Fahrcnheit
451Assignment:
Level1
Assignment
GuidedReading
Summer
Fahrenheit
45l by RayBradbury
Pag€numbersthroughoulthi6guidedreadirEassignm€nt.eler
io thg tollowing6dition:
451.NawYork:Bandoml-louse,
Inc.,1981.
Bradbury,
Ray.Fahrenhsit
Dlrections: lnrwer ALL quostlonaIn completosantence.on a separatolheat
ol pap€r.
As you rEad,complatc thc followlng ectlvllle!...
A, Fireand tuming ar€importantsymbolsin Fahrenhefl45t. Makea T{hartrnd tre€associatewords,thoughts,andteelirEsthatcom€to mindrhen )bu thinkaboutfire
and burning.As you read,addb yourT-Chartby recordirEquoteslrom the bookhat
relateto eithertireor burnir€.
B. Trackthe lvordrrrtol ard anyreferenc€sto the conc€ptof rat€crb, as you r€adth€
book. Makea listof quolesandpagenumb€rs.
"The Hearthandthe Salamander"
Sectlon 1
Pages$24
LastLine ot the Sectlon:"oponedhls mouth.,,"
Overvlsu:Montag,the protagonist,
app€arslo be happyin hisjobas a lireman.Heis
withClarisse,
distressed
abouthiswileMildrsd's
suicidsatlempt.Hismestings
powertul
however,havea
Intluence
on him.Hissecondsett,theonewhorbrthappy,is
disturb€d
by Clarisse.Inlac1,shese€msto b€ a miror ot hisinnerthorJghts
and
leelings.
OUESTIONS:
't. Montagis a firemanot thofuture.Explainwhathe rneanswh€nhe says,"lt wasa
pleasureto bum.'
2. Insteadof water,whatdoosthefirehos€spray?
withClarisse.
3. Describe
lhe soundsandscentsassoclatod
4. Forwhat"crimes"hasClariss€'s
uncleb€€narrested?Whaldoesthisbll youabout
thissoclety?
Fahrcnheit
451Assignment:
Level1
..
5. WhatquestiondoesClarisseaskMontag?(Hint:3 words)
insideMontag's
house.
6. Describe
theatrnosphere
7. WhenMontaggetshomefromwork,he realizes
thatMildredhastakenan entire
bottleof sleepingpills.Compare
thetwohospital'handymen'with
today'shealthcare
workers.
8. HowdoesMildredreactaftershewakesuolromherattemoted
suicide?
TV room.
9. Describe
theset-upot Montag's
10.Whatis Clarisse
doingwhenMontag
seesher?(p.21)
Section2
Pages24-48
Last Lineof the Section:"He did not openthe window."
Overvlew:Noticethedeveloping
character
ot Beatty,whoseemsto be totally,unfeeling.
B€attyalsoseemsto besuspicious
oI Montag.
Theintroduction
of the Mechanical
Houndis important
sinceit standsin suchharshcontrastto thefriendly,cue Dalinatian
typicallyassociated
withfiremen.Thefireat theoldwoman'shousetranslorms
Montag.
He reallzesthedifterence
between
thingsandpeople,whichseemsto bethesameto
Beatty.Midred'semptiness
androbotlikereactions
makehimrealizehowisolatedhe
teels.Clarisse's
deathaddsto hisdesoair.
QUESTIONS:
1.TheMechanical
Houndis themascotof thefhedeoartment.
Describe
whoitsvictims
areandhowtheyarekilled.(p.25)
2. HowdoestheMechanical
Houndreactto Montag?
3. Describe
schoolin theworldof Fahrenheit
451.
(p.29)
4. WhydoessocietyconsiderClarisse'anti-social"?
5. Howdo teenagers
in theirfreetime?(pp.2$30)
amusethemselves
friends?
6. WhathaoDened
to Clarisse's
(pp.34-35).
7. Whatdo therulebookssayaboutthe Firemen
ot America?
8. WhatreasonsdoesBeattygivefor burningbooks?
(p. 47)
9. WhatstartlingnewsdoesMildredrevealto Montag?
Section3
Pages48-68
Last Lineof the Section:"at the beginning."
caretulstudy.Heis a
Overvlew:Beatty'slongspeechin thissectiondeserves
spokesman
forthemasses,andhisexplanation
tor theinsanityof thissocietyalmost
to think
seemsto makesense.A closereadingof thisspeechotfersanopportunity
Fahrenheit451 Assignment:
Level1
aboutlhe consequences
of censorship
andthemeaning
of theword"equal."Montag's
metamorphosis
is nowwellunderway;he knowsthereis something
in booksthathe
needsandwantsto undsrsiand.
Hehopesthetruthhe seeksis enoughto awaken
Mildredtromherzombie-like
existence.
QUESTIONS:
1. Montagoncedescribed
thesmellof kerosene
in a positiveway.Howdoesthefact
thatit nowmakeshimsickconnectwiththeDlot?
2. Theoldwomanrefusesto abandonherbooks.Whateffectdo€sthishaveon the
Iiremen?
