Also Thoreau and Montag were both kind when they didn't have to be. When the black man showed up at Thoreau's cabin, he was offered food and called sir and was helped out, when really most people wouldn't have been nearly as kind. Montag talked with Faber once and a year later remembered him and talked to him and when he found out about Faber's books Montag didn't do what was expected of him and his job as a firefighter and he listened and talked with Faber and befriended him. He planned with him and he helped him cover his tracks when he ran away.
Officer Beatty and Deacon Ball are both not the nicest folks but they differ in how they act. While Ball is upfront, loud, pompous and authoritative, Beatty is sneaky yet intimidating and he is smart. He thinks about what he says and his words are meant to make one slip up. Ball, hen scolding Thoreau, is sticking to what was accepted as what is right to do according to popular vote and those are the same issues Beatty deals with-- he is for the burning of books-- but he uses books to his advantage. Instead of just telling Montag to do something he will quote a book and famous authors and ask complex questions to get what he wants from whomever he's talking to.
In the end both Thoreau and Montag are free. Henry is out of jail and Guy is safely hidden between towns with a group of men ho memorize books. While they are escaped from their prison- both figuratively and literally- they aren't happy about it really. Thoreau still doesn't want to pay his taxes and he is still firm in his opinions and Montag is in this whole new way of life-- no wife no Faber no job and its a bit discomforting. Both the books leave off right when they get free though and don't go into what happens later, which lets the reader guess.
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