to these people, who are conditioned to react to sound and light, not to issues and content. They can't relate to Montag's new passions. The situation comes to the head when Montag reads poetry to the group; although nobody understands the meaning of the words, it affects them. Mrs. Phelps breaks down crying and the others escort her from the house; Montag sends them away, shouting threats.

Montag's wife and her friends represent the hedonist society in which they live. The women come over to visit Mildred and to watch a show on the three television walls she has in her parlor. Disgusted with them and their behavior, Montag turns off the parlor walls and leaves the women sitting there. He decides to ask them questions that might stir their souls to reflection on the state of their lives. 

First, Montag asks the guests when they think the war will start and then mentions their husbands. Mrs. Phelps says that her husband was deployed by the army, but he should be back in a couple of days. She's not worried. She also says that since they both are each other's third spouse, they vowed not to cry or hug when he left. Then, going along with the disposable attitude of the society, Mr. Phelps told his wife to forget him quickly and remarry if he dies. 

Next, when the discussion turns to children, Mrs. Phelps says that "children are ruinous" (96) and that Mrs. Bowles is crazy to have had any. Mrs. Bowles says that with Caesarians it is a lot easier to physically have children. Then, when they can go to school, she keeps them there nine out of 10 days and "plunks" them in front of the television when they are home. She says it is pretty easy. 

All of this talk drives Montag crazy because the women are so disconnected from their families. There's no love or deep concern for anyone. They can't even discuss deep issues surrounding politics because they are so superficial. Instead of voting for candidates based on issues, the women based their votes on how pleasant one man looked over another. Montag decides to read them "Dover Beach," a poem about love, to see what they will do.

The poem makes Mrs. Phelps cry, which Mrs. Bowles finds disgusting, saying the following:

"I knew it would happen! I've always said poetry and tears, poetry and suicide and crying and awful feelings, poetry and sickness; all that mush! Now I've had it proved to me. You're nasty, Mr. Montag, you're nasty!" (100-101).

Montag burns the book of poetry at that moment and Mrs. Bowles says that he intentionally wanted to hurt people. To these people, spouting poetry is worse than running over someone in a car. The women leave and wind up reporting Montag to the police and firemen. Montag loses his temper and shouts even more hateful things at the women as they leave, such as:

"Go home and think of your first husband divorced . . . and your damn Caesarian sections, too, and your children who hate your guts! Go home and think how it all happened and what did you ever do to stop it?" (101).

Montag feels guilty that he hurt them afterwards, but he can't take it back now. The whole discussion is a battle between paradigms. It shows that Montag is a misfit in his society because he's learning and understanding more about what is missing from life, but no one else understands him.