The idea that knowledge is capable of being dangerous might seem inconceivable, but when viewed from different perspectives, it is simple to see how one may reach this conclusion. Much like how John Cairncross used his workplace as a gateway to access information, Guy Montag used his job as a fireman to commit acts of larceny. Both men took what can be considered "forbidden knowledge" and used it to educate others. In John Cairncross' scenario, had the information he took found itself in the wrong hands, the Soviets may never have won the Battle of Kursk and the outcome of the war against the Nazi's on the Eastern front could have played out differently. Conversely, if the information Cairncross gave to the Soviet Union regarding atomic weaponry were to have fallen into the hands of the Japanese, the course of the entire war could have changed. Although not nearly as dangerous, Guy tries to educate his wife and her friends, which ultimately results in his house being destroyed. In a way, this could serve as a metaphor for the lives of spies. John Cairncross was fortunate enough that he made a deal with the British government and was never prosecuted for crimes of espionage (Smedley, 2015). Unfortunately, some spies are killed for what they did. With the house serving as a symbolic representation of someone's lifestyle, when Guy is found out to have books (the spies are found out), his entire world is incinerated, much like how the lives of the spies are destroyed.