Wednesday, August 22, 2012

In Farenheit 451 is there a quote and page number that shows that Montag is brave?

Printings and editions vary so a page number won't do you much good unless we are referring to the same book.  Montag's bravery comes in defying what he perceives as wrong in his society and in trying to fix that wrong.  As soon as he begins to question his society and government, he is on the road to bravery, but his first brave act is to seek out Faber in hopes of finding a way to bring down their oppressive world.  In my book, on page 74, Montag says to Faber, "Maybe the books can get us half out of the cave. They just might stop us from making the same damn insane mistakes!" That's a show of bravery because Montag has decided to take the step to bring books back into society.  Later, when Montag is floating down the river toward the unknown, he realizes that the burning has to stop.  On page 141, "One of them had to stop burning." This realization that burning - such as what Montag did to Beatty - wasn't stopping the problem.  It was only changing the shape of the problem. This realization is another step in Montag's enlightenment and in his bravery.  He knows he has to try a new approach and the unknown is always a little frightening and requires some bravery to face.  When the group of book people set off toward the city that has just been destroyed; that too, expresses bravery.  On page 163, Granger says to Montag, "And hold onto one thought: You're not important.  You're not anything."  Again, Montag realizes that his cause is more important than he is and that what he must do now is more important than he is.  To realize that and still go forward requires a great deal of bravery.

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