Fahrenheit 451 Pg. 71-80

Q. How will books get us out of "the cave?" What is the cave and how will books get us out of it?

A. I think that when Ray talks about the metaphorical cave, he is talking about a secluded state of mind and presence. As an example, Mildred. Mildred herself and most likely the rest of society is stuck in this cave of meaningless thoughts and actions. The cave restricts outside knowledge or unpleasent thoughts about life.

Books contain ideas and different sides to a topic that can start the human mind racing off in all different directions, eventually engaging the mind to ask even deeper questions like: why? Books of philosophy and opinions can reach into the soul, grab them and give them the boot out of the opening of the cave engaging themselves into toughts and opinions of their own (hopefully there's no dropoff).