Skip to main content

What is the significance of Montag's being "fully aware of his entire body"

This quote is found near the end of the book, as Montag and the other survivors experience the contrasts of the wilderness. Montag reflects on how Mildred would not have been able to tolerate the lack of stimulation, but that Montag, by contrast, is now "waking up" to the sensations of his own body.


This is a reference to some of what Faber spoke about when he and Montag discussed the elements necessary for their...

This quote is found near the end of the book, as Montag and the other survivors experience the contrasts of the wilderness. Montag reflects on how Mildred would not have been able to tolerate the lack of stimulation, but that Montag, by contrast, is now "waking up" to the sensations of his own body.


This is a reference to some of what Faber spoke about when he and Montag discussed the elements necessary for their society to recover from its self-induced stupor. One element was the ability to reflect on what had been learned - but this was impossible, according to Faber, because there was no room for reflection when one's senses were filled up and overloaded with programming at every moment and every place. We see this when Montag is attempting to memorize the passage from his book and "arguing" with the Denham's ad on the subway.


In the wilderness, the complete lack of traditional stimulation is, ironically, stimulating. Montag's "face, his mouth, his eyes stuffed with blackness", and "the more he breathed the land in, the more he was filled up with all the
details of the land." The entire experience is wholly novel for him. This is probably the first time that Montag has had to actually rely on his body and "listen" to it in this way, and also the first time that he has experienced nature in a way that allows it to compete with the programmed reality of society. 

Popular posts from this blog

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...

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...

Explain and discuss how the definitions of freedom change for the nation, for the freedmen and for southern whites after the Civil War.

After the Civil War, the definition of freedom changed in the nation, as slavery was ended with the 13th Amendment to the Constitution in 1865. The practice of slavery was disallowed, but definition of the freedom that would take its place was a subject of controversy, ongoing debate, and even violence in the decades to come.  For freedmen, freedom often meant reconciling with their families, who were broken up by slavery; choosing which church to... After the Civil War, the definition of freedom changed in the nation, as slavery was ended with the 13th Amendment to the Constitution in 1865. The practice of slavery was disallowed, but definition of the freedom that would take its place was a subject of controversy, ongoing debate, and even violence in the decades to come.  For freedmen, freedom often meant reconciling with their families, who were broken up by slavery; choosing which church to belong to without being ordered to attend religious services (or not to attend) by their mast...