Fahrenheit 451 - Part One

Before starting the book, we looked at some video clips form the 1950's.

Fahrenheit 451 was published in 1953 - what was life like then?

The clips show that America in the 1950's had a strong focus on suburban family life - citizens were expected to work hard and spend their money on new household technology such as TVs, refrigerators and ovens. America was involved in the Korean War (1950-1953) soon after World War II, so people wanted to have a stable, safe life after all the conflict and killing. There was also a deep suspicion of the USSR and Communism, so Americans wanted to show they were good patriots who supported their country by putting their money back into the economy and following the rules and expectations of the time.

As we move through the book, you should think about this context and the technology of the time, and how it influences Bradbury's writing. It is a good idea to research the 50's yourself, or watch the videos again once you have read more of the book.

Videos

Ford car advert (featuring a suburban housewife)

1950's television

1950's music

1950's radio

Flight to New York

The Korean War

PART ONE

The Hearth and the Salamander

The first part of the novel is named after two things associated with fire.

A hearth is a fireplace, traditionally the focal point of a family's living room, as shown by the expression "home is where the hearth is".

A salamander is an amphibian which comes in a variety of colours, though one of the best known is the black and yellow/orange fire salamander.

Salamanders can regenerate their tails and limbs if attacked by a predator - the salamander runs away leaving its tail or leg in the predator's mouth and grows a new one. Some salamanders also secrete poison through their skin.

Salamanders were believed to cause fires or be able to survive in fire.

Read more here.

This mythical version of the salamander often appears in fantasy games, anime and other media.

Charmander, I choose you!

The salamander is one of the symbols Montag has on his uniform (on the arm). On p.6 we learn that he also has a phoenix on his chest.

The phoenix was believed to die in flames and be reborn from the ashes.

What does Montag say on p.8 about ashes?

On page 4, Montag thinks about returning to the firehouse as a "minstrel man", referring to entertainers who would paint their faces black. Although this is not acceptable these days, don't forget when the book was written.

WORKSHEETS

Here are the questions we have covered in class. Once we have discussed them, I'll put your ideas together here. This doesn't mean you don't have to prepare your own answers - the information will only go up AFTER you've given your ideas.

Part I: The Hearth and the Salamander

What do the "firemen" do for a living?

They burn books.

In the opening scene, why are the books compared to birds?

As the books burn, they are flapping around in the heat and the pages are blowing around in the hot air. Consider why Bradbury is representing the books as living things.

What attitude does Montag have towards his job? How does it make him feel?

Montag obviously enjoys his job - as he burns the books his heart is pumping, his eyes light up and he grins. (p.3-4) He also feels powerful - "He strode in a swarm of fireflies." (p.3) After he returns to the station, Montag is clearly relaxed, whistling with his hands in his pockets, jumping down the station's pole and "thinking little at all about nothing in particular." (p.4)

Who does Montag meet on the way home?

He meets Clarisse McClellan, a new neighbour who tells him "I'm seventeen and I'm crazy" and says "I'm not afraid of you at all." (p.7)

Why is it ironic that so many people are afraid of firemen?

During his conversation, Montag says that "You never wash it off completely" referring to the kerosene. What could this mean symbolically?

This could mean that Montag always acts and thinks like a fireman, even when he's not working; that being a fireman affects the way you see the world. It could also mean that Montag doesn't want to wash off the smell completely, that he likes and is proud of it. There are other possible meanings.

Why does Montag laugh so often?

Clarisse seems to make Montag feel very uncomfortable and when people feel uneasy, they often laugh to hide their discomfort.

Why are billboards 200 feet long?

Because people drive so fast that they wouldn't be able to read a smaller billboard.

Why do you think that Bradbury would introduce Clarisse before Montag's wife, Mildred?

Montag gets home with the question she asks lingering in his mind. Does what he finds at home have a conection with Clarisse's question, "Are you happy"?

It is possible that Clarisse is a more important character than Mildred. In what way might she be more significant than Montag's wife? Consider this as we move through the story.

