Montag and Faber plan an escape

Summary

When Montag finally reaches Faber's house, he is horrified and scared. In contrast, Faber is calm and unafraid; he is resolved to the fact that their rebellion is now inevitable. Faber tells Montag about some intellectual groups that are living in exile; Montag can certainly find refuge with one of these groups. Faber is going to meet with a friend who has a printing press. The books will be reproduced, and ideas will live on.

On television, it is announced that a new Mechanical Hound has been set up to hunt for Montag. To try and throw the Hound off, Montag burns everything he is wearing, and Faber sprays the house with a different scent. Montag then runs toward the river, carrying only a suitcase filled with Faber's dirty clothes and a bottle of alcohol. As he travels, he listens to the warnings on the radio. All the people have been told to open their doors and look for the fugitive.

As he nears the river, Montag senses that the Hound is in pursuit of him. When he reaches the water, he strips off his clothes and covers himself with alcohol to disguise his scent. The river sweeps him away into the dark of night.

Notes

Montag manages to reach the home of Faber, who is calm in contrast to his friend. He tells Montag about some exiled intellectuals and sends him on his way there. Faber then sets off to see a friend with a printing press in order to reproduce the remaining books. Faber believes that the rebellion begun by Montag must go forward.

The hi-tech advancement in science is again depicted. The Mechanical Hound has been reconstructed, complete with tuning and setting, and is already on Montag's trail. The radio broadcasts constant warnings for the people to be on the lookout for the fugitive. Montag struggles onward in his race to the river. Bradbury builds great suspense, making the final scene of the book tense and terrifying. Montag's crippled escape is timed to literary perfection. Just as capture seems inevitable, the protagonist reaches the river, loses his scent, and disappears into the night.

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