Fahrenheit 451 Discussions 3 – A Sort of Revelation
The final paragraphs of the book have Montag pondering what he would offer when it came his turn to share some text that he was the living example of. It goes a little something like this:
. . . Montag felt the slow stir of words, the slow simmer. And when it came his turn, what could he say, what could he offer on a day like this, to make the trip a little easier? To everything there is a season. Yes. A time to break down, and a time to build up. Yes. A time to keep silence, and a time to speak. Yes, all that. But what else. What else? Something, something . . .
And on either side of the river there a tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month; And the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
Yes, thought Montag, that’s the one I’ll save for noon. For noon . . .
When we reach the city.
So, I ask you this: Why did he decide to share the italicized print when they reach the city? What is the significance of the excerpt he selected? You will need to look into this. Especially if you have little to no experience with religious texts.
This quote makes me think of think that the end has come and everything is over. But then they are about to start something new like in the bible The differences between the Old testiment and the New testiment. I completely agree with Natalie becuase i beleive that when she put the quote Revelation 22:2 it explains why motag what saying about the trees and life has come to an end in the bible and in life.
this quote is very confusing too me but it seems really powerful and i have read it a few times and it seems too me that montag is trying to picture things beautiful like the trees and fruits and stuff
Think figurative language, metaphors, comparisons . . . . Look over the posts the other students put up here. Think biblical. You could even search the internet for what other people think it means, why other people think Bradbury included this at the END of the book.
I think the part of the quote that says “on either side of the river there a tree of life” means that there are two sides to everything. This is saying there are two worlds, one with books that was extinguished in Fahrenheit 451, and one without books that was present in Fahrenheit 451. I think that Montag is saying that he wants to bring this world of books back.
If we take his words into consideration, I think that “the city” is his final destination. Like Natalie said with the end time, the city refers to the time where all things end. Montag also speaks of the seasons and a tree which bears fruit. My interpretation of this would be that Montag is comparing himself to this tree by connecting the time the tree blossoms fruit, and the time when he must share his knowledge. Like the constant cycle of seasons, Montag must still keep his knowledge of the words intact and safe. Like the Winter, the tree will lose all of its glory and at this time Montag will have to preserve his knowledge and listen to others. In the Spring, he can bloom and spread his knowledge with the world. Summer brings a time of fading triumph. Fall brings the falling of the leaves and preparation of Montag to stay quiet. Finally we are back to Winter. Montag is comparing himself to the tree, and the city represents the final destination.
I see where Natalie can tie the Holy Bible in with this quote, and it makes sense and i can respect that.I agree with and like the way Jenna interpeted it most. How the quote could symbolize “his own life and actions.”
I think that Montag said that because he wanted to express how this was a chance to start all over, now that the t.v walls and propaganda was all destroyed. Now people are free to think for themselves. Since they are (most likely) rebuilding the city, peoples empty minds will need to be filled completely, by those who know what they don’t. The last scene is Montag and the others walking back into the City as “gods” basically there to save them from themselves by sharing all the books they can remember.
I agree with Diana who also has no idea what the quote means. This book was hard to understand and being able to understand this quote is a good sign for those who know or have an idea as to what this means.
I agree with some of the comments above. Montag decides to shares the italicized print when they reach the city because he read it from a book and wants to pass on that knowledge of what he read. It represents the meaning of life or new beginnings because each month has a different fruit that blooms. It’s in the end of the bible. Granger and other readers, like Montag, have read different books and want to pass it on to other people. They are doing this because they want people to know what literature really means and how books can relate to real life events and beliefs. Montag chose this excerpt because he wanted people to know what the Bible holds and what beliefs are in there. He wants people to see what Clarisse and all the other readers believe. The significance of this excerpt from the Bible is to represent life and death. Good people meet the tree of life and bad people don’t. God decides for us because of your actions. This is based on the Bible and God. Montag was a very serious man at the end and disturbed or irritated by the things he did in the past. Constantly changing places to live is really hard but with the help of Granger and other readers, it gives them a chance to stop and enjoy the real world. Some events in the book happen in real life today. This is why Montag picked this excerpt from the Bible.