The atmosphere when Montag meets Clarisse is quite romantic in a ghostly way - she's pale and wearing a white dress, it's dark, the leaves are falling around her - might Montag have romantic feelings towards Clarisse?

How do the doors work?

There is a kind of glove at the side of the door that Montag puts his hand into and the door opens. It's a hand print reader.

Why are there so many sea images on page 12?

The image of the ocean gives us a sense of the distance between Mildred and Guy. The room seems empty because every night the waves of sound from the little radios carry Mildred away until morning.

What is etched on Montag’s igniter?

His igniter, or lighter, has a salamander on it.

What did Montag hit with his foot?

He hit an empty pill bottle.

What has Montag’s wife done?

She has taken an overdose of sleeping pills.

What are the two machines being used on Montag’s wife? What do they do?

They put a snake-like machine down her throat to clean out her stomach, and another machine gives her fresh blood.

What is the attitude of the men towards Mildred?

The men don't care about Mrs. Montag, they treat her like a machine. They are dressed like workmen and are very informal. As soon as they finish they are ready to move on.

Where does the laughter that Montag hears come from?

It comes from Clarisse's house next door.

How is life in Montag's house very different to that in Clarisse's house?

Montag sees that Clarisse's house is bright and full of life, the family are talking. When Montag returned home his house was dark and silent.

Explain Montag’s toaster. What does it do?

It makes the toast and then a hand like a spider takes the toast, puts butter on it and holds it out for Montag.

What did Mildred have in her ears?

Tiny little radios like thimbles

What did Mildred remember of the night before? Or what did she pretend to remember?

She doesn't appear to remember anything, or perhaps she is just denying it.

What kind of program is Mildred going to watch in the afternoon?

An interactive TV drama.

Explain Montag’s television. What does Mildred want for the television that Montag claims they cannot afford?

The TV screens take up one entire wall each. At the moment, they have 3 screens, so 3 walls of the room are TV screens, and Mildred wants a screen for the other wall so she can have the TV all around her. However, Guy thinks it is too expensive.

What does Clarisse rub under her chin? Why?

A dandelion. She says that if it makes your chin yellow, you are in love. Her chin becomes yellow, but Montag's does not. He realizes the truth of this - that he doesn't really love anyone.

What does Clarisse’s psychiatrist want to know?

Why she goes out and hikes around in the forests and watches butterflies.

According to Clarisse, how is Montag “not like the others”?

Because when she talks, he looks at her and actually listens. The other firemen would not do that.

Describe the Mechanical Hound.

Here are some 'visual interpretations' of the Mechanical Hound.

How close are they to your image of the machine?

What do the firemen bet on on dull nights?

They bet on how long it will take the hound to catch and kill small animals.

What happens when Montag touches the muzzle of the Mechanical Hound?

It growls and extends its needle, which makes him feel threatened.

How did Montag escape the Hound and get to the upper level of the firehouse?

He grabbed hold of the pole and it automatically lifted him upstairs.

What is Montag’s theory on why the Hound reacted the way it did?

He thinks that someone programed it to react aggressively towards him.

How many times before had the Hound reacted this way toward Montag?

"Last month it happened twice."

Why has Montag never had any children?

He says Mildred never wanted any.

What is different about Montag’s laugh?

It sounds much more relaxed that it did before.

Explain a school day in the world of Fahrenheit 451.

At school, the students are kept busy and just listen and copy down answers. School is only for indoctrinating the students; they never have to think for themselves. Subjects include sports, transcription history and painting. The 'teacher' is on film, telling the students answers without them asking questions.

Why does Clarisse find it odd that people find her to be antisocial?

She thinks it is weird because she is always trying to talk to people, but her topics are not the sort of topics people talk about anymore, so people don't like her.

Name one thing that Clarisse talks about that is different today than in the past.

She says her uncle can remember a time when children didn't used to kill each other.

These days young people go to special theme parks or game centres where they can bully people, smash cars and break windows. The also race cars and play chicken. Chicken involves driving at each other or towards a cliff, and seeing who 'chickens out' first.

What did the radio in the firehouse say?

It said that war was imminent.

What happens to people that try to fool the government?

They get locked up in asylums.

