Character Questions Heroic – saves books, fights against Beatty, frames firemen, values knowledge Confrontational relationship – Beatty (contrasting views and murder), Mildred (lack of emotion, betrayal, destructive for each other’s lifestyle) Moment of revelation – isn’t happy, doesn’t love Mildred, books are valuable Escape from the constraints of his environment – tries to save books and knowledge, enlists the help of Faber Refuses to conform to expectations – tries to save books and knowledge, enlists the help of Faber Flawed but admirable – tries to save society and books but is too impulsive and aggressive, feels sympathy for him, lacks knowledge Influenced by setting – influenced by controlling government initially to destroy knowledge and then to save it to regain true happiness Clarifies a theme – control and censorship as his behaviour is a reaction against this Reaches breaking point – Kills Beatty Not in harmony with society – everyone else goes along with the government but he wants a better life

Also think about how the following relate to characters: Mirrors – Clarisse, reflects true self/self understanding Contrasts/paradoxes – Beatty, Faber and Montag, complexities of character, Beatty hates books but knows a lot about them, Faber is a coward but risks his life, Montag is a fireman but wants to safeguard knowledge Circus – society view fire as entertainment, Mildred watching the “family” Technology – Beatty and Mildred, represents a lack of humanity, empty of emotions, the “family” Sieve and the sand – Montag trying to remember books and feeling like it is futile because the information drains from his mind Fire – Montag and Beatty, destructive force, powerful, means of manipulation and control, punishment Salamander – Beatty/name of fire engine, represents an animal that lives in fire but is unaffected by it Nature – Mildred is contrasted with nature and Clarisse loves nature and is one with it Phoenix – society destroys itself but then rises from the ashes Butterflies – Beatty as used to describe fire as a thing of beauty, link to the fragility of things Blood – Montag and Mildred, represents true subconscious self, emphasises Mildred’s emptiness

Character questions What does Montag do that is heroic? How are these reactions heroic? How can he also been seen as flawed? When does Montag have a moment of revelation? Why is it important? How does Montag refuse to conform to expectations of society? Why is this important? How is he influenced by this setting? What theme does Montag illustrate? How? What does it tell us about the novel? When does Montag reach breaking point? Why is this important?