English 11 CP/ English 11 Summer Reading 2014-2015
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
You will be reading a famous novel about the future. Ray Bradbury’s vision of the future was
quite clear, and as you will read, you will discover much that he predicted has come true. You
will be tested on the novel within the first full week of school, and you are responsible for a
project reflecting the ideas presented in the novel. You will create a cover page for the project
portion of the assignment. It will include your first and last name, American Literature Summer
Reading Project, the prediction pages, and the Banned Book section. Make sure these pages are
stapled together. This novel will be part of the first quarter unit not just a summer reading grade.
Make sure you have read it.
Study Guide Questions
These questions are provided to assist in your success on the test on the novel. We will be
studying this novel during the school year, so you must complete the guides. Since the questions
are somewhat chronological, it may be a good idea to look over the questions before you read
each section. Bradbury’s writing style is rich with figurative language. Many similes, metaphors,
and symbols are present. Allow enough space to note particular passages that offer these
techniques. It will serve as an excellent review, and point out how figurative language is
important to emphasize emotion.
When a question requires an extended answer, consider taking notes in bullet form rather
than sentence form.
Part One: The Hearth and the Salamander
1. Stop at the end of the first two sentences. What is your first impression of the man
(Montag) who is being described?
2. Why does Montag’s helmet have the number 451 on it?
3. What details does Bradbury give to establish the setting of Montag’s encounter with
Clarisse? Why might these be important?
4. What kind of words and images does Bradbury use to characterize Clarisse?
5. What do we learn about the society in which Clarisse and Montag live?
6. What question does Clarisse ask that upsets him? What is its technical purpose?
7. What feature of Clarisse does Bradbury emphasize? Why? What “epigram” comes to
mind about eyes?
8. What word does Montag think of repeatedly in connection with his bedroom and his
wife?
9. What is happening in the background as Montag dials the hospital?
10. What has happened to Mildred that causes Montag to call the hospital?
11. What does the technician’s explanation reveal about Montag’s society? Do you see
any parallel to our society?
12. What are “seashells” and “parlor walls”? Do we have anything comparable in our
society?
13. What is Mildred’s attitude about life?
14. What images are linked to Clarisse in the passage describing her second conversation
with Montag?
15. Connect the Mechanical Hound with Greek mythology’s Cerberus (you Harry Potter
fans should be okay with this one!)
16. What is your first impression of Captain Beatty?
17. What connection does Clarisse make between her school and the forms of
entertainment that most of her peers prefer?
18. What, according to Clarisse, would prevent young people from being to violent and
destructive?
19. What do the history books in Montag’s society say about the creation of fire
departments?
20. How does the woman who dies affect Montag?
21. Why does Montag begin to cry when he thinks about Mildred dying?
22. What is ironic about Montag referring to the people on the parlor walls as “relatives”
and Mildred saying that’s my family?
23. How does Mildred treat Montag when he becomes ill?
24. According to Beatty, what vital role do firemen play in society?
25. After meeting Capt. Beatty a second time, has your opinion of him changed? Has it
created more questions?
26. What does Beatty say about pleasure and happiness? How does Part 1 end? How is
this in contrast to the opening lines?
Fahrenheit 451 Part 2: The Sieve and the Sand
1. What connection does Montag make between books and empathy(make sure you know
what empathy means)
2. Describe Montag’s state of mind as he rides the train to see Faber. Has he made a
complete break with his old self?
3. It is in this section that we make the connection to the title of Part 2: The Sieve and the
Sand. Can you find it?
4. What, according to Faber, has been done to Jesus by the television programs?
5. This section has important information about books. Faber supplies that to Montag. What
does Faber mean when he says good books have “pores”?
6. Faber uses metaphors to describe the texture that good literature has. What are some of
these metaphors? What do they have in common? What is the larger message?
7. Why, according to Faber, is it impossible to argue with the “parlor walls”?
8. Faber warns Montag not to look for answers in one “person, machine, or library.” Where
do the answers lie?
9. What does Faber say that echoes Beatty’s lecture to Montag earlier in the novel?
10. How does Montag force Faber to become his guide?
11. What is Faber’s technological invention? How is Faber’s use of technology different
from society’s?
12. What is it that the women do that drives Montag over the edge?
13. From what the women say, what can we infer about the election?
14. Did you read the poem “Dover Beach” in Brit lit?
15. Review the discussion between Montag and Beatty. Why does Beatty’s speech make
Montag so upset?
Fahrenheit 451 Part 3: Burning Bright
1. To what story is Beatty referring when he says Montag “wanted to fly near the sun”?
What literary technique is this?
2. What, according to Beatty, is the real attraction to fire?
3. What is the last thing that Montag burns?
4. Why does Montag run to Faber’s house?
5. Who almost kills Montag?
6. Where does Faber advise Montag to travel?
7. What is ironic about the broadcast of the chase?
8. Verse 11 of the Book of Ecclesiastes reads: “There is no remembrance of men of old, and
even those who are yet to come will not be remembered by those who follow.” What
does Montag realize about time and history?
9. How is the campfire different from the other kinds of fire mentioned in the book?
10. What is significant about the fact that the police find a substitute for Montag to end the
chase?
11. How is the death of the substitute Montag symbolic?
12. What Biblical reference does Granger make when he mentions a “coat of a thousand
colors”?
13. What tie in does the story of Sodom and Gomorrah have to Fahrenheit 451 in general and
Montag specifically?
14. Why does Granger say that the men at some point are going to “build a mirror” factory?
15. Does the novel seem to have a hopeful or a pessimistic conclusion?
16. Could this novel be considered a parable? If so what lesson does it teach?
17. Even though the novel is science fiction, what are the most “realistic,” therefore,
frightening aspects about Montag’s society? Are there any parallels to our own society?
Fahrenheit 451 Project
2064
Create your predictions
What is happening 50 years from now?????????? Complete in sentence form
and specific detail.
Entertainment:
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Homes:
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Transportation:
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Food:
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Jobs:
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Gadgets:
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_______________________________________________________.
School:
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Identify one invention you hope exists in 2064:
____________________________________________________________
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________________________________________________________.
Identify five literary works that have been or are currently banned and
why. These works must be of literary quality (NOT trashy pulp fiction).
For example, one of the most banned books long ago was the Bible.
Identify the author, title, year published, and why some institutions
have banned the reading of this work.