Question

While on the subway, Montag struggles to absorb the Biblical passage of Matthew 6:28, which implores readers to forget about material possessions and to “consider the lilies of the field,” beautiful blooms that grow wild on their own. His reading is interrupted by an incessant jingle for Denham’s Dentifrice, a teeth-whitening product. What point is the author trying to make in this scene?

Answer 1

Bradbury is trying to show how this society is constantly bombarded with media. In this case, it's advertisements pounding them into a passive state. No one on the train is talking or interacting. They are just sitting listening to the advertisement like they are being brainwashed into buying denham's dentifrice. In contrast to this Montag is trying to read a passage from the Bible about letting go of material things (including Denham's dentifrice). This juxtaposition between the natural world and materialism further shows how society is so wrapped up in media that they are unaware of the world around them.