Montag turns to Faber in frustration, asking him to teach him how to understand what he reads. Montag is desperate to change his world, realizing that "something's missing."
Faber surprises him by saying that the things he's looking for in society don't necessarily have to be found in books; they could be projected through the "parlor families"—but they aren't. Faber then explains the predominant qualities of literature that reflect what Montag is missing in his vapid and mindless society, which lacks all literature.
First, books provide quality as they examine life. Faber says that they are pores through which readers can touch on common life experiences. Their details are not meant to make readers simply enjoy the experience but instead represent the reality of life, which is sometimes ugly. Faber points out that flowers grow out of "good rain and black loam," meaning that beauty often rises out of pain. Their society doesn't want to face anything that deviates from the "flowers" and "fireworks" of life, so they don't want to investigate the painful ideas which are often found in literature.
Second, books allow readers the leisure to digest the information they contain. Faber points out that in their society, everyone rushes around from one place to the next, and they trust the parlor walls to deliver the truth to them. They don't question it, because the information comes so quickly. Books, on the other hand, provide time to walk away and process information in order to arrive at individual conclusions.
Finally, books often create a need for people to respond based on what they have learned. When people are given quality information and the time to process their thoughts regarding this information, they should have the right to act based on new knowledge.
Faber attempts to explain to Montag that he is searching for things that used to be in books, which (mostly) no longer exist in their dystopian society. Faber tells Montag the first thing literature provides readers is quality and texture. He likens the rich details inside books to pores and features of humans, which can be closely examined through a microscopic lens. Faber explains that books record "details of life per square inch" on each page, and good writers have the ability to accurately depict real-life experiences. In the dystopian society, the shallow, ignorant citizens support censoring literature to avoid closely examining the details of their meaningless lives.
The second important element of literature is the leisure it provides readers, who regain control over their fast-paced lives. Books create a tranquil environment for readers to analyze their world without being beaten down or interrupted by intrusive technology. In Montag's dystopia, citizens are consumed by mindless entertainment, which controls virtually every aspect of their lives. Mildred is the prime example and spends the vast majority of her day watching her parlor walls.
The third valuable element of books is the freedom for people to carry out actions based on the information they have digested. Books promote...
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independent thought, which is something the government is determined to suppress. The authoritarian government desires to control individualism and encourage conformity through media and censorship. Through books, people share information and acquire knowledge. The newly acquired knowledge has the potential to influence readers to act autonomously. Independent thoughts and opinions threaten to undermine the government, which is the primary reason books are banned.
Further Reading
In Part Two of the novel, Montag visits Faber's home in hopes of learning how to comprehend the texts that he has been reading. Shortly after Montag arrives, he has an enlightening conversation with Faber concerning the value of literature. Faber begins by telling Montag that books are significant because they have quality. Faber proceeds to explain that good literature reflects life and presents a detailed view of living that authentically replicates the human experience.
According to Faber, the second reason books are important concerns the leisure they provide to readers. Faber explains to Montag that unlike the loud, colorful parlor wall televisions, which are never turned off, books provide a type of entertainment that can be controlled by the reader. Readers can essentially play God by opening and closing books. The reader also has the necessary time to relax and allow their opinions to form regarding a piece of literature while they are reading.
The third reason why books are important concerns the way that they affect individuals and society. Faber tells Montag,
"Only if the third necessary thing could be given us. Number one, as I said, quality of information. Number two: leisure to digest it. And number three: the right to carry out actions based on what we learn from the interaction of the first two" (Bradbury, 40).
Essentially, Faber is saying that people can be influenced and motivated to act upon the information they have read, which can positively impact the world.
When Montag visits Faber, he expresses the opinion that books are missing from his life, and if books are returned, things will get better. Faber disagrees:
"You're a hopeless romantic," said Faber. "It would be funny if it were not serious. It's not books you need, it's some of the things that once were in books."(Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451, Google Books)
Faber goes on to say that there are three things needed to get the proper use out of books:
- Quality and texture; Faber says that books show the "pores in the face of life," which makes people uncomfortable. Books contain more reality than television, because they absorb character from physically existing.
- Leisure; although people have plenty of time to sit and watch television, their minds are never allowed enough leisure to relax and absorb information. Instead, they are bombarded with ads and propaganda, and can't focus on real issues.
- Freedom; people are so restricted by government that they can't act on their knowledge. Since books give people ideas of rebellion, the government endows firemen with the power to judge and kill dissidents. Without the ability to put their differing opinions and knowledge into action, just reading books will change nothing.
These three things are necessary for books to be of use. Even television could be used for quality learning and information, but it is deliberately controlled by government to keep people unthinking. Without those qualities, people become willing accomplices to their own subjugation.
Further Reading
Faber talks about these things when Montag comes to his house with the Bible. He says there are three things that would be needed:
- Quality and "texture" of information. What he's saying here is that to have books matter again, you would need really compelling stories -- ones that would have relevance to the people. He fears that there might not be any of those out there anymore.
- Leisure. He's not just talking about time off from work -- they have plenty of that. He's saying that they need to have time to just sit and read rather than driving fast and watching the parlour walls and such.
- Finally, they need the right to do things based on what they get from reading the high-quality information.
