Faber proclaims himself a coward. However, there are a number of quotations in part 2 of Fahrenheit 451 which suggest that Faber is, in some respects, brave. I have given two examples below. The page references refer to the 2018 Simon and Schuster Paperback edition of the book.
Then the old man grew even more courageous and said something else and that was a poem, too.
This quotation is on page 71, which is about two pages in to part 2. It suggests that Faber is brave because he seems to have a book in his possession or at least has access to books. He risks having his house burned to the ground if he is found to have books or access to books. It is, therefore, brave to even take this risk.
Then his eyes touched on the book under Montag's arm and he did not look so old any more and not quite as fragile. Slowly his fear went.
This second quotation can be found on page 77, which is approximately five pages in to part 2. The quotation suggests that Faber can be brave when he recognizes a comrade, or someone he can trust. The book under Montag's arm is a sign that Montag can be trusted.
Faber demonstrates courage when Montag comes to visit him in the novel's section called "The Sieve and the Sand." Page numbers will vary according to what addition you're reading.
Faber admits to Montag that he had been an English professor, and when they meet in a park, he recites to Montag a "rhymeless poem." Faber gives Montag his address, and when they later meet there, Faber is emboldened when he notices that Montag is carrying a book. He explains to Montag his theories about why books became "hated and feared." Faber tells Montag what is important is "quality of information," "leisure to digest it," and "the right to carry out actions based on what we learn from the interaction of the first two," but objects when Montag tells him that he "can get books." Faber tells Montag that printing books would be too dangerous, but he does suggest a plan to burn the firemen's houses, and then insists that he is joking.
Faber not only entertains subversive ideas, he gives Montag a listening device he has built. These are the brave acts of an independent thinker, but Faber still considers himself a coward.
In Part Two, Montag visits Faber's home in hopes of gaining insight into how to comprehend the texts that he is reading. Throughout their conversation, Faber explains to Montag how and why society has rejected the literary arts. Faber clearly values literature and even suggests how Montag could possibly topple the firemen structure from within. Montag is intrigued after he hears Faber's plan, but Faber insists that it would be certain suicide to challenge the government. Before leaving, Montag begins to rip pages out of the Bible that he brought. Faber responds by urging him to stop immediately before finally agreeing to help Montag. Faber then opens his bedroom door and leads Montag into a small chamber, where the green bullet is sitting on a table. Faber then says,
"I've waited, trembling, half a lifetime for someone to speak to me. I dared speak to no one. That day in the park when we sat together, I knew that some day you might drop by, with fire or friendship, it was hard to guess" (Bradbury, 43).
Faber's comment proves that he is a courageous man. Giving Montag his address in the park that fateful day was an extremely dangerous thing to do. Fortunately, in Montag, Faber found an ally he could trust.
No comments:
Post a Comment