Im not really sure of what this quote could mean. Based on what I know I think that Montag wanted to say this because all the things that were happening around him. This also meant like a end to the war in te city and that’s maybe because it is in the end of the book also. And I also agree with Natalie(:
I honestly have no idea what this quote means. Bradbury’s quote as Natalie said was in the end of the book and there was a quote with the same meaning at the end of the bible. There is another allusion to the bible. Since I have no idea what this quote means I agree with everyone.
I too agree with Thel. But I would also like to add that because it says’ ” And on either side of the river there a tree of life”. This means that it would not just happen to Monatg, but to everyone else who is on the same side as him and for who is on the other side.
Montag was always a very deep and intellectual man. Despite whether he showed this trait or not. The reason that I believe Montag chose this quote is because in a way it symbolizes his own life and actions. The society Montag was originally living in was recently destroyed, so now like that of the tree of life, he and the others will start over and repopulate the world of intellectual thinkers. Montag before his eyes were opened, was like that of a dying tree. He had nothing to offer to the world except poisonous fruit. Fruit that poisoned the mind and culture of others, by burning books. But now as Montag wakes up and realizes the mistakes he has made, it’s like he as a tree was reborn. Now as he and the other men start over, he can contribute the fruit of wisdom. A fruit that brings thinking and knowledge to others, Montag’s fruit that started as a seed. A seed that can otherwise be known as reading books.
I disagree with Chris, because it says “which bare twelve manner of fruits”. My interpretation of this section of the quote is, every month there will be something that will not be good. Not that the fruit would make you happy. The reason why is, right after that part of the quote he says this,” And the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.” This to me means that after the bad things have happen, there will always be good things to come after that.
I would like to agree with Chris. Montag also probably wanted to feel the emotion of the tragic event.
What I think is the significant of the quote is that how someone is affected by a mast event in a negative way. Also to show the true emotions of some others that are a witness but still have hope for the future.
REVELATION 22:2 “In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yelding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.”
This is at the end of the Holy Bible and the end of 451. It is about a prophecy they called the endtime. The endtime is when God will take the good people and the people he believes will do good and let them into the gates of the city,which is where they find the tree of life. The Bible was writen by different people, and in 451 Montag, Granger, and some other guys memorized books and will pass the books on in time to their children like we pass the word of the Bible to our children, untill eventually they will be re-written, their interpertaitons, the people who wrote the Bible wrote their interpertations of what has or will happen. I think 451 is completely based off of Revelation. Even though the guy, John, who wrote Revelation may have been nutty, I still believe that their will be an endtime. But the book could also be focussing on the definithion of revelation: when something is revealed or disclosed, especially when the something is in the future. Which I think the name Revelation goes perfect with the book of Revolations. Altogether the whole book of 451 relates to the book of Revelations, in the Holy Bible, in my opion.
I am sorry if I offended you in any way, my opinions were bassed off of my religion and beliefs.
Thanks for your honest interpretation, Natalie. Your courage is to be honored. Great insights into religious texts and how you can infuse your take on modern fiction into your way of believing in your understanding of your God. Namaste!
Another thing. Not that you didthis. I want to make sure no one ever apologizes for their belief in and love of whatever their own interpretation of god is. At the same time, we must all remember that we are part of a democratic society and in this society there will be people who have no God, and maybe do not believe that one exists. We must all accept and tolerate,a nd be itnerested in the life and happiness of each other no matter what – whether a person has a God or no God in their way of living.
Great post, Natalie. Keep it up!!
The reason I think Montag saves the quote until they reach the city is because it relates to the recent events that had occurred like the city being bombed and destroyed.
What I think it means is that the fruit the tree bears means that there will be plenty of food or things that would make you happy, as the tree would continue to bear it every month and that the leaves is something that should help restore balance or tranquility in the world. I’m not really sure if this interpretation is exactly right, but this is what I can make out of it.
I think this quote is very significant to Montag and their world because their world is very violent and corrupted and I think something like this would make people view their world differently.