Significant Passage

Please choose one passage from the novel that is significant to you. Why is this passage meaningful? Please type it into one of your entries and comment on what you think about the passage.

Passage

“Granger stood looking back with Montag. “Everyone must leave something behind when he dies, my grandfather said. A child or a book or a painting or a house or a wall built or a pair of shoes made. Or a garden planted. Something your hand touched some way so your soul has somewhere to go when you die, and when people look at that tree or that flower you planted, you’re there. It doesn’t matter what you do, he said, so long as you change something from the way it was before you touched it into something that’s like you after you take your hands away. The difference between the man who just cuts lawns and a real gardener is in the touching, he said. The lawn cutter might just as well not have been there at all; the gardener will be there a lifetime.”

Comments (What do you think about the passage?)

I was impressed in this passage (from "Granger to there") because it reminded me of listening to beautiful, classical music by well-known composers: musicians like Johann Bach. Sebastian and Beethoven. They left something to be remembered by: music! Although they are passed on, their beautiful music continues to be powerful and stirring. Well written music can never lose connection with us.

The line "It doesn’t matter what you do, he said, so long as you change something from the way it was before you touched it into something that’s like you after you take your hands away."I could understand what Granger meant what he said along the lines to Montag. He was refering to the situation when Montag had murdered Beatty. Montag's personality is complex. Since he was living in a society where they object to reading there was no opportunity for him to achieve knowledge that way. People in the novel (society) are weak-minded.

Why is this passage meaningful to me?

In many ways, I can relate this passage to my life. I always try to forget my embarrassing and sad memories from the pasts but since I was sensitive I was easily more influenced. My dad recommend me to read books. The reason was that it taught me lessons and encouraged me to not make similar mistakes from the past. I realized it was not important what you did as long as you realized you are not that person. My heart changed and I was thankful to gain the valuable knowledge the book contained. I do not remain pessimistic for my mistakes from the past. When I ponder about the two types of men: “A man who cuts the lawns” and “A real gardener is in the touching,” I want to be a gardener in my approach to life, including my relationships along with my work. My point is that information from books can be inspirational. Reading books can change one's view in a sudden change letting you explore other worlds.

Theme

What is the major theme of this novel? Why is this theme important to a teenager living in 2008?


The major theme of this novel was the message of censorship. When one group objects to something someone has written, that book is changed and censorship begins. There would be more objections from the group and the books will be banned. Society has developed extreme that literature is illegal to possess. No longer can books be read. Not only because they are complex, might it lead to revolutions and war. The intelligence obtained by reading can be dangerous to the government, and the government doesn't want to put up with this danger. The government ignores the benefits of knowledge. Knowledge can be dangerous but the book that contains knowledge of the past, it prevents man from making similar mistakes in the past and future.

This is theme is important to a teenager living in 2008 because teenager is the period where we get sensitive. This is the time where we feel we are ignored and fool. Sometimes we read books because our parents tell us. We should spend time reading in a quiet place to calm ourselves. Many teenagers commit suicide. We don't want to think for ourselves and solve the troubles of the world. If they were not thinking but let the person think for them they would feel depressed. We need time to think for ourselves. To think for one you can expand one's knowledge of history. We can achieve this by studying of books. Books teach us lessons and encourage us not to make similar mistakes. Book is a good teacher for us.

Setting

Are there any settings in this novel which you have found to be beautiful? or disturbing? or memorable? describe these settings and comment on why they were meaningful to you.

The setting I found memorable but disturbing was when Montag was walking home from the fire station alone. It was at midnight. The rules for walking or being in the street was outlawed or considered a suspicious. The air was calm as if someone had waited there. Autumn leaves blew over the moonlit pavement.

This setting was disturbing to me because I had a similar experience when I was young and sensitive. At two o' clock A.M. I was walking home alone in an alley from hakwon with only a few people in sight. I was fearful that there would be someone who would attempt to threaten me. I was almost overwhelmed by my fears. I was too young for my age to deal with this. The area didn't feel welcome at all. After arriving home, I recounted my horrible experience to my mother. She said for me to arrive home earlier. Next time, I thought I would need someone to accompany me home safely. This was just a small example of a disturbing memory of which this passage reminded me. I realized planning for safety is important.

Mood

What is the mood of this novel? Do you find this novel saddens you in any way? Why?

I think the mood of this novel is very sad. Clarisse dies in a car crash, Mildred trying to commit suicide, and the old woman choses to die even Beatty give her a chance, Mildred and Faber are dead, and the city is destroyed. These things relate to death. The setting appears to be dark. These events tells me why this mood of the novel is sad. I found this mood very ironic as well. Montag killing Beatty I thought was somehow unexpected as I predicted. In SF movies the powerful antagonist dies in a miserable pain that they deserve. For example, in Harry Potter 5, when Voldemort goes into Harry's mind and hypothenize him, Harry Potter didn't beat with his power but Love, Friendship, or Kindness that spiritually defeated his power. Montag who had the flamethrower while Beatty had nothing he was burnt to death (I found this wierd). I thought the weak protagonist would win over the powerful antagonist. This unrealistic event made me think the mood of this novel was ironic as well. Overall, I felt the mood of this novel sad but at the same time ironic.

I find this novel sad. I couldn't imagine not being able to read books where the society has no freedom. As we see in the political conditions, the society loses interest in books and people enjoy burning books. I felt pity for those who act like 'robots' but do not think or digest knowledge. The government demands that everyone think the same way. People envy the smart readers and the government tries to destroy them. Freedom is rarely expressed in this society; a war is happening. Mildred suffers from melancholy that she refuses to accept and causes her to commit suicide. People do not seem to be aware of the deeper meanings of life, but to be superficial and empty, without having opportunitiy to read books.

I found this novel sad as it seemed realistic. It made me think about the similar situation during the Nazi's book censorship. I didn't felt happy at all. I really like books and if I were not to read them forever I had to enjoy those 'empty' pleasures. I hate to think playing games, staying home, or watching TV everyday. This novel didn't helped me at all but made me down.