Montage is confused about which book he should turn in at the fire house; the bible, Mr. Jefferson, or Mr. Thoreau. Why does Bradbury choose these three? What might they represent that is missing in his world?
The Bible was all about wisdom and the search for God. The Bible holds themes that relate to man's origin and identity. The state discouraged such deep forms of thought and devotion. They wanted people to live disposable superficial lives. Thoreau was about man forming his own identity separate from societal norms. The state believed in mass conformity: Thoreau believed in the opposite. Thomas Jefferson was the chief author of the Declaration of Independence. He espoused ideas of the rights of the individual as opposed to the rights of the state.
