"Dover Beach"

In this section of the book, Montag goes home to eat dinner after visiting with Professor Faber.  Mildred has invited over two of her friends to watch TV in her parlor and Montag can't take it, so he pulls out the plug on the TV walls.  The author uses a simile to describe this: "The images drained away, as if the water had been let from a gigantic crystal bowl of hysterical fish" (p. 94).  Montag asks one of the ladies, Mrs. Phelps, when does she think the war will begin, since the Army called her husband in for duty.  She replies that he should be back by next week because the Army said that the war would last no more than 48 hours and that everyone would return home safely.  She definitely seems to be in denial when she says, "It's always someone else's husband dies they say" (p. 94).  The husband and wife dynamic in this world seems to lack what I know love to be.  Based on what I already know about Montag and Mildred's marriage, and now, reading about how Mrs. Phelps describes her relationship with her husband, it's as if couples aren't really in love.  They are just together because… Because of money maybe?  I'm not quite sure why these people get married if they don't even care about each other.  Mrs. Phelps says, "Pete and I always said, no tears, nothing like that.  It's our third marriage each and we're independent… He said, if I get killed off, you just go right ahead and don't cry, but get married again, and don't think of me" (p. 95).  Montag can't believe what he's hearing, but he still tries to get them to talk to him.  They touch on subjects like children, where the women talk about unnecessary C-sections, how horrible having children is, and how easy it is to just throw them in parlor with the wall TVs and go about your business.  Montag becomes more outraged.  Another subject, politics, is brought up and the women talk about how one politician is much more handsome than the other.  Montag can't stand how superficial these women are, especially now that his eyes have been opened to the reality of the world, and he finally snaps.  He brings out a book of poetry to try to make these women see what he's trying to tell them.  Faber is in his ear, telling him to stop, or he'll ruin everything. But at this point, Montag can't stop.  Mildred tries to cover for him (or actually probably more for herself) saying that the firemen are allowed to bring home one book just to show their family how "silly" they were.  Montag reads a poem called Dover Beach, that brings Mrs. Phelps to tears!  For me, I would consider this poem as "touching" or "heartfelt" that it brought her to tears, but these women have no idea why she's crying and accuse Montag of making her cry, saying that poetry is full of "sadness" and "hurt."  This section ends with Mrs. Bowles, Mildred's other friend yelling at Montag for making Mrs. Phelps cry and that she is leaving and never coming back to their home, and Montag tells her she better get out before he kicks her out!

Reaction and Questions:  Montag needs to control himself, otherwise he will get turned in!  I would not be surprised if Mildred's two friends turn him into the fire station.  Although, maybe he could play it off and tell Captain Beatty that the book he read to them is the same one that he stole that Beatty knows about.  But wouldn't Montag still get in trouble, since he seems to be going around flaunting books?  It's not like he just kept it to himself and burned it.  Mildred is probably really upset with him too, for upsetting her friends.  I think the only reason that Mildred hasn't turned him in yet is because she doesn't want to put herself out of the house and "go down" with Montag.  I still don't think she can be trusted at all though.  Now that Montag has messed up and couldn't control his anger, will he and Faber still be able to carry out their plan, or will one of the ladies turn him in to the fire station?  If they do turn him in, what will be the repercussions?