The relationship between Faber and Montag in the novel Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury has a special role for this work. It should be noted that these relationships are mentoring in nature, because Faber is one of the mentors of Montag. Moreover, Faber exerts a certain influence on Montag, encouraging him to lead the life of an intellectual person. The role of these characters and their relationships are especially important for the third part of the book, as they develop a plan to stop the destruction of the books. As their plan comes to fruition, Faber also gives some important advice to Montag. In this vein, the central idea is the personal growth of Montag in the novel and his development as an intellectual individual.
One of the most important life lessons that Faber gives to Montag is that it is not the books that are important; it is what they say. Faber states; “It’s not the books you need, it’s some of the things that once were in books” (Bradbury, 1953). To convey this basic idea not only to Montag, but also to readers, Bradbury resorts to such a literary element as symbolism. Fire, which plays a central role in the novel, represents destruction. However, in the third part of the book, Faber himself becomes a symbol. Faber and his philosophy symbolize freedom of thought, because this character is opposed to the established regime. Among other things, Faber is an intellectual, but the freedom of his thoughts is significantly limited. In this vein, the Faber portrait contains the fate of all people whose activities are limited due to certain circumstances. Montag, who does not possess the same outstanding intellectual abilities, also desires to find freedom from the regime. Both of these characters strive for a so-called full life, where their every action is not controlled by the state, and books are not destroyed.
Reference
Bradbury, R. (1953). Fahrenheit 451: A Novel. Simon and Schuster.