Why was Montag foolish to use the phrase “Once upon a time”?

This phrase comes from fairy stories, so Beatty knew that Montag must have read it in a book. At the last book burning, he had looked at one line from a book.

What is the history of Firemen of America?

The invented history is that the firemen were established in 1790 to burn English-influenced books in America.

How is the fire engine described?

It's described as an orange dragon.

What was different at Mrs. Hudson’s? What did Montag not like about the way things were being done?

Usually, the police go to a house before the firemen and arrest the people in the house. Because they are taken away first, Montag thinks they are not hurting anyone, just clearing up things. This time, the police didn't go first, so the woman was still there. Montag felt irritated and embarrassed because he felt that she was spoiling the usual ritual and he felt guilty about the way the firemen were behaving.

What does Montag do with the book that lands in his hand?

He put it under his arm to hide it. He felt as if his hand did it by itself.

What does Beatty say to Mrs. Hudson about the books?

He said that the people in the books were not real and that none of the books agreed with each other. Beatty talks about what is in the books - he seems to know more about literature than the other firemen.

Who started the fire at Mrs. Hudson’s house?

Mrs Hudson was holding a match and she let it drop onto the kerosene, so she started the fire herself. This is an important scene in the novel, and you can watch the same scene from the movie version of F451 here.

What piece of information does Beatty share with Montag that refers back to something Mrs. Hudson had said?

He describes where the quote that Mrs Hudson had said came from. This illustrates the depth of Beatty's knowledge. The quote was originally said by a man who was burned for what he believed (in his case, religious beliefs).

What question does Montag ask his wife when he finally talks to her?

He asks her where and when they first met. Neither of them could remember.

What does Montag cry about?

About the emptiness of his life.

What does Montag notice about the television shows?

He realizes that there is no actual story to any of the TV shows.

What does Mildred say about Clarisse to Montag?

She says that Clarisse's family has moved away because Clarisse has been killed in a traffic accident.

What did Montag imagine being outside his window?

He imagined the Mechanical Hound outside his window. Was it really there? We don't know, but Montag seems convinced that it knows his secrets.

What excuse is Montag trying to use to avoid going to work?
He says that he is sick. He has chills and a fever, which may be manifestations of his own conscience weighing upon him.

Why does Montag not want to go to work anymore? What are some revelations he has had?
Montag has realized that he is dissatisfied with his work, his marriage and his life. Mrs Hudson's willingness to die with her beloved books has emphasized the fact that Montag has nothing that he cares deeply about and that his job involves the destruction of people and their thoughts and ideas. He is now convinced that there must be something meaningful in books; meaningfulful enough to die for.

Who comes to visit Montag?
Captain Beatty comes to his house to talk to him.

What does Mildred find behind Montag’s pillow?
She finds the book that he had hidden the night before as she tries to adjust his pillow.

What word became a swear word?
The word "intellectual" has become a swear word because if people have too much knowledge, (a) they think too much and become depressed, and (b) they make others who are less intelligent feel stupid, which leads to inequality and social unrest.

Why does society lower the kindergarten age year after year?
It was noticed that although society tried to educate children in one way, the childrens' families might undo the work of the schools, so it became important to try to start educating the children as early as possible to make sure they were educated in the "correct" way.

According to Captain Beatty, if you don’t want a man unhappy politically, what do you do?
Beatty says that you shouldn't give people too many choices otherwise they just worry. Better to give people only one choice or even no choice at all. Notice that Beatty uses the word "man" here rather than "people". This kind of use of language would be considered sexist by many people nowadays.

What does Beatty say about firemen taking books?
He says that some firemen become curious about books and take one to read. A fireman who does this is allowed to keep the book for 24 hours. If he hasn't handed it in by then, the other firemen will come and burn it (and the rest of his house) for him.

According to Clarisse’s uncle, why did the architects get rid of front porches?
Front porches were places where people used to relax, think about various things and chat to each other. Society didn't want people to do things like that, so they stopped people having porches.

About how many books had Montag hidden in the ventilator?

About 20 books.

What happens right before Montag and Mildred begin to read the books?