Fahrenheit 451 Our Review Session

About the Author Ray Bradbury is one of those rare individuals whose writing has changed the way people think. His more than five hundred published works -- short stories, novels, plays, screenplays, television scripts, and verse -- exemplify the American imagination at its most creative. Ray Bradbury is one of those rare individuals whose writing has changed the way people think. His more than five hundred published works -- short stories, novels, plays, screenplays, television scripts, and verse -- exemplify the American imagination at its most creative.

What Makes Science Fiction? Fahrenheit 451 Can Deal with Alien Life but not Always Ponders Impact of Technology Futuristic and Possible

Major Characters MontagClarisseFaberGrangerMildredBeatty

In the beginning… It was a pleasure to burn. Kerosene smells as sweet as perfume Kerosene smells as sweet as perfume The slogan is “Monday burn Millay, Wednesday Whitman, Friday Faulkner, burn ‘em to ashes, then burn the ashes.” The slogan is “Monday burn Millay, Wednesday Whitman, Friday Faulkner, burn ‘em to ashes, then burn the ashes.” In fact, Guy Montag has a fiery smile that grips his face until… In fact, Guy Montag has a fiery smile that grips his face until…

He meets Clarisse McClellan. What type of character is Clarisse? What type of character is Clarisse?

Direct Characterization Clarisse says: Clarisse says: “I’m seventeen and I’m crazy.” “I’m seventeen and I’m crazy.”

Direct Characterization The NARRATOR tells us: The NARRATOR tells us: Her face was slender and milk-white, and in it was a kind of gentle hunger that touched over everything with tireless curiosity. It was a look, almost, of pale surprise; the dark eyes were so fixed to the world that no move escaped them. Her dress was white and it whispered. Her face was slender and milk-white, and in it was a kind of gentle hunger that touched over everything with tireless curiosity. It was a look, almost, of pale surprise; the dark eyes were so fixed to the world that no move escaped them. Her dress was white and it whispered.

Indirect Characterization Montag says to Clarisse, “You are an “You are an odd one.” odd one.”

Montag enters his… MAUSOLEUM MAUSOLEUM

Errr…. I MEAN He enters his drear abode where he discovers…

MILDRED What has happened to her? What happens to her? What is “Millie” like?

Clarisse Versus Millie Who Is More Typical in this Dystopia? Who Is Happier?How Do they Live? How Do they Die?

Who IS the White Clown? Let’s talk color symbolism…. Clarisse/white dress/good. Mrs. Black/ash/bad. WHITE clown? WHY MIGHT I SAY WHITE IS USED HERE?

WHO is Beatty? Why does he view books so differently from Faber?

According to Beatty… When does the “trouble” start? Umm… WHY does Bradbury allude to THIS war when he has such a big selection of wars from which to choose???

HOW does burning books (supposedly) keep people HAPPY?

What has Montag been hiding in the vent in his house? WHY????

What EVENT sparks a fire INSIDE Montag that he can’t put out???

Let’s chat ALLUSIONS. What ARE they? Why do authors USE them?

Ray Bradbury uses allusions to add meaning to his text. Allusions American and World History Canonical Literature/ Mythology Religious Texts Great Thinkers

Part One “Play the man, Master Ridley…”

Part Two “And why do you worry about your clothing? Consider the lilies of the field and how they grow…”

Part Three “Old Montag wanted to fly near the sun, and now that he’s burnt his damn wings, he wonders why.”

While talking Part 3… The word “Ecclesiastes” comes from a Hebrew root word that means “assembly” or “one who gathers.” When considering the ending of the novel, why does it make sense that Montag will “become” THIS book? HMMMMMMmmmmmm……… Etymology can be so INTERESTING. (Ecclesiastes is located in the Hebrew Bible in Writings and in the Old Testament of the Christian Bible. It deals with how man should use his time under the sun.) Also, there’s that little note from Revelations. HMMMMMMmmmmmm….

THEMES Which character might quote W.B. Yeats to Montag? How might this quote relate to arching themes in Fahrenheit 451 ?: “Education is not is not filling a bucket filling a bucket but but lighting a fire.” lighting a fire.”

According to Faber, what’s MISSING from Society that’s needed for an individual to CHANGE it? Quality Information Quality Information Leisure time to think about/process that information Leisure time to think about/process that information Freedom to ACT on thoughts Freedom to ACT on thoughts

US versus THEM What’s something that our society has in common with Montag’s society? What’s something that is DIFFERENT about our society when compared to Montag’s society? Do you think Montag’s society is possible? Why or why not?

The POINT? When asking yourself what the THEME of a book is, you should consider, what is the author’s POINT? WHY, oh, why, oh, why did Ray Bradbury write this little tome when he could have gone fishing instead? instead?

The Phoenix Why does Granger talk about a Phoenix? What does he want to build after war has been buried in an abyss-like trench? Why? Why?

Mirrors/Reflections/Egos “An unexamined life is not worth living.” That’s not in the book, but it would fit, wouldn’t it?

Review… Your vocab quizzes… any questions you got wrong. The book itself. Make sure you have read and understand the text. Be familiar with the meaning of a couple major allusions. Work out for yourself whether or not you think Ray Bradbury’s fear that students/society will stop learning how to THINK is coming true.

BRING TO THE TEST All vocabulary assignments (etymology worksheet plus definitions for list one and list two) All vocabulary assignments (etymology worksheet plus definitions for list one and list two) Characterization worksheet Characterization worksheet Comp Questions 1-3 with whatever notes you’ve taken in class. Comp Questions 1-3 with whatever notes you’ve taken in class.

QUESTIONS?