Fahrenheit 451 Themes Theme Chart Notes

Theme Topic: Knowledge vs Ignorance Firemen destroy knowledge (books) Government promotes ignorance What is critical thinking? Challenging ideas rather than accepting them Look for the contrast between Faber and Captain Beatty Look for Montag’s journey from ignorance to enlightenment What is enlightenment you say?

Theme Topic: Government Control/ Conformity Government Control – The government seeks to control the people by making them ignorant of their history How could this be a form of control? Conformity – In this fictional world it is highly prized to be the SAME. No one is allowed to have individual thoughts Interestingly this is SELF-ENFORCED by the citizens...hmmmm, sound familiar? What are some similarities to our modern society?

Theme Topic: Over-reliance on Technology TV and electronics are the enemy (even though they seem like amazing advancements that we’d all enjoy)! The argument for the advanced technology is that people are HAPPIER when they DON’T have to THINK! Sound familiar? I love a good Kardashian episode...don’t you? What are the problems with becoming too overly reliant on technology? Look for these for your theme chart

Theme Topic: Man vs Natural World Think about “There Will Come Soft Rains” Who won? Man or the Natural World? Who ultimately has more control? Man = Technology/government/conformity Natural World = engagement/truth/living What is our life cycle? How does technology work to eliminate the natural cycle of life?

Theme Topic: Dissatisfaction Are you really happy? Everyone in this novel seems to be happy...they have what we all want! The best that money can buy in technological advances! Watch TV all day, have food made for them at any time, drive cars as fast as they want Sounds like a dream right? Or is it?

Theme Topic: Violence The futuristic world of Fahrenheit 451 is violent They have no respect for human life Violence is an outlet for pent-up emotions Why do you think this is? As we read, and consider how the other themes relate to this theme...is there a problem here?

Theme Topic: Censorship No one is able to think independently If they have an original idea, it is quelled immediately – They may be put in jail or sent to a doctor for psychological help This is connected to books....but don’t let that bother you (even if you don’t love to read)...the problem is NO ONE IS ABLE TO SPEAK HIS/HER MIND! (Books are merely symbolic of this problem!)

Theme Chart pgs. 3-14 Main Points Setting Characters Relation to Theme Montag is a fireman that sets fires Montag meets Clarisse and she asks him if he’s happy Montag finds his wife has tried to commit suicide He’s on a street and it’s dark Montag’s House and a war is beginning Montag – a fireman and the protagonist Clarisse – 17 & crazy, insightful Mildred - Violence – Montag seems obsessed with burning Dissatifaction – mildred’s attempted suicide and Guy’s admission that he isn’t happy

Theme Chart pgs. 14-28 Main Points Setting Characters Relation to Theme Mildred gets her stomach pumped Montag sees Clarisse (dandelion test)– He’s not in love The mechanical hound threatens Montag Montag’s House On the street Fire Station Midred Montag Clarisse Captain Beatty Dissatisfaction – Mildred’s denial of her suicide attempt and Montag is not in love Violence/Government Control – The hound kills people to show the power of the government over the community (Over reliance on technology

Theme Chart pgs. 28-42 Main Points Setting Characters Relation to Theme Clarisse explains why she’s “antisocial” Montag steals a book The woman commits suicide by burning herself On the street The burning woman’s house Clarisse and Montag Captain Beatty, Stoneman and Black Woman who burned Violence – Clarisse’s classmates hurt each other, Fun Parks Conformity – Everyone is expected to be the same (high school) Knowledge vs Ignorance – Montag is moving towards knowledge Violence/Dissatisfaction – woman kills herself

Captain Beatty shows up at Montag’s house Theme Chart pgs. 42-53 Main Points Setting Characters Relation to Theme Montag feels like Mildred’s TV family is more important to her Montag finds out that Clarisse is dead Captain Beatty shows up at Montag’s house Montag’s house Mildred and Montag Overreliance on Tech – Mildred Dissatisfaction – Montag Violence – Clarisse has been hit by a car

Theme Chart pgs. 53-68 Main Points Setting Characters Relation to Theme Captain Beatty explains how the firemen came to have their jobs Montag tells Mildred about the books They read together Montag’s house Mildred Montag Beatty Knowledge vs ignorance – society used to move slower and had time to think , Montag is trying to become knowledgable

Theme Chart pgs 68-80 Main Points Setting Characters Relation to theme Montag calls Faber Montag has headed out to make copies of the Bible Montag tries to memorize the Bible but he is too distracted Montag’s house The train Faber – retired English professor Montag met at a park Montag Mildred Censorship – Books are not allowed so people are hiding them Man vs natural world – advertisements are man-made and he needs nature’s peace

Theme Chart 80-93 Main Points Setting Characters Relation to theme Montag arrives at Faber’s 3 solutions for society – quality, leisure time, right to action Want to cause doubt about the firemen by hiding books in their houses Faber’s House Faber Montag Knowledge vs Ignorance – Faber has knowledge and Montag is growing Censorship – Making copies of censored material

Theme Chart 93-107 Main Points Setting Characters Relation to theme Montag goes home to Mildred and her friends Montag reads “Dover Beach” to the women Montag comes face to face with Beatty finally (Faber is in his ear) Montag’s house Firehouse Montag Mildred Mrs. Bowels and Mrs. Phelps – Mildred’s friends Captain Beatty (Faber in Montag’s ear) Dissatisfaction – Women are unhappy but can’t admit it Knowledge vs Ignorance – Montag is becoming knowledgeable while Mildred/friends stay ignorant Over-reliance on technology – the women talk about their TV “family”

Theme Chart pg 107-121 Main Points The alarm goes off and the firemen and Montag drive to his house Montag burns his own house and Beatty Montag burns the hound and gets his leg hit by car Setting Firehouse Montag’s house Characters Montag, Beatty, Faber (in his ear) Mildred The hound Relation to theme Censorship – Burning Montag’s house to keep him from reading books Government Control – Captain Beatty maintains control Violence – Montag kills Beatty and hound Man vs Nature – Montag is faced with man-made problems Knowledge vs Ignorance – When Montag kills Beatty, he is showing his enlightenment

Theme Chart 121-136 Main Points Setting Characters Relation to theme Montag is almost run over by a car Plants books in Fireman Black’s house Faber and Montag decide on a plan – Faber to St. Louis to make copies of Bible, Montag to go find the smart hobos Faber’s house A street The Blacks’ house Faber Montag New hound Kids from the car Violence – Montag is a target on the road Government Control – The war has started, but the government wants people to focus on the man hunt Over reliance on technology – TVs, mechanical hound

Theme Chart pgs 136-150 Main Points Setting Characters Relation to theme Montag runs – He’s being chased by a new mechanical hound The TV tells everyone to look outside on the count of 10 Montag finds the hobos and Granger gives him a chemical that changes his scent City streets Hobo camp Montag Hound Granger – Smart, rustic hobo Government control – the government controls the people in their search for Montag Man vs Nature – Montag comes to appreciate the natural world (gains “leisure” time)

Theme Chart pgs 150-166 Main Points Setting Characters Relation to theme The government kills a man who isn’t Montag Granger tells Montag that there is a large group of people who have memorized books A bomb hits the city and Montag leads the group on their way Hobo camp Montag Granger Government control – they choose what the people see (“Montag’s” death), the bomb drops and no one is warned Violence – Killing an innocent man Knowledge vs ignorance – Montag has finally become knowledgeable Over reliance on technology – the bomb is a product of modern technology Man vs Natural World – man is now left to start at the beginning with nature