Question

On the last page of Part One in Fahrenheit 451, there is a quote "It is computed that eleven thousand persons have at several times suffered death rather than submit to break their eggs at the smaller end." What is the significance of this quote?

Answer 1

Answer:

It is a quote about rebellion which is exactly what Montag is doing when he keeps the books and then reads them.

Explanation:

This quote comes from the book Gulliver's Travels. At this point in the book, the narrator is talking about how the people have gone to war over which side of the egg should be broken. Traditionally, they always broke their eggs at the larger end, but after the prince cut his finger doing this, there was an edict that eggs should always be broken at the smaller end. People revolted and were killed. The purpose of this is to show how petty and ridiculous governing bodies can be over minuscule thing.

In Fahrenheit 451, the quote illustrates what Montag is coming to understand about the rules that govern his society. It also reveals that knowledge can't come in just pieces, you need the whole or the context in order to better understand it. A person, or government, should not just pick and choose what knowledge to share and not to share.