3. HowdoesMildredreactwhenMontagtellsherabouttheoldwomanburningalive
withherbooks?(pp.49-51)
4. Whymustfirecaptainshavebookknowledge?
5. Wheredoesftibntaghid6lhebookhestole?(p.53)WhatdoesMild]eddowhenshe
findsit? (p. 66)
6. WhydoesBeattyvisit?(p.52)
7. Whatliterature
is allowable
in thissociety?(p.57)
8. Montagasks,'Howdo peoplelikeClarissecometo existin ourworld?"Howdoes
B€attyreply?(p. 60)
"TheHearthandthe Salamander"
WritingAssignment:
ChooseONEol th6 tollowlngpromptsandwdte a responsethat ls at leaaton6
well-developedparagraphIn lenglh.Yourparagraphmust be a mlnlmumol5
3entences.
1. Montagis disturbed
by Mildred's
emptiness.
Hefeelsthebooksmayhelphimfind a
wayto getthroughto Mildred.
Writeabouthowa particular
bookhashelpedyouto
benerunderstandyourself.
2. Clarisse's
unclewasa mentorfor heriustas sheis a mentorfor Montag.Sometimes
peoplecanhavea deepandlastingettecton usthatmayevenchangeourlives.
youwerea mentoror maybeyouwargmentored
l\,taybe
by someone.Writeabout
your
you
whohasinfluenced lifeanoughfor
someone
lo makechangesin your
thinkingor actions.
3. Howis a civilization
whenpeopledothingsditfarently
advanced
thantheyhave
alwaysbeendone?Howis it heldbackit nobodyties anything
new?
Fahrenheit
451Assignment:
Level1
"The Sieveand the Sand"
Section4
Pages71-93
Last Lineof the Section:"lips movingiust a tritle."
Overvlow:Montagis nowactingas hissecondsetf,theonethatClarissebroughtout.
to havehisownthoughts
His"tireman"
selfis stillwithhim,butheis beginning
about
Fab€ris an
howto savesocietylromwhathe nowrecognizes
as a terriblemistake.
imporlantmentorandteach€rto Montag.
ouEsnoNs:
1. HowdoesMildredreactto Montag's
reading?
question,
"Whyshouldlread?What
2. WhatanswersdoesMontaggiveto Mildred's
(p.
for?" 73)
3. Whatcomessnittingaroundlhe dooras Montagis reading?
4. Monlagneedsa teacherto helphimunderstand
books,andhe remembers
thatthe
(p.
park
professor.
What
name?
75f
is a retiredEnglish
is his
old manin the
whichbookto turninto Beatty?(p.76)
5. WhatproblemdoesMontaghaveregarding
6. WhydoesFaberseehimsetfas a cowardandMontagas a braveman?(pp.81-82)
7. Describe
theplanthatFaberandMontagdevise.
thedevicethatFaberinvents.HowwillMontaguseit? (p.90)
8. Describ€
Sectlon5
Pages93-110
Last Lineof the Sectlon:"of mrlhouse."
tiradeagainstthewomenis hislirstattemptto expresshis
Overvlew:Montag's
fromthezombie-world.
Herealizeshe
revolutionary
thoughtsandfeelingsto someone
hasmadean error,andthismakeshimnervousat thefirestation,whereBeattytells
himabouta "dream"he had.Beattyspitsout literaryquolesthatcontradict
oneanoher
confuseMontag.
andcompletely
QUESTIONS:
1. Describe
theconversation
betwe€nMillieandherfriends.
2. WhatdoesMontagdo thatirritates
thewomen?(p. 94)
(p.96)
methods.
3. DescribeMrs.Bowles'parenting
4. Describe
thesuperficial
votingpraclices
of ttrewomen.(pp.9S97)
Fahrenheit451 Assignment:Level 1
5. Whatdoes Montagsay to Mrs.Bowlesjust beforeshe leaves?(p. 101)
6. How is Monlaggre€tedby Beattyat the firehouse?(pp. | 04-105)
7. Whataddressis typgdout on the alarmreport?
"The Sieveand the Sand"WritingAssignment:
ChooseONEot the tollowlngpromptsandwrltea responsethat ls at leastone
paragraphIn length.
well-developed
1. Fabertalksaboutthenewspapers
'dyinglikehugemoths'(p.89).Rereadtherestof
thisparagraph.
Thencompareandcontrast
witha sensationalistic
a dailynewspaper
tabloid.Whichonewouldexistin theworldol Fahrenheit
451?WhatotherreadirE
materials
available
today(including
internetpieces)wouldbe allowedto remain?
2. RereadBeatty's
speechabouthisdream(pp.10G107).
Chooselhe quoteyouthink
hasthe mostimpaclon Montagandexplainwhy.
"BurningBright"
Section6
Pages11$136
Last Line of the Section:"toward the river."
Overvlew:Thissectioncanbe easilyunderstood
on a symbolic
level.As he burnshis
houseandthenturnshislorchon Beatty,Montagis alsoburninghispastandany
possibility
of continuing
hisoldlife.WhenMontagrealizes
thatBeattywantsto die,the
readerseeslhat Beattyhasa secondselt,too,oneperhapsverysimilarto theperson
Montagis becoming.
