Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

Before going inside, what final question does Clarisse ask Montag?

"are you happy"?

What happened when Montag crossed the ten-lane highway?

a group of kids almost ran over him

To what does Bradbury compare the conversation of the "ladies"?

a monstrous crystal chandelier

Where will Faber be going on the 5:00 AM bus?

a retired printer in St. Louis

The next day, what disturbing statement did Clarisse make?

after putting the dandelion under his chin, she told montag that he wasn't in love

What device does Faber give Montag so they can communicate?

an earpiece

On what did the ladies base their Presidential votes?

appearance

Beatty tried to make Montag doubt his newly emerging self by quoting some famous authors. Discuss the meaning of the quotes he uses and explain how they contradict eachother

beatty begins by saying that the people need knowledge, then he says that knowledge is bad.later on he says that he had a dream where he and montag argued about knowledge

What does the conversation with Beatty indicate?

beatty probably has an idea that montag possess books so he is wisely advising montag to burn them before he gets caught

What problem does Montag have regarding which book to turn into Beatty?

beatty thinks that montag only took ONE book, so montag doesn't know which one he should turn in

Montag realized that Beatty wanted to die. What explanation can you give for this?

beatty wanted to die, so he didn't move out of the flame thrower's way. he stood there, instead of moving, which made montag angry enough to kill him

What kinds of powers did Clarisse seem to have immediately over Montag?

before they met, montag was curious of clarisse, she seemed to "draw him in"

What do you think Montag has hidden in his house?

books that the government forbade

What one thing were the men sure of?

books were going to be needed again

How do books function like Caesar's praetorian guard?

caesar, because of his arrogance, needed to be reminded that he was mortal. books remind us that we don't know everything and that there is always something that can be learned

What did Montag carry with him as he rode the subway to see Faber? What did he will himself to do?

carried the bible; willed himself to read it

What startling news did Mildred reveal?

clarisse got run over by a car and died

How can the words in the books Montag is reading point to Clarisse?

clarisse was wise and "ancient" so montag wants to find the knowledge from the books where clarisse had found them

Who seemed to be directing Montag's remarks at the fire station? Why did his comments make the other firemen suspicious?

clarisse; it made montag seem like he had the books

Of what "dreadful surprise" did Montag suddenly become aware?

consequences of having books

Describe the atmosphere inside Montag's house.

dark, cold, quiet and empty

For what "crimes" has Clarisse's uncle has been arrested? What does this tell you about this scoiety?

driving too slow and being a pedestrian; this society is fast-paced

What new "game" did the police invent?

everyone opens an operable object (door or window) and try to find montag

How does Faber see himself? Montag?

faber- a coward (he never fought back for the books) montag- brave (he wants to read books so he does)

How was the fire in the woods different from the fires Montag was used to?

fire was used for warmth (in the woods); in his old life, he used it to burn books

Why was the Book of Job an appropriate one for Faber to read to Montag?

god puts job through tests to see if he does the right thing. montag has the chance to do the right thing, bring the books back. in this journey, montag will face test, similar to job

What is especially ironic about the search for Montag?

he can watch himself being searched by the police

What reasons did Beatty give for burning the books?

he explained that everyone wants to be happy. for that to happen, they had to eliminate all the bad things, including books. books were bad because some of them made certain groups of people unhappy

What bothered Montag about his hands?

he feels they have done wrong

What does Montag think of the old man in park?

he knew the old man had an extended amount of knowledge about books

What answers does Montag give to Mildred's question, "Why should I read? What for?"

he mentions the night at the hospital (where they cured mildred) and then the woman who burned with her books and then he mentioned clarisse

How did Montag stop the noise of the TV and the women?

he removed the switch in the parlor

Why is it appropriate that water carried Montag away from the city?

he used fire his whole life, he is being carried away by water

What two people has Montag become? What does he see as the final outcome of acquiring this dual personality?

he used to be a person who would burn books for a living and now he reads them; it's not good, he gets caught with books

Why do you think Bradbury chose to have Beatty die as he did?

he wanted to make it ironic- beatty was a fireman (burned houses) and his cause of death was burning

What did Montag say to Mrs. Bowles just before she left? Why?

he wants her to go home and think about her husbands, children, C-sections and abortions. he said to, "go home and think about how it all happened and what did you ever do to stop it?" he said this because he wants people to think about their lives and if they are satisfied in how they are living it.

