. 116 -  I thought Montag is an ideal man who wants to realized the truth. However, when the story goes along, I feel like he is too cowardly. I understand that his thoroughly confused, but I can’t understand some of his actions like ripping out the books that he wanted to make copies and other aggressive behaviors.

3. P. 119 -  The invention of Faber, a shape of seashell radio which can listen to the outside conversations. This device connects to our life because in these days, wearable wires are commonly utilize in spy movies and guards use those device in their work. I think this device is one of Ray Bradbury’s great predictions.

4. P. 120 - “You could feel the war getting ready in the sky that night. The way the clouds moved aside and came back and the way the stars looked ,a million of them swimming between the clouds, like the enemy disks, and the feeling that the sky might full upon the city and turn it to chalk dust, and the moon go up in red fire; that was how the night felt.” In this description, the author used simile and personalization. These literary devices made the readers to imagine the scene easier and understand Montag’s mixed emotions.

5. P. 126 - I was shocked again because of Montag’s boutade. What’s the matter with him? Why did the author made Montag to have boutade?

6. P. 129 - After when Montag finished reciting the poetry, Mrs. Phelps started to cry and said, “Silly words, silly words, silly awful hurting words. Why do people want to hurt people?” (129) I disagree to her opinion that people wants to hurt others by telling poetry. I know that people in their society doesn’t accept other emotions rather than happiness. However, the emotion that Mrs. Phelps felt is more sensitive and complicated emotion that only creatures who have higher EQ can feel. If they refuse and can’t feel those emotions, then in my opinion, they are indistinguishable with animals that have lower EQ.

7. P.133 - I was always suspicious about the Mechanical Hound, and in the book says it is gone. I felt like something might happen.

8. P. 134 - “FOr these were the hands that had acted on their own, no part of him, here was where the conscience first manifested itself to snatch books, dart off with job and Ruth and Willie Shakespeare, and now, in the firehouse, these hands seemed gloved with blood.

9. P. 137 ~140 - I think this scene has huge emotional impact that when Montag found out that the notified housed to burn books was his house. I was really shocked when I found out that they stopped in front of Montag’s house because that means Beatty was hiding the fact that he knew everything.

  

10. P. 138 - I think I’m kind of confused with that the hound which Beatty sended to Montag. Is it the real Mechanical Hound that was disappeared in the fire house and the dog that Mildred mentioned or Clarisse?

11. Throughout this book, I hope that author could explain more about status quo in Montag’s world. Because I’m curious and some readers might be curious about why they are having wars and who are their enemies?