Fahrenheit 451: The Sieve and the Sand Analysis
Fahrenheit 451
FAHRENHEIT 451
The Sieve and the Sand: A Summary
Millie and Montag spend the rest of the cold, rainy November afternoon reading through the books that Montag has acquired. As Montag reads, he begins to understand what Clarisse meant when she said that she knew the way that life is to be experienced. So entranced are Montag and Millie by the substance of the books, they ignore the noise of a sniffing dog outside their window.
In Millie’s mind, books hold no value; she would rather avoid reality and bask in the fantasy of her television. Although she can choose books and life, she chooses instead to place her loyalties with the television character, White Clown, and the rest of her television family. Montag, however, needs to find someone from whom he can learn and discuss what the books are trying to tell him; he needs a teacher.
In his desperation and thirst for knowledge, Montag recalls an encounter last year with an elderly man in the park. The old man, a retired English professor named Faber, made an impression on Montag because he actually spoke with Montag about real things. Montag remembers that he keeps Faber’s phone number in his files of possible book hoarders, and he determines that if anyone can be his teacher and help him understand books, Faber can. Consequently, Montag takes the subway to Faber’s home and carries with him a copy of the Bible.
Faber is a devotee of the ideas contained in books. He is also concerned with the common good of man. Montag immediately senses Faber’s enthusiasm and readily admits his feelings of unhappiness and emptiness. He confesses that his life is missing the values of books and the truths that they teach. Montag then asks Faber to teach him to understand what he reads. At first, Faber views this new teaching assignment as a useless, as well as dangerous, undertaking. His attitude, however, does not deter Faber from launching into such a challenging and exciting task.
Nevertheless, Faber is skeptical and pessimistic of whether books can help their society. As if responding to Faber’s pessimism, Montag presents Faber with an insidious plan that entails hiding books in the homes of firemen so even they will become suspect. Ultimately, through supposed treason, the firehouses themselves will burn. Faber acknowledges the cleverness of the plan, but cynically, he urges Montag to return home and give up his newly acquired rebelliousness.
Faber’s demonstration of cowardice and political nihilism incites Montag to begin ripping pages out of the Bible. Shocked by the destruction of this rare, precious book and stirred by Montag’s rebellious convictions, Faber agrees to help him.
As a result of Montag’s concern about how he will act when he and Beatty next meet, Faber shows Montag one of his inventions — a two-way, Seashell Radio-like communication device that resembles a small green bullet and fits into the ear. Through the use of this device, Faber can be in constant contact with Montag, and he promises to support him if Beatty attempts to intimidate Montag. Through the use of Faber’s spying invention, they listen to Captain Beatty together.
Throughout Part Two, the threat of war increases. Ten million men have been mobilized, and the people expect victory. Montag’s war is just beginning.
After his meeting with Faber, Montag returns home hoping to discuss ideas and books with Millie. Unfortunately, in Montag’s case, a little learning is a dangerous thing, because when he returns home, he finds company. Immediately, he launches into a tirade in the presence of two of Millie’s friends, Mrs. Phelps and Mrs. Bowles. This tirade will prove costly to his idealistic plans.