Why did Granger say they should build a mirror factory first?

he wants society to "take a look at itself". he doesn't want society to make the same mistakes as before

How does Montag feel after Clarisse disappears?

he was disturbed and he felt sick the following morning

Why did Faber tell Montag to stop reading and shouting?

he was scaring the ladies. also, faber didn't want to get in trouble for reading to them

How does Bradbury indicate that a week has passed? (see page 28)

he writes, "One two three four five six seven days"

What did Mildred regret losing in life?

her "family" (TV)

What did Granger's grandfather mean when he said, "I hate a Roman names Status Quo!"?

status quo- existing state of things he meant that you shouldn't let the bad things that are happening, bring you down.

What does Beatty's treatment of the old woman tell you about his character?

since he treated her poorly, i can conclude that beatty may have been impatient and short-tempered

How do the Stoneman and Black tell us something about them?

something very strong and worthy of destruction

Which of Montag's senses came alive on the land? Why is this important?

sound, sight, and smell; he left his old life behind and now his senses have "come alive"

Why was Granger swearing and crying?

the city was bombed and there was nothing remaining

What did Beatty discover when he hit Montag? Because of the discovery, what did Beatty threaten to do?

the ear piece; he would turn his friend in too

Compare the "handymen" at the hospital with today's health-care workers. From their conversations, can you tell if suicide attempts are common? What could be the reason for this?

the handymen at the hospital aren't concerned with montag's wife, but they are faster than today's health care workers; suicide is common- health care workers can take care of it efficiently, so to the people who want to attempt suicide, don't think it is too serious

Why was Montag at first afraid to run?

the hound would catch and kill him

Why did Mildred want Montag to read "Dover Beach"? What is her opinion of the poem? Why is it a good poem for Montag to read?

the ladies would think books are complex, silly, and not worthy of our time; it was good because the ladies wouldn't understand it

What did Montag's own desperate flight remind him of?

the movies on tv

What approaching disaster is Faber counting on to give the intellectuals a chance to be heard?

the war

Why was the alarm at the old woman's house so "inconvenient"?

the woman refused to leave the house... she wanted to be burned

What purpose is served by the anecdote about the Seattle fireman's suicide?

there are other people in his society that thinks burning books is wrong or unethical

What effect does the announcement of the impending war have on the fireman?

there was no effect

Do you think the fire the men built to cook the bacon might have been built for other reasons as well?

there wasn't anything symbolic or meaningful so no

Outline the general plan of the book people (Granger and the others).

these people have a photographic memory so they memorize the entire book, then burn them so they don't get caught. they don't live inside the city because they know that if they do, their well being and knowledge won't be safe. after the war is over, they plan to rewrite all of the books (the ones they memorized)

How do the conversations Montag has with Clarisse differ from those he has with Mildred?

they are more meaningful and inquisitive

How do Mrs. Bowles' children feel about her?

they don't particularly like her

How does this society view animal life? What is Montag's reaction to the game the firemen play with the Hound? What would your reaction be?

they have no purpose; isn't amused by this game; no, animals shouldn't be killed for a game

Describe the plan Montag and Faber devise?

they make copies of the books they have, then they place the books in the firemen's houses (so they will be arrested); if all firemen are in jail, no one will burn the books

What makes Clarisse's family different from the others in the neighborhood?

they talk and listen to eachother (very rare)

What did the river give to Montag (see page 140)?

time to clean himself and change clothes

Montag intuitively knew what?

to follow the abandoned train tracks

After Beatty's speech at the firehouse, what did Faber tell Montag?

told him to think about what he is going to say to beatty

How does Mildred pass the time?

watches a lot of TV

What kinds of things does Clarisse do that seem so pleasant.? (see page 28)

watches people. she listens to them and figures out what they want or where they are going

What things did Montag think about as he drifted down the river?

what he needed- time to think, food, and a plan

What Faber mean when he said, in the park, "I talk the meaning of things"? Why do you think Montag didn't turn Faber in then?

when he speaks, he tries to explain things in-depth; faber gave montag his address in case he was to turn him in

How did Montag's leg become a "numbness in a numbness hollowed in a numbness"?

when the hound captured him, it injected his leg with drugs

What example of TV propaganda is there in this section?

when they streamed montag being chased by the police to the public

What did Montag mean by "We never burned right..."? What kind of burning might he consider right?

wrong burning- books right burning- television

When Montag arrives at Faber's, how does he act differently than he did during his last visit there?

you see the "inner montag"

What did the blast cause Montag to remember?

Chicago (he and mildred met)

Who does Montag meet on his way home?

Clarisse McClellan

What is Clarisse's face like?

"bright as snow in the moonlight" (pg 4) "the girl's face was there, really quite beautiful in memory: astonishing in fact. she had a very thin face like the dial of a small clock seen faintly in a dark room..." (pg 8)

How did Beatty describe Clarisse?

"do-gooder" that made others feel guilty

What descriptive words did Bradbury choose to give his readers a concise image of the firemen? (see page 33) What image do you have of the firemen?

