Fahrenheit 451: Study Questions

English: J. Frank

Part One:

1. Who is the author of this novel? In what year was it published?

2. What is the name and profession of the protagonist?

3. Who does he meet one night? Describe the moments before he meets her.

4. Where does she live, relative to Montag's house?

5. In a few words, how does she describe herself to Montag?

6. What is the protagonist's wife's name? In what physical condition does he find her one night when he arrives home?

7. What are the "moonstones" he describes? What is the "black cobra"?

8. What are the two men doing in Montag's home?

9. Explain briefly why Mildred's living room is her favorite place to be.

10. What test does Montag's friend give him to see if he's in love? Is he?

11. Does the mechanical hound "like" Montag? Explain.

12. Describe the game the men who work with Montag play with the mechanical hound. Does Montag partake in this game?

13. Is Clarisse typical of girls her age? Explain.

14. Montag's life is drastically changed by his friendship with Clarisse. Explain how the reader sees this happen.

15. How does the history of firemen given by Beatty in this book differ from the truth as we know it?

16. The other firemen were disturbed by the visit to the "book-woman's" house. Explain how the reader knows this.

17. What does Mildred tell Montag about Clarisse one night?

18. What is Millie's reaction to her husband's telling of his encounter with the "book-woman"?

19. What lengthy history does Beatty give Montag one night at his house? What reason does Beatty give for visiting Montag?

20. What does Beatty say about our culture's desire to learn? What reason does he give for the growth of censorship?

21. What does Montag do with his wife at the end of part one? How do they differ in their reactions to their activity?

22. What is the name of part one of this novel? What do you think the title means?

Part Two:

1. What is causing the sound the Montag's hear at the front door?

2. What had the old man been doing Montag meets in the park? What is the old man's name?

3. What does the old man give Montag at the end of their conversation? Why is this significant?

4. What is "Denham's Dentifrice"? Why is Montag saying "Consider the lilies of the field"?

5. What incident from his childhood does Montag remember that ties in with the title of this section of the novel? What now is the significance of the title?

6. What book does Montag take to Faber's apartment?

7. What is the significance of this book thematically? What significance does it have to Faber?

8. Does Montag want Faber to teach him the "meaning of life"? Explain.

9. Where does Faber tell Montag the meaning of life can be found?

10. What three things does Faber say books must possess to be helpful to our society? (See pages 84 & 85)

11. What plan does Montag come up with to begin undermining the burnings? Why doesn't Faber at first want to help Montag?

12. What does Montag do to convince Faber to help?

13. What was Faber's former profession?

14. Describe the object Faber has crated in his workroom. What exactly is it's function?

15. In what ways does Montag disrupt Millie's nice evening at home with her friends?

16. What are the presidential candidates' names? Explain their significance.

17. What reason does Mrs. Bowles give for her Cesarean Section? What does she mean by the following: It's like washing clothes: stuff laundry in and slam the lid" (See page 96).

18. In the dream Beatty recounts to Montag, what are the two men doing to each other (See pages 106 - 107)

19. What does Montag keep trying to hide from Beatty? How is this action symbolic?

20. What disturbs their game of poker? To where are the firemen called?

Part Three:

1. Who called in the alarm on Montag? Where is Millie?

2. What reason does Montag give Faber for not running away?

3. What does Beatty tell Montag will happen to him after they burn down his house?

4. What does Montag do to Beatty? Why?

5. What does the hound do to Montag? What does Montag do to the hound?

6. To where does Montag go for help? How does Montag keep track of the pursuit?

7. How does Montag learn war has been declared?

8. Why does the "beetle" on the highway try to run Montag down? What saved him?

9. Why does Montag visit Mrs. Black?

10. What should Montag do after he finds the river, according to Faber?

11. What two methods will the authorities use to track down Montag's escape route?

12. How does Faber escape capture?

13. What will happen in the city at the end of a count of ten?

14. What does Montag do at the edge of the river? How is this thematically symbolic?

15. What path does Montag find on the other side of the river?

16. What does he see that guides him in the dark? What significant difference does Montag see in this use of fire?

17. What is the function of the drink the men give Montag? What event do they watch on TV?

18. What do they describe themselves as being to Montag?

19. What do they see from the direction of the city? To where do the men go after this event? Why?

20. From what book is Montag quoting at the end of the novel? How is this thematically significant?

21. What is the significance of the title of this section of the novel?

"Afterword" & "Coda"

1. In what years were the "Coda" and "Afterword" written?

2. What is "The Fire Man"?

3. After what two things were Montag and Faber named? What is thematically symbolic about this?

4. What is the author's purpose in writing the "Afterword"?

5. In the "Coda", what is the author's purpose in telling us about the mail he received and the anthology of short stories he describes?

6. What purpose does the author have in writing the "Coda" (See page 178)?