F451 pages 71-80

What are you confused about?
My answer is be mostly the same everytime, but I'm not really confused about anything. If i dotn fully understand something thats happening in the book I just re-read the book, or ask a peer how they read it or understood it.

C. What is the signfificance of the story about the sieve and the sand? There is a reference to it shortly after the story is told. Why? What's going on here.

Main Entry: 1sieve
Pronunciation: 'siv
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English sive, from Old English sife; akin to Old High German sib sieve
: a device with meshes or perforations through which finer particles of a mixture (as of ashes, flour, or sand) of various sizes may be passed to separate them from coarser ones, through which the liquid may be drained from liquid-containing material, or through which soft materials may be forced for reduction to fine particles


If you didnt already know what the definition of sieve was then you shouldve read the definition above this. Montag told the story of when his cousin promised him money if he could hold the sand in the sieve. Montag accepted, but at the time didnt know that it was impossible for him to do...impossible for anyone. I think along with not being able to understand things as Montag didnt understand that the sieve couldnt hold sand, helplessness also goes along with this too. I think that that word 'helplessness' came to mind for me because Montag was the only one who didnt know that the sieve couldnt hold the sand. Not only being helpless from the sieve, similer feelings if ot exact would be the sam for Montag and books.