"flushed" and "fevered"; the firemen might be tall with ash and soot (from their fire starting) on their faces and in their hair

What metaphor does Bradbury use to describe the burning books?

"he strode in a swarm of fireflies," and "while the flapping pigeon-winged books died on the porch and the lawn of the house"

Granger welcomes Montag to the group and asks him what he has to offer. What is Montag's reply? Why is he worried?

"nothing. I thought i had a part of the book of ecclesiastes and maybe a little of revalation, but i haven't even that now."; he doesn't remember what the books say

What fell down into the dust around the men?

"the great silence"

Who is the mascot of the fire department? Describe who its victims are and how they are killed. (see page 25)

"the hound" (a mechanical dog). the hound kills people (by injecting them with a drug) who had the books in their house

What metaphor did Bradbury use to describe the helicopters?

"the police helicopters were rising so far away that it seemed someone had blown the gray off a dry dandelion flower."

On pages 95-96, what "fire images" describe the ladies?

"the women who were burning with tension. any moment they might hiss a long sputtering hiss and explode,"

Describe the sounds and scents associated with Clarisse?

"there was the faintest breath of fresh apricots and strawberries in the air"

What two announcements did Montag hear on the Seashell radio?

1. "police alert. wanted: fugitive in city. has committed murder crimes against the state. name: guy montag. occupation: fireman." 2. "...watch for a man running... watch for the running man... watch for a man alone, one foot... watch..."

What do the rule books say about the Firemen of America? (see page 34)

1. answer the alarm quickly 2. start the fire swiftly 3. burn everything 4. report back to the firehouse immediately 5. stand alert for other alarms

What three things does Faber say are missing from a world without books?

1. quality of information 2. leisure to digest it 3. the right to carry out actions based on what we learn from the interaction of the first two

Were you surprised that the Salamander stopped at Montag's house? What do you think will happen next?

I was surprised; the salamander will burn the books and then montag will be arrested

What Biblical verse was Montag saving for their arrival in the city? Why?

Revalation 22:2; he saves this verse because it talks about restoration (what he is going to do for the city)

What incredible thing did the men see from the woods?

a bomb strike the city

To what does Bradbury compare the scene at Montag's house?

a carnival

What creature terrified Montag when he stepped onto land?

a deer

Who come sniffing around the door as Montag is reading?

a dog

What did Granger give Montag to deter the Hound?

a drink that made him smell different

Who is Montag? Does he enjoy his job?

a fireman; he enjoys starting fires

Look up the word "grange" in the dictionary. Do you think Bradbury thought about this before he chose Granger's name? What connections does the name have?

i think he did; connotations- farm, woods, (and organization, political, and cultural for "the grange")

To what mythical creature did Beatty compare Montag? Why?

icarus- a mythical man that made wings out of wax. he flew too close to the sun, so the winds melted and he died. montag was "flying too close to the sun"

Clarisse describes herself as "insane". Does she seem insane to you?

in clarisse's society, she would be considered insane because she has these thoughts and she asks a bunch of questions. but in our society, she doesn't seem insane

Why did Beatty choose to say the lines from Shakespeare?

in the julius caesar play, brutus spoke the lines saying that he is not afraid of cassius because he knows he is correct. in fahrenheit, beatty isn't afraid of montag because he (montag) is correct

Discuss the symbolic meaning of "the men all moved their hands, putting out the fire together.

instead of starting a fire, montag is putting one out

Bradbury was describing a type of conflict when he wrote that Montag "felt his body divide." What is this kinds of conflict called?

internal conflict (man vs self)

Why is it appropriate that war is finally declared at this point in the novel? How does this correlate with the inner Montag and his relationship with society?

it gives society a chance to change; montag has always wanted to change society

What happens when you put sand in a sieve?

it goes right through

How does the Hound react to Montag? What is Montag afraid of?

it growls at montag; he is afraid of being killed by the hound

Why is it appropriate that the "Denham's Dentrifrice" commercial kept interfering with Montag's reading the Bible?

it represents the sand and the sieve... montag couldn't focus on his attempt to memorize the bible because the Dentrifrice commercial kept interrupting. filling a sieve with sand is just as impossible to read while other thoughts are going through his head

Why did Granger tell Montag the story about his grandfather?

it shows everyone leaves something behind when they die

What "snap ending" had to be created for the "chase show" on TV?

it was fake; it showed a random man walking, claiming it was montag

Describe the TV program the ladies watched. Does it remind you of anything in our world?

it was very violent, the people hurt and killed each other. this reminded me of the hunger games

Instead of water, what does the fire hose spray?

kerosene

What had Montag expected to find in the men's faces?

