The Escape Through the Alley and the Garden

Montag's flight through the back alleys and his act of planting a book in a fireman's house, a small act of sabotage.

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The Flight from the House

The Immediate Escape The Back Yard Montag limps through the back yard, retrieving four books he had hidden. He is in pain, with a numbed leg. The Alley He stumbles down the alley, crying and apologizing to Beatty. He is a fugitive, but he still has a mission. The Decision to Plant a Book He decides to plant a book in a fireman's house to sow suspicion. He is thinking of the long-term plan.

The Planted Book

The Seed of Rebellion Mrs. Black's House Montag breaks into the house of a fireman named Black. He leaves a book in the kitchen. The house is dark, the family asleep. The Alarm He then calls in an alarm from a phone booth, reporting the book. The firemen will come to burn Black's house. The Irony Montag is turning the firemen's tactics against themselves. This is a small act of revenge and a step toward the larger plan.

The Aftermath of the Sabotage

The Results The Black House Burning On TV, Montag learns that Black's house was burned. The firemen destroyed their own colleague's home. The plan is working. The System's Response The police are now distracted. The planted book creates chaos. Montag's act is a small victory in the larger war. The Hope This gives Montag hope that the system can be undermined from within. It also shows that the firemen are not immune to the machine they serve.

After killing Beatty

During the flight, before reaching Faber's

Later, during the TV chase