Skip to main content

How does the government end the chase scene in Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury? Do you think this ending is inevitable?

At the end of Fahrenheit 451, Montag outwits the Mechanical Hound by doing the following: he runs to the river, strips down to nothing in the water and douses himself with whiskey, he changes into Faber's dirty clothes and shoes, and he lets the river carry him downstream. Because the chase is being broadcast by TV and radio, Montag can hear what is going on in the chase with his radio Seashell. As he...

At the end of Fahrenheit 451, Montag outwits the Mechanical Hound by doing the following: he runs to the river, strips down to nothing in the water and douses himself with whiskey, he changes into Faber's dirty clothes and shoes, and he lets the river carry him downstream. Because the chase is being broadcast by TV and radio, Montag can hear what is going on in the chase with his radio Seashell. As he floats down the river, though, he sees the Hound come to the edge of it. The lights from the helicopters almost find Montag, but he dives underwater and avoids capture.


When Montag reaches the hobo camp later on, they show him that they have been following the chase on their portable TV. They explain to Montag that since he fooled the Mechanical Hound, the authorities had to keep going with the chase so as not to upset their viewing public. Not only that, but the government can't afford to show the public that a fireman—one of their own—escaped from the Mechanical Hound. A man named Granger explains the rest of the chase as the authorities go after another victim and simply call him "Montag." Granger says the following:



"Watch... It'll be you; right up at the end of that street is our victim. See how our camera is coming in? Building the scene. Suspense. Long shot. Right now, some poor fellow is out for a walk... Don't think the police don't know the habits of queer ducks like that... the police have him charted for months, years... And today, it turns out, it's very usable indeed. It saves face" (148).



The Mechanical Hound is programmed to kill the guy out for a walk, but the TV announcer says the Hound found and killed Montag. The government ends the chase by killing someone else in Montag's name. Once they started broadcasting the chase, they needed to prove that they got their man any way that they could in order to demonstrate their power over criminals. If they would not have killed someone in Montag's name, they would have lost credibility with the populace, which may have led to further issues for them later. Governments don't appreciate looking like they are incompetent or fools, so they created cover-ups. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Can you analyze the poem "Absolution" by Siegfried Sassoon?

Sure! Siegfried Sassoon fought in World War I and was wounded in battle; he spent much of his life speaking out against war, and these pacifist feelings are easy to see in his poems. This one, "Absolution," was published in 1917, the same year that Sassoon was hospitalized for what we know today as post-traumatic stress disorder. "Absolution" is a short poem that contains three stanzas of four lines each. The word "absolution" means "forgiveness," and... Sure! Siegfried Sassoon fought in World War I and was wounded in battle; he spent much of his life speaking out against war, and these pacifist feelings are easy to see in his poems. This one, "Absolution," was published in 1917, the same year that Sassoon was hospitalized for what we know today as post-traumatic stress disorder. "Absolution" is a short poem that contains three stanzas of four lines each. The word "absolution" means "forgiveness," and the v...
Post a Comment
Read more

How and why does James Gatz become Jay Gatsby? Describe the young Gatsby/Gatz.

James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune,... James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune, whereas they arose from well-to-do families. Gatz became Gatsby through determination and discipline. At the end of the novel, the narr...
Post a Comment
Read more

In chapter one of The Great Gatsby, what advice does Nick's father give him? How does this make him a good person to tell this story?

Nick says that his father advised him that, before "criticizing anyone," he "remember that all the people in this world haven't had the same advantages" as Nick.  As a result, Nick claims that he is "inclined to reserve all judgments," presenting himself to the reader as a fair and dispassionate arbiter of character, and thus, a reliable narrator.   The problem is that Nick immediately reveals himself as anything but reliable, as he then launches... Nick says that his father advised him that, before "criticizing anyone," he "remember that all the people in this world haven't had the same advantages" as Nick.  As a result, Nick claims that he is "inclined to reserve all judgments," presenting himself to the reader as a fair and dispassionate arbiter of character, and thus, a reliable narrator.   The problem is that Nick immediately reveals himself as anything but reliable, as he then launches into a discussion of how pe...
Post a Comment
Read more