knowledge

Why did the old woman quote Latimer? (see page 36)

latimer and ridley's conversation in 1555 when they were being burned alive; she was burned alive afterwards

How is the legend of the phoenix related to the story? (see page 163)

legend of the phoenix- bird burned itself in a pyre, but he sprang out of the ashes and was reborn. granger said they were doing the same thing

What fantasy did Montag enjoy as he drifted along?

living in a barn in the country, away from the people and noise

Check the definition for the word "beatific". With whose name does this correlate? Why is he appropriately named in an ironic sort of way?

meaning- blissful and happy; correlation- captain beatty; ironic- he isn't blissful or happy

Who turned in the alarms?

mildred and her friends

How do Mildred's comments and actions show she's never going to understand what Montag is trying to tell her?

mildred never attempts to understand montag because she is always glued to the tv

Why is "He screamed. He screamed. He screamed!" so significant?

montag is afraid of the hound. the man who was thought to be montag, was killed by the hound and he was screaming right before he was killed

Why is Montag unafraid of the risk of stealing more books?

montag is convinced he has nothing to lose, so he can risk anything for what he wants

Do you think Montag is in love with Mildred? If so, what proof can you give?

montag probably used to be in love with mildred, they just grew apart and that love grew apart as well

Beatty explains why the Hound can't "dislike" Montag. Compare how the two characters perceive the Hound.

montag thinks the hound is going to hurt him beatty thinks the hound is just an object used to help him with his job

What do you think the title of Part Two (The Sieve and the Sand) means?

montag tried to fill up a sieve with sand when he was little (impossible because the sand would go right through). now, montag is attempting to memorize the entire bible in a few hours, which isn't possible. montag has been trying to accomplish the impossible

Why did Granger want Montag to lead them back to the city? How does Granger view Montag?

montag was already ahead of them; he thinks montag is courageous

Describe school in the world of Fahrenheit 451. How do students amuse themselves after school or on weekends? (see page 29-30)

most people do not ask questions at her school, they just give answers to the students; go to Fun Park, Car Wrecker, or Window Smasher

How does Mrs. Phelps feel about her children? Does Mrs. Bowles agree?

mrs phelps doesn't have any children but he thinks it would be crazy; mrs bowles disagrees

Faber says Beatty "may be one of us"? Do you think it's possible? Give reasons for your opinion.

no, he constantly told montag to not read books. if he was similar to faber, he would be saying the opposite

Does Clarisse have any friends? Why or why not?

no, she's afraid of the kids her own age

Is the country at peace?

no, the radio said a war could break out at any hour

Did Montag want Mildred to die in the bomb blast? How did he picture her?

no; he pictured her in a hotel room, watching tv

Does Faber think the firemen are the only problem? Will making them look like traitors make everything everything else okay?

no; no

What is the usual meaning of antisocial? How is the meaning reversed in this book?

not wanting the company of others-- in this book it means, being talkative

Where was Faber when the bombs hit?

on a bus to st. louis

What old feeling came back to Montag as he burned his own house? Why?

outrage, tiredness, and bewilderment

Montag's feelings about Mildred and his life with her are changing. What is he beginning to think and feel? (see page 42-46)

people on televisions are "putting up walls". she is so distracted with the characters that she doesn't want to talk to her own husband

Who are the members of the group Montag meets in the woods? (see page 150) How do they think of themselves?

people who think books should be legal. each has a photographic memory, they memorized books, and then burned them; they think they are individuals

What is ludicrous about a national fire department? What can you infer about the government from this?

rather than a national fire department, each city would need one. this shows that the government wants to control the departments

Now that the city is destroyed, what does it stand for?

rebirth

According to Faber, how has religion changed?

religion evolved from the teachings in the book to what people see on tv

How did the Hound "not touch the world"?

represents montag's guilt. the guilt isn't physically there, yet it builds up and follows you, similar to the hound

What did Mrs. Phelps say about her husband going of to war?

she believes that pete will be back the next week because the army led her to believe that the war would be quick and only last for forty-eight hours

What had Mildred done?

she overdosed on her medication (took 30-40 capsules)

How does Mildred react to Montag's reading?

she thinks that reading is a waste of time

What attempt did Mildred make to save Montag from being a complete fool?

she told the other ladies that a fireman can bring one book home to show how silly they are

Hoe did Mildred deal with her feelings after the ladies left?

she took pills

Why do you think the poem made Mrs. Phelps cry? What was Mrs. Bowles reaction? Mildred's?

she was possibly thinking about her life and how poorly she is living it; she became somewhat angry; she tried to calm both of the other ladies down

What was the "special silence that was concerned with all of the world"?

silence at the fire