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Fahrenheit 451-Study Guide Questions
Fahrenheit 451-Study Guide Questions
Fahrenheit 451-Study Guide Questions
If you can answer these you know the plot of the book inside and out!
1. What is Montag's job, and how does he feel about it?
2. What do the salamander on Montag's arm and the phoenix disc on his chest symbolize?
3. Who is Clarisse McClellan?
4. What do people do with books in this society?
5. According to Montag, did firemen ever put out fires?
6. What happens if you drive slowly? (approx. 40 mph)
7. Clarisse says her uncle was arrested once for being a "pedestrian". What was the crime he committed?
8. What thought provoking question does Clarisse ask Montag and what is his answer?
9. What are the "seashells" in Mildred's ears?
10. How does Montag describe the bedroom that he shares with Mildred? What does this foreshadow?
11. What seems to be wrong with Mildred?
12. What was right and wrong with Mildred's cure?
13. What does Montag do to help him deal with the problems he encounters that night?
14. What is odd about Mildred the next morning? Does Montag tell her what happened? What is her response?
What is unusual about their TV?
15. What does Clarisse do with the dandelion? Why does Montag become angry?
16. Aside from their obvious differences, like their ages, what is the most significant difference between Mildred
and Clarisse?
17. What is unusual about the firehouse dog? How does it worry Montag?
18. Who is Beatty?
19. What type of gifts does Clarisse leave for Montag?
20. What are some of the activities that this society provides for its young people?
21. What does Clarisse mean when she says that museums are all "abstract"? What were they like in the past?
22. What happens to Clarisse?
23. What does a typical fireman look like? What sprays from a fireman's hose?
24. How has the history of the fireman been changed?
25. What was different about burning this particular old woman's house?
26. Why does Beatty refer to the old woman as living in a "Tower of Babel"?
27. Explain the quote the old woman stated, "We shall this day light such a candle, by God's grace, in England, as I
trust shall never be put out."
28. What did Montag take from the old woman's house?
29. What question does Montag ask Mildred? Does he know the answer?
30. Who are Mildred's and Montag's "relatives"?
31. What does Mildred "think" happened to Clarisse?
32. Why does Montag keep thinking about the old woman who died for her books?
33. Why does Beatty come to Montag's house? What does he tell Montag?
34. What does Mildred find under Montag's pillow?
35. Do any types of books that are legal still exist in this society?
36. How does this society change the meaning of the line from the "Constitution" that "all men are created equal"?
37. What does Beatty finally admit about the firemen from the past? What does Beatty think of fire?
38. Does Beatty make any startling confessions to Montag?
39. How long does Montag have to recover (or to keep his book)?
40. When Montag says he has an urge to go smash and kill things why does Mildred tell him to "go take the
Beetle"?
41. What does Montag show Mildred that he has hidden behind the ventilator grate?
42. How long do Montag and Mildred spend reading?
43. Why does Mildred understand the one line "That favourite subject, myself"?
44. What appears to be outside their door while they are reading?
45. When Mildred says of Beatty, "He might come and burn the house and the family," to whom does she refer?
46. How many atomic wars have passed? What else does Montag's conversation tell us about what has been going
on in the outside world?
47. Who is Faber?
48. What priceless book does Montag have?
49. Why does Montag recall a summer at the beach where he played with a sieve and the sand? What does this have
to do with him trying to read a book while on the subway?
50. Where is Montag headed?
51. Why does Montag tell Faber he came to see him?
52. Why does Faber call Montag a "hopeless romantic"?
53. What are the 3 things Faber describes as missing?
54. What is Faber's and Montag's plan?
55. What does the line mean, "The salamander devours his tail!"?
56. What does Faber mean when he says that firemen are rarely necessary and that it's a "sideshow" now?
57. Why does Faber warn Montag to have patience?
58. How does Montag force Faber to support him?
59. What does Faber say happened to his drama class and the newspaper?
60. Beatty has obviously read books. Why is Montag still afraid to talk to him?
61. What does Faber's line mean, "Those who don't build must burn. It's as old as history and juvenile delinquents"?