As Montaghearstheannouncement
thatthethreatof waris nowa
declaredreality,he beginshisownbattle.Heargueswithhimsellandevenconsiders
givingup.As hetakesthebooksto Black'shouseandphonesin thealarm,heactsas a
sortol behind-the{ines
rebel.Theten-lanehighwayhe crossesis likea battlefield,
and
just
thechildrenin he carwantto killhimeventhoughtheyhaveno ideawhohe is,
as
youngsoldiersin battlakillenemysoldiers.
Bythetimehearrivesat Faber's,Montagis
energized
andin chargeot hislife.Heis doinghisownthinkingnow.Hisheroismeven
makesthefrailFaberleel alive."
ouEsnoNs:
1. WhydoesBradbury
comparethe sceneat Montag's
houseto a carnival?
2. HowdoesBeattydescribeClarisse?
3. WhatdoesMildradregretlosingin thelire?
4. Whoturnedin thealarms?
Fahrenheit
451Assignment:
Level1
5. HowdoesBeattydiscover
thetwo-wayradio?
6. Whathappensto Montag's
"a numbness
legthatit becomes
in a numbness
hollowed
intoa numbness"?
7. Whattwoannouncements
doesMontaghearon theSeashell
radio?
8. WhathappenswhenMontagcrossesthe highway?
9. WherewillFaberbegoingonthe5:00A.M.bus?
Section7
Pages137-154
Last Lineof the Section:"puttingout the fire together."
Overvlew: Montag'sabilityto monitorhis own crisisby watchingit on neighborhood
televisionsis supremeirony.Noticethe signilicanceof the river:Water,the enemyof
fire, savesMontagfrom beingdestroyedby the Hound,the creationof a worldgone
mad. Montagtinallyhas time to escapetrom the chaosof the pastweek,andhe is now
giventhe time to considerit all-the "leisureto digest'that Fabertells him about.The
riverand the freshforestair are puritying,and the paceot the novelslowsdown.'The
campfirein the forestis a warmingone,not a burningone.As Montagwatchesthe
televiseddeathof an innocentDedeslrian.
he is furtherfreedfrom the Dast.
QUESTIONS:
1. Whatnew"game"doesthe policeinvent?
2. Whatdo€s Montag'sdesperatetlightremindhim of?
3. Whatdoes Montagthinkaboutas he driftsdownthe river?
4. WhatterrifiesMontagas he stepsonto land?
5. WhatdoesGrangergive Montagto throwthe Houndoff his track?
6. What'snap ending"had to be createdfor the'chase show"on TV?
7. Who are the membersof the groupthat Montagmeetsin the woods?(p. 150)
Section8
Pages15+165
Last Lineof the Section:"puttingout the fire together."
Overview:Granger's
speechabouthisgrandfather
ranksin importance
withthe
speeches
of FaberandBeatty.Theideathatit is whatwedo in lifethatmattersis worth
thinkingabout.Infact,Montagrealizeshe doesntmissi/ildredbecausesheneverdid
a thing.Montagis a littledisappointed
thatthemenin theforestaren'taction-oriented.
Compared
to them,he seemsidealistic
andfullof energyto makechanges.
Afterthe
bombsdestroythecity,Grangercynically
saysthatit'shistoryrepeating
itselfin another
cycleof destroy-and-rebuild,
andhe remindsthemento alwayskeepin mindthatthey
(Hint:
arenothing.Bradburymakesa validpointhereaboutlearning
frompastmistakes.
ls thereanything
to noteon yourlistot quotesandpagenumbers?)
Fahrenheit451 Assignment:
Level1
OUESTIONS:
,
1. WhydoesGrangertellMontagthestoryabouthisgrandtather?
2. WhatdoesMontagpictureMildreddoingduringthebombblast?
3. Whereis Faberwhenthebombshit?
4. Howis the legendof thephoenixrelatedto theslory?(p. 163)
5. Discussthemeaningandimportance
of buildinga mirrorfactory.
FlnalWritingAssignment:
ChooseONEof the tollowlngpromptsandwrllo a reaponsethat ls at leastthi€o
paragraphsIn length,Eachparagraphmustte a mlnlmumot 5
welFdeveloped
Sentencea.
/t51.Chooseat leastthree
1. Thefeareseveralexamples
of ironyin Fahrenheit
examples
andexplainhowBradbury's
useot ironyreintorces
a lheme.
(Mildredandhertriends;the hospital
2. Rsviewlhe dialogue
of the'zombis"cfiaraclers
handyrnen).
Compare
theirconversations
to thoseof FaberandMontag,Montagand
Clarisse,
andMontagandGranger.
.
3. ExpfainBradbury'spurposein wtitingFatuenheit45r. Howdoesthe themerelateto
yourworld?
4. MontagreadsMildreda detinition
Whichcharacters
in thenovelqualify
ot triendship.
your
Montag's
triends?
ideas
as
Support
withdetailsiromthenovel.
451addanotherdimension
5. Thesymbolsin Fahrcnheit
to thenovel.Explainat least
threeof thetollowing
symbols:
tire,water,war,phoenix,
salamander.