Montag is trying to rebel, but he is confused because of his many mental blocks against nonconformity. He has never before deviated from the norm, and his attempts to establish an individual identity are continually frustrated. Montag’s flight to Faber’s home is his only hope. The scene represents a man running for his life, which, in fact, Montag is doing, though he doesn’t fully realize it yet. Nor does he know that he is already an outcast. He can never return to his former existence. His transformation is inevitable.
Of significance in this part of the book is that Faber bears a close resemblance to Carl Jung’s archetypal figure of the “old man.” According to Jung in his essay “The Phenomenology of the Spirit in Fairy Tales,” the old man archetype represents, on the one hand, knowledge, reflection, insight, wisdom, cleverness, and intuition, and on the other hand, he represents such moral qualities as good will and readiness to help, which makes his “spiritual” character sufficiently plain. Faber displays these qualities, and he, like Clarisse, is associated with the color white, symbolic of his spiritual nature: “He [Faber] and the white plaster walls inside were much the same. There was white in the flesh of his mouth and his cheeks and his hair was white and his eyes had faded, with white in the vague blueness there.” The color white is significant here because it indicates purity and goodness. White is also the opposite of the blackness of the burnt books and the dark ashes into which they are burned.
Besides enlightening Montag, Faber expands on his philosophy about the use of the books, as well as about society in general. (One can’t help but think that Faber’s discussion is close to Bradbury’s own view, but of course, this assertion is simply speculation.) Faber explains that books have “quality” and “texture,” that they reveal stark reality, not only the pleasant aspect of life but also the bad aspects of life: “They show the pores in the face of life,” and their society finds this discomforting. Tragically, society has started programming thoughts: People are no longer allowed leisure time to think for themselves. Faber insists that leisure is essential to achieving proper appreciation of books. (By “leisure,” Faber doesn’t mean “off hours,” the time away from work, but simply ample time to think about things beyond one’s self.) Distractions, such as the all-encompassing television walls, simply will not allow for leisure time. Ultimately, however, Faber thinks that the truth in books can never be of value in this society again unless its individuals have “the right to carry out actions based on” what they find in the books. Books are of value only when people are allowed the freedom to act upon what they’ve learned. On this last point, Faber is pessimistic; he is convinced that people in his society will never have the freedom to act upon what they’ve learned.
When Montag presents Faber with his plan to incite revenge upon the other firemen, Faber is skeptical because “firemen are rarely necessary”; their destruction would hardly warrant a change in society. Faber means that “So few want to be rebels anymore.” People are too distracted—that is, too “happy”—to want to change things.
After Faber decides to join Montag in his plight, Bradbury later describes this coalition of two as “Montag-plus-Faber, fire plus water.” Fire and water images blend, because the product resulting from the union of these two separate and opposite items is a third product—wine. Wine looks like water, but it burns like fire. Montag and Faber work together, because all is far from well in the world.
By joining Montag, Faber also states that he will be, in effect, “the Queen Bee,” remaining safely in the hive; Montag is “the drone.” Before parting, they initiate plans to “[print] a few books, and wait on the war to break the pattern and give us the push we need. A few bombs and the ‘families’ in the walls of all the homes, like harlequin rats, will shut up!” Perhaps this subversion (the destruction of TV) will restore the public’s interest in books. However, despite his decision to help Montag, Faber acknowledges that he is ultimately a coward. He will stay safe at home while Montag faces the threat of punishment.
