Fahrenheit 451
by Ray Bradbury
Table of Contents
Faber
Faber seems to have many of the same traits as Montag. He, too, seems to be decisive in some instances, while lacking resolve in others. He lacks the courage to protest the revolution—although such courage may have been foolhardy. On the other hand, he toils persistently in devising the ear device for Montag. He helps Montag flee and is instrumental in his harebrained scheme of re-introducing relapsed education. He is the counterpoint to Beatty, providing Montag with his "good" voice. From a religious perspective, one might even say that the story resembles a moral tale, with Beatty on the one hand urging Montag toward ruin, while Faber provides the voice of conscience on the other.
The story is neatly divided into villains and heroes, with weak people sprinkled in the middle. Faber and Montag, similar in character, seem to be arranged on one side. Clarissa, angelic in both childlike goodness and naïveté, seems to be on one side, while at the opposite end of the spectrum is Mildred—contradictory in all aspects to the fresh and energetic girl. Beatty, meanwhile, serves as a foil to both Faber and Montag. The whole montage seems to have a pattern with characters arrayed and neatly matched against each other, serving to provide balance and significance to the narrative.
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