Fahrenheit 451: Part One (The Hearth and the Salamander)

Pages 15-45

This worksheet covers pages 15-45 only

Exercise 1

Highlight the events that happen between pages 14-45

1. Montag tells Mildred that he has stolen a quantity of books, including a Bible.
2. We learn about what Guy Montag does for a living.
3. Montag begins to ask himself if he is really happy, thanks to Clarisse.
4. Montag hatches a plan with an old man called Faber that involves hiding books.
5. During this part of the novella, the threat of war increases.
6. Mildred has overdosed and is given a complete blood transfusion.
7. Montag sets fire to his own home.
8. We learn about how jet cars are used for racing in public areas.

Exercise 2

Decide if the statements below are true or false

1. Fahrenheit 451 takes place in a dystopian (dreadful and oppressive) environment. True/False
2. In the story, firemen are supposed to put out fires. True/False
3. The state want to control the way in which people think. True/False
4. Montag makes Clarisse realize how little she really knows. True/False
5. Millie is arrested by the technicians for taking illegal drugs. True/False
6. It is never clearly established exactly why Millie overdosed. True/False
7. Montag has a really close relationship with his wife Mildred (Millie). True/False
8. Millie is obsessed with the world of television. True/False
9. Montag is worried about what the Mechanical Hound might know. True/False

Exercise 3

Answer the multiple-choice questions.

1. In the world of Fahrenheit 451, what is the primary responsibility of firemen?

a) Rescuing people from burning buildings.
b) Starting fires to burn books.
c) Extinguishing fires.
d) Teaching fire safety.
2. What is the significance of the mechanical hound in the story?
a) It’s a pet belonging to Montag.
b) It symbolizes freedom.
c) It hunts down people who read books.
d) It guards the fire station.
3. Who is Clarisse McClellan, and how does she impact on Montag’s life?
a) She is a fire captain.
b) She is Montag’s wife.
c) She is Montag’s neighbour who introduces him to new ideas.
d) She is a rebellious book reader.
4. What is the ‘seashell radio’, and how is it used in the society depicted in the novella?
a) A musical instrument.
b) A communication device.
c) A transportation device.
d) A book.
5. How does Mildred Montag, Guy’s wife, engage with society’s norms?
 a) She conforms to societal expectations.
b) She is an activist for intellectual freedom.
c) She is a rebel against the government.
d) She is a prominent bookreader.
6. As a burner of books, what is Montag?
a) An advocate for freedom.
b) An instrument of suppression.
c) A believer in human rights.
d) A champion of surveillance.
7. What are the government trying to do by banning books and controlling media?
a) Ensure that people only consume what is good for their mental health.
b) Get rid of old-fashioned ideas that have gone out of fashion.
c) Open people’s minds to new ways of thinking.
d) Brainwash people.
8. What is one thing that Guy Montag is not?
a) A pyromaniac.
b) A man who smiles a lot.
c) A conformist.
d) A man who is in love with his wife.
9. What is Bradbury trying to suggest about Montag’s smile when he writes, ‘fiery smile still gripped by his face
muscles?
a) That it illustrates how happy he is.
b) That it is a false smile.
c) That he is smiling because he is being watched by cameras.
d) That he smiles because the government tell him to do so.
10. What two adjectives best describe Clarisse?
a) Rude and obnoxious.
b) Evasive and duplicitous.
c) Spontaneous and curious.
d) Brainwashed and narrow-minded.

Exercise 4

Answer the comprehension questions

1. By placing seashell radios in her ears before she goes to sleep, what is Mildred trying to escape?

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2. Who is Captain Beatty and what is his relationship to the protagonist, Guy Montag?

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3. What is the Mechanical Hound supposed to do?

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4. What could be the significance of the novella’s epigram, ‘If they give you ruled paper, write the other way?’

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5. How is rain imagery used in the novella and what could it symbolize?

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