Fahrenheit 451 Comprehension Check Part 1

What do the firemen do if one of their own "accidentally" steals a book?

"We let the fireman keep the book twenty-four hours. If he hasn't burned it by then, we simply come burn it for him." -Beatty

At the beginning of the story, how does Montag feel about his job? Give specific examples to support your response.

He enjoyed it. It says in the book "It was a pleasure to burn"

What question finally offends Montag?

"Are you happy?"

What memory does Montag encounter when speaking to Clarisse?

(At the end of page 7) when he was a child and the power in his house went out and his mother found a candle to use for light

What does Montag show Millie? What is her immediate reaction?

About 20 books. She starts shrieking and is very afraid, scared, terrified, paled, and her heart started racing.

What does Montag learn about Beatty from his visit?

Beatty has also wondered why they do what they do - so do all firemen at some point. Beatty has also read books before.

Why does Clarisse insist that Montag is not like the others?

Because he is one of the few that put up with her and he actually listens when she talks

Why is Clarisse considered "anti-social"? How do the kids in this society entertain themselves? What is your reaction to this?

Because she doesn't "mix"; she doesn't think the same way as everyone else. Look at pages 30 and 31 for kids entertaining themselves.

What does Montag ask Millie about in their past? What do you think he asks her this important question? "When did we meet?" And where?

He asks where they first met. He could ask because he wants to know how important they are to each other. Also, it could mean something about their society that we don't know yet.

Why do you think Montag did not want to open the curtains or windows?

He did not want the moonlight coming in. He is feeling a need to be hidden and not exposed to the world.

Why was Clarisse's uncle arrested? What does this indicate about the society in which they live?

He drove too slow and he was being a pedestrian. This shows that being different can get you into trouble.

What does Montag hear after the men leave? What is his reaction?

He hears laughter from Clarisse's house, and he wanted to go up on their porch and see what they were saying.

What does Montag continually hear overhead?

He hears the bombs and the planes at war

What is Montag's reaction to Clarisse's question: "Have you ever read any of the books you burn?"

He laughs and says, "That's against the law!"

From Beatty's speech, what does Bradbury reveal about his own fears about society? What ideas/concepts are true in our modern society?

He reveals that some people know more than others and that this makes people feel inferior. This is dangerous and a threat to intellectual thought. If making everyone dumb is how you make everyone "equal", then equality is not good!

What does Montag realize about his relationship with his wife?

He's not in love with her (the dandelion was right)

What does Mildred tell Montag about Clarisse?

Her whole family moved, but she is dead.

What do you think the author meant when he said, "How rarely did other people's faces take of you and throw back to you your own expression, your own innermost trembling thought"? What does this question reveal about Montag's state of mind?

How often do other people show you what is deep inside you? Clarisse's face was like a mirror, and he could see himself in her. There is something dark and hidden in him, an "innermost trembling thought". He is paranoid that he is revealing himself.

How does the author describe Montag's home?

It is dark and tomb-like and silent

What does Montag's encounter with Clarisse remind him of?

It reminds him of a time ago when he met an old man and they talked

Describe the Mechanical Hound. What is its purpose? How does Montag feel about the Hound?

Look at page 24 and 25 for description of Hound. The firemen let loose chickens, rats etc. and watch the hound attack them. Beyond that, we don't know what its purpose is yet. Montag is afraid of the hound and thinks it doesn't like him.

What are the people in this society allowed to read? What is the purpose of reading in this society?

Magazines, comics, sex magazines, old confessions or trade journals. The purpose of reading is entertainment

What does Montag take from the burning house? Why? What does he do with it afterward?

Montag takes a book from the house because he read a line in it and it blazed in his mind. He hides it in his bed when he gets it home.

Explain the significance of Clarisse's speech about "blurs." What are the billboards 200 feet long?

People don't always see things the way that they are. The pace of life in this world is very fast. Cars started rushing by so quickly they had to stretch the advertising out so it would last. "I sometimes think drivers don't know what grass is, or flowers, because they never see them slowly," she said. "If you showed a driver a green blur, Oh yes! he'd say, that's grass! A pink blur? That's a rose-garden! White blurs are houses. Brown blurs are cows. My uncle drove slowly on a highway once. He drove forty miles an hour and they jailed him for two days. Isn't that funny, and sad, too?"

What does Beatty tell Montag about how books disappeared? What is your reaction to his explanation?

People stopped wanting to learn and read difficult books, so they all knew less and less. The few people who did continue to read became much more intelligent and made everyone else feel bad. So books had to be destroyed to make everyone happy and "equal".

How do you feel about Bradbury's predictions of school? Are there any truths to this assessment?

School becomes a place to create workers or athletes, not a place to challenge ideas and make kids think critically. The increasing of trade schools and classes show how we are headed in that direction.

How does Mildred feel towards the characters in the parlor? Why is this disturbing to Montag?

She consistently calls them apart of the "family" or "relatives". This disturbs Montag because he doesn't know any of them and doesn't understands the point of watching them. She is more connected with them than with him.

What is your first impression of Clarisse?

She is weird, curious; there is something different about her.

How does Mildred react when Montag tells her what happen the night before?

She says she thought they had a crazy party and kept saying she would never try to kill herself. She seems confused or in denial.

Why do you think the woman stays in her house while it is burning?

She wants to show them that she would stand up for how wrong it was to burn books. She is making a statement that books are important and that she would rather die than live without knowledge.

What does Montag find under his bed?

The empty pill bottle

Describe the machines. What do they do to Mildred? How do the men treat their "patient"? Why is it so "routine" to them?

The machines were described as black snakes. One machine sucked out bad things, the other put in new blood. The men don't seem to really care because doing this is a regular thing to them because many people try to kill themselves.

What is Mildred's "script" about? What part does she play? Why does she want to buy a fourth wall?

The people on the TV show will pause for a response and she will answer. She plays a homemaker. She wants to buy the fourth wall because the 'play' will be more fun. Their room wouldn't be theirs; it would be an exotic place

According to Beatty, who is to blame for the banishment and burning of books?

The people/citizens, NOT the government

Mildred's earpieces have been described as "electronic bees," "mosquito hums," and "hidden wasps." What are these earpieces? Why does she always have one in her ear? Why do you think Bradbury compares these devices to insects?

These earpieces are called seashells. She always has seashells in her ears because she is so obsessed with technology and needs constant entertainment. He probably describes them as insects because they can be annoying and dangerous.

What do Clarisse and Montag argue about? What does Clarisse tell Montag that firemen used to do?

They argue about happiness. She tells him that firemen use to put fires out instead of starting them.

Describe Montag and Mildred's relationship.

They don't care/love each othe. Mildred doesn't even care that Montag's sick; she just wants him to go to work. She also doesn't care that he is so affected by the woman in the house burning. Montag does not understand Mildred's need for constant entertainment and thrill and he thinks less of her for it.

Why are there no longer front porches in this society?

They got rid of them because it was the "wrong"type of social life where people sat and thought and talked about things. The society doesn't want people talking about hard issues - they want everyone busy and entertained

What do people talk about in this society? How is this different from our society? Why do you think Clarisse has such a problem with everything being "abstract"?

They name a lot of cars or clothes or swimming pools and say how swell, they say all the same things. We talk about more interesting things, not everyone is saying the same thing. But we do have some of the same patterns - talking about weather or news or social media stories. Clarisse can't find any truth in the abstract. There is no real conversation or intellectual thought.

According to Beatty, what is the firemen's primary job? What is the ultimate goal in this society?

They were "custodians of their peace of mind" and the ultimate goal is to make everyone happy (and equal by making everyone less intelligent)