What does Faber tell Montag about books in Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury?
In Part Two of the novel, Montag visits Faber's home, and the two characters have an enlightening conversation regarding the significance of literature. Faber begins by calling Montag a "hopeless romantic" and proceeds to highlight the numerous positives found in the literary world. Faber tells Montag that books have quality and provide an in-depth, detailed look at life. Montag learns that good literature holds a mirror up to society, which can be difficult to experience and accept for some people—one reason why books are censured in Bradbury's dystopian nation.
Faber goes on to tell Montag that books provide necessary leisure time for individuals to collect their thoughts and process the world around them. In a fast-paced society, it is important to slow down, and reading a book provides the opportunity to relax. Literature also impacts readers to act upon the information they have digested. Readers can be influenced by a particular book and decide to change the world for the better by solving a social, political, or scientific problem. Faber also explains to Montag the importance of preserving knowledge in order for humans to learn from their past mistakes, which is another significant reason as to why books are necessary.
What does Faber tell Montag about books in Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury?
When Montag visits Faber at his apartment, he expresses his newfound belief that books might be the answer to his (and society's) miserable state. When Montag says this, Faber is quick to point out something important about books:
It's not books you need, it's some of the things that once were in books.
In other words, the book, as a physical object, is not important; a book is nothing more than paper and ink. It is the words written on the paper which really matter. These "pores of life," as Faber calls them, encourage the reader to think and question the world.
Moreover, for books to achieve their potential, people must have enough "leisure" time to digest their message. They must also have the intellectual and social freedom to "carry out actions" based on what they have learned from reading.
For Faber, then, it is not the books which are important but rather the ability to read and absorb the information without interference from the rest of society.
What does Faber tell Montag about books in Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury?
In his efforts to fathom the contents of books, Montag realized that he needed training which he then sorts from Faber, a former English professor at the Liberal Arts College with whom he had had an encounter about a year ago. Faber is at first suspicious of Montag due to his profession, but after Montag shows up with a bible in Faber’s house, his suspicion fades away and he is at ease discussing books with Montag. After expressing his unhappiness and general displeasure, Faber tells Montag that he in fact does not know the real reason for his unhappiness but is just guessing that his problem has a connection with books. Faber then points out “…that it’s not the books themselves that Montag is looking for, but the meaning they contain.”
Faber tells Montag that unlike other media preferred by the majority of people in their society, books are the only ones that offer meaning. Even though meaning can also be incorporated in the content offered by the other media, people have not demanded it. He further sensitizes Montag to the importance of preserving books and the fact that people must be free to read books and independently act on the contents of the books. Faber prefers books to television because unlike the latter that he perceives as controlling, books can be read leisurely and the reader has time to process the information they are receiving.
What does Faber tell Montag about books in Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury?
When Montag visits Faber, Faber tells him various things about his own past life as a teacher, his fear and cowardice in not preventing the book ban, and his opinions on modern culture. One point he makes is how books are honest and tell the truth as seen by the writer, no matter how uncomfortable that might make others (a point made earlier by Beatty):
"So now do you see why books are hated and feared? They show the pores in the face of life. The comfortable people want only wax moon faces, poreless, hairless, expressionless."(Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451, Google Books)
This is in stark contrast to the television walls, which are tailored for the user and only show what is comforting. When people are only exposed to what they want to see, they become insular and narrow-minded; the sheer amount of information in books guaranteed that people had a wide range of influences. Without books, people all speak the same way, like the same things, and express the same opinions.
Further Reading
In Fahrenheit 451, what are three necessary things that Faber tells to answer Montag's question about books?
In part two of "Farenheit 451," Montag goes to Faber, an old English Professor, for help understanding books. Faber tells Montag three things. Montag asks, " Where do we go from here? Would books help us?" Faber tells him," Number one, as I said: quality of information." The quality of the book's information must be more that just reading the words supplied, the books need to be studied which lead to "Number two: leisure to digest it." Without the time and the ability to look at, study and discuss the information within the books they are not useful. Then the final and most difficult step was, "Number three: the right to carry out actions based on what we learn from the interaction of the first two. And I hardly think a very old man and one fireman turned sour could do much this late in the game..."
Faber trying to explain to Montag that even if they had the first two parts of the equation, the chances of them ever getting the right to change things was lost.
In Fahrenheit 451, what are three necessary things that Faber tells to answer Montag's question about books?
Faber explains that you need books for three reasons:
1. "They have quality", which means that they show all of the layers of truth, instead of just skimming over it and presenting it on one way. They have textures, pores, layers, and because of it, can tell more truth than anything else can.
2. "Leisure...time to think." Books actually make you slow down, and ponder the meaning of life. You can process them instead of having them shoved down your throat, as with the t.v. walls. With movies, everything is presented for you, and you are told, convinced, through sensory experiences, to think they way they want you to. Books simply present the information, and you have the leisure to think about it as you please.
3. "The right to carry out actions based on what we learn from the interaction of the first two." Once we have experienced quality and layered truth, had the time or leisure to process, then we can act on what we have learned.
Montag learns all of this from Faber, and they decide to take #3 literally, to start printing books underground again, and distributing them. Unfortunately, their plans don't pan out.