Fahrenheit 451 Hands Quotes

(MIP-1) Hands are able to act on their own in characters even when characters don't notice. (SIP-A) Character's hands do things that in their society are bad even if they don't know how they did it. (STEWE-1) When Montag is just doing his job, his hands suddenly and mischievously take a book. “Montag's hand closed like a mouth, crushed the book with wild devotion, with an insanity of mindlessness to his chest...Montag had done nothing. His hand had done it all, his hand, with a brain of its own, with a conscience and a curiosity in each trembling finger, had turned thief. Now, it plunged the book under his arm, pressed it tight to sweating armpit, rushed out empty, with a magician’s flourish! Look here! Innocent! Look!” (Bradbury 34-35). Montag didn't feel any control over his hand, and instead felt his hand had control over itself. …show more content…
Literally, he grabbed a falling book and stole it. But according to him, he was innocent and felt no ability to control his hand. (STEWE-2) Montag also recalls his hands acting out on their own and killing Beatty. ‘He twitched the safety catch on the flame thrower. Beatty glanced instantly at Montag’s fingers and his eyes widened the faintest bit. Montag saw the surprise there and himself glanced to his hands to see what new thing they had done” (Bradbury 112-113). Again, Montag recalls his hands acting on their own and killing Beatty. Montag knew deep down that Beatty wanted to die when he reacted to his hands. Montag didn’t immediately notice, but his hands did and acted in a villainous way. Hands in this scene represented the gut feelings of Montag and the split second decisions he made without thinking. (SIP-B) Hands are also able to do actions for good. (STEWE-1) Montag grabs telephone to save Millie. “He felt his hand plunge toward the telephone” (Bradbury 11). Montag’s hand suddenly lunged at the