About Fahrenh Fahrenheit eit 451... In Fahrenheit 451, owning and reading books is illegal. Members of society focus only on entertainment, immediate gratification and speeding through life. If b ooks are found, they are burned and their owner o wner is arrested. If the owner refuses to abandon the books, as is the case with the Old Woman, he or she often dies, burning along with them. People with interests outside of technology and entertainment are viewed as strange, and possible threats.
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What is Montag's job, and how does he feel about it? He’s a fireman and he burns burns books and houses. He loves the fire.
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What do the salamander on Montag's arm and the phoenix disc on his chest symbolize? Firemen are “inflammable” figuratively because they are on the “right” side of the law. Firemen are the only ones that rise from the ashes.
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Who is Clarisse McClellan? She is a seventeen year old girl and people say she’s crazy and she provokes Montag to question his happiness. She’s the spark. spark. A beautiful seventeen-year-old who introduces Montag to the world’s potential for beauty and meaning with her gentle innocence and curiosity. She is an outcast from society because of her odd habits, which include hiking, playing with flowers, and asking questions, but she and her (equally odd) family seem genuinely happy with themselves and each other.
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What do people do with books in this society? Burn’em
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According to Montag, did firemen ever put out fires? Nope – it’s always been this way.
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What happens if you drive slowly? (approx. 40 mph) You get a fine if you don’t drive fast because the government doesn’t want anyone to notice the details and appreciate their lives.
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Clarisse says her uncle was arrested once for being a "pedestrian". What was the crime he committed?
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What thought provoking question does Clarisse ask Montag and what is his answer? “Are you happy?” He seemed taken aback and claimed he was happy.
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What are the "seashells" in Mildred's ears? They’re basically earphones that pick up radio waves etc.
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How does Montag describe the bedroom that he shares with Mildred? What does this foreshadow? Montag describes the bedroom as cold as a mausoleum. This foreshadows that she’s “dead”.
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What seems to be wrong with Mildred? She’s spiritually dead and suicidal.
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What was right and wrong with Mildred's cure? It got rid of the poison but couldn’t heal her emotionally. The technicians seem inhumane because they’re oblivious to their “patient’s” needs.
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What does Montag do to help him deal with the problems he encounters that night? He goes for a walk (which is illegal) and listens to the McClellan’s talk.
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What is odd about Mildred the next morning? Does Montag tell her what happened? What is her response? What is unusual about their t.v.? Mildred goes about her daily morning activities as if nothing had happened the night before. When Montag asks about her suicide attempt she denies the whole ordeal. The TV is the size of a wall and there are three sides.
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What does Clarisse do with the dandelion? Why does Montag become angry? She rubs it onto her chin and states that the yellow residue left behind means that she’s in love. When she tries to do this to Montag but it doesn’t have the same result for him. He is offended because he thinks he’s in love while she insists otherwise.
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Aside from their obvious differences, like their ages, what is the most significant difference between Mildred and Clarisse? Clarisse is a lot wiser despite her age, because she seeks out new experiences and
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What is unusual about the firehouse dog? How does it worry Montag? It’s mechanical and doesn’t seem to like him very much.
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Who is Beatty? Beatty is the fire chief. We find out that he’s a reader because apparently fire chiefs have to be.
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What type of gifts does Clarisse leave for Montag? She leaves him flowers,
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What are some of the activities that this society provides for its young people? Smashing things with big cranes, sports, interactive video g ames, they get their driver’s license early and start running down stray cats and dogs.
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What does Clarisse mean when she says that museums are all "abstract"? The paintings are all Expressionist and convey no concrete ideas about history or life on the planet earth.
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What were they like in the past? In the past paintings depicted life for all classes, ethnicities and so on. Clarisse tells Montag all about her uncle’s understanding of what museums were like “in his day.”
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What happens to Clarisse?
What does a typical fireman look like? What sprays from a fireman's hose? Has black hair, is tall, fit and clean shaven. The uniformity of their appearance makes them seem that much more intimidating. They have lost individuality and are even more dehumanized than the regular citizen.
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How has the history of the fireman been changed? Ben Franklin was the first fireman according to the fireman’s code book. This is representative of revisionism in its most vulgar expression – Ben Franklin owned and operated the first newspaper in the 13 colonies, which subsequently became the first newspaper in the U. S. (Pennsylvania Gazette) and started the first
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What was different about burning this particular old woman's house? Montag didn’t enjoy himself like any other night. He shoved a book down his waistband. The inhabitant committed suicide in a symbolic way rather than be parted from her books.
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Why does Beatty refer to the old woman as living in a "Tower of Babel"? The biblical tower of the same name was said to have been built by the first descendants of Noah after the flood. They built their tower too high for God’s liking. He punished them for their arrogance by “confounding their tongues.” As a result, they couldn’t communicate with one another, so they abandoned the tower city altogether. Beatty is speaking in metaphors (irony). He’s basically saying that the books in the woman’s house represent different thoughts and opinions – thoughts and opinions that are so sophisticated they make the “average” person feel inadequate and inferior. Perhaps Beatty feels this way, which is why there is an unfair assumption that the woman is arrogant. He obviously doesn’t understand much of what he reads because he’s basically saying that the arguments between authors on specific subjects are proof that no one really knows anything and so anything written about any particular subject is just a bunch of nonsense. Obviously, Beatty (and the society he serves) is taking things too literally.
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Explain the quote the old woman stated, "We shall this day light such a candle, by God's grace, in England, as I trust shall never be put out." Like Protestantism in the 16th century, the “underground” rebel readers hope to spread a curiosity about books throughout the land. And, like Protestantism, the best way to do that is to inspire that interest by making the government purges seem more sacrificial. When the readers die for their cause they become martyrs and raise interest in their cause. Protestantism gained strength with each “heretic” burned and so must reading in this dystopian future – the only way they’d know such a plan would work is if they read history.
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What did Montag take from the old woman's house? A book!
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What question does Montag ask Mildred? Does he know the answer? He asks here if she remembers where and when they met. She hasn’t a clue, nor does she see the value of such an inquiry.
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Who are Mildred's and Montag's "relatives"? People in the interactive television broadcasts. What does Mildred "think" happened to Clarisse? Got hit by a car …???
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Why does Montag keep thinking about the old woman who died for her books? He can’t understand why someone would die for books – so now he’s suspicious and curious.
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Why does Beatty come to Montag's house? What does he tell Montag? Wanted to know why he was sick (he suspected him ). He tells Montag just about everything – about how censorship happened and why. What does Mildred find under Montag's pillow? A book!
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Do any types of books still exist in this society? Are there legal books? Trade journals, comic books, fireman handbook (instructional type stuff), condensed and revised classics. How does this society change the meaning of the line from the "Constitution" that "all men are created equal"? “All men MADE equal” The understanding of equality has gone from “equal right and opportunities,” to “equal according to ability” which is way too literal. It was designed this way to control the masses. What does Beatty finally admit about the firemen from the past? They didn’t always burn books (evidence of revisionism). Beatty admits the one thing he shouldn’t. What does Beatty think of fire? It purifies and cleans. It gets rid of the nasty details so no one need be made uncomfortable. Fire literally and figuratively “sterilizes”
DO THE BLACK AND PURPLE FOR MONDAY!!!
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Does Beatty make any startling confessions to Montag? He tells him he reads and that fire chiefs have to. How long does Montag have to recover (or to keep his book)? 24 hours
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When Montag says he has an urge to go smash and kill things why does Mildred tell him to "go take the Beetle"? Everyone is a bit sociopathic in the sense that they don’t value life – they’ve never been shown how to value or thought about what to value. She literally goes out and smashes stuff with their car.
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What does Montag show Mildred that he has hidden behind the ventilator grate? A stack of books.
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How long do Montag and Mildred spend reading? “All afternoon.”
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Why does Mildred understand the one line "That favourite subject, myself"? Because she is self-absorbed so that’s her favourite subject. She can actually relate to something in a book, which proves their value.
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What appears to be outside their door while they are reading? The hound. When Mildred says of Beatty, "He might come and burn the family," to whom is she referring? The aunts, uncles and cousins in the broadcasts she watches on the wall screens. How many atomic wars have passed? What else does Montag's conversation tell us about what has been going on in the outside world? 2 since 1990. There are starving countries and countries that have extreme wealth. There are wars going on that no one really understands. Who is Faber? A former English professor that wasn’t a victim of “the purge.”
Montag met him in the park one day. •
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What priceless book does Montag have? The Bible Why does Montag recall a summer at the beach where he played with a sieve and the sand? What does this have to do with him tryng to read a book while on the subway? The info goes through his mind like the sand through the sieve.
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Where is Montag headed? TO Faber’s
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Why does Montag tell Faber he came to see him? He wants to learn how to understand what he’s reading. He also wants to be able to stand up to Beatty Why does Faber call Montag a "hopeless romantic"? Faber is pessimistic and cynical, he doesn’t think Montag can make a difference despite his determination and willingness to do so. Montag is altruistic.
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What are the 3 things Faber describes as missing? Quality information, time to digest, reflect info, the right to base actions upon what you have learned. What is Faber's and Montag's plan? TO set up the firemen by planting books in their homes. What does the line mean, "The salamander devours his tail!" ? They will destroy themselves by their hypocrisy. What does Faber mean when he says that firemen are rarely necessary and that it's a "sideshow" now? Because everyone lives in fear so they need only burn people and houses once in a while to prove the point and remind people of what will happen. The majority is complacent and goes along with the government’s plan.
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Why does Faber warn Montag to have patience? People don’t change over night and good things come to those who wait (because readin’ takes a long ass time) How does Montag force Faber to support him? What does Faber say happened to his drama class and the newspaper?
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Beatty has obviously read books. Why is Montag still afraid to talk to him? What does Faber's line mean, "Those who don't build must burn. It's as old as history and juvenile delinquents"? Why does Montag respond, "So that's what I am"? Why does Faber find himself contemptible? What does Faber give Montag in order to help him face Beatty? What does Montag give to Faber? How does Montag upset Mildred's guests? How do the women take care of their kids? How does Montag explain the presence of the book in his hands to Mildred's friends? What is significant about the lines from "Dover Beach" that Montag read aloud to Mildred's friends? Why does Clara cry?
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Why does Faber warn Montag and tell him to "feel old"? What does Montag give Beatty upon his return to the firehouse? Why does Montag get up several times during the poker game? Beatty quotes some great writers of the past, but what do all the quotes say about knowledge and learning? Beatty then beats Montag down unmercifully in what manner? "All's well that is well in the end." How does Beatty change the original quote? Whose house do they next go to to burn? What happens to Mildred? What does Beatty mean when he states, "What is there about fire that's so lovely? No matter what age we are, what draws us to it?" Is this a truism? What doesn't Montag first heed Faber's warning and run? How did Montag feel as he burned his own house, and why? Who turned in the alarm on Montag? What causes Montag to burn Beatty? Why does Montag think Beatty wanted to die? What does Montag do next? What information does the seashell provide for him? What was so hard about crossing a street? Why does Montag leave books in Mrs. Black's house?
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Where does Faber tell Montag he should head? What do they use to track Montag? How do Montag and Faber try to trick the hound? Does it work? How does the concept of audience participation work against Montag? Where does Montag lose the hound?
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Why does Montag now think about the sun and other things that "burn"? What scares Montag when he emerges from the river? What impresses Montag the most when he leaves the river? What does Montag find so different about the fire he encountered in the woods? What does Granger give Montag to drink? What happened to the "chase" to find Montag? What do the men in the wood do with their books? What does he mean when he saws "bums on the outside, libraries inside"? What is the difference between the lawncutter and the gardener? How long did the war last? What is the legend of the Phoenix? What does Montag start to remember as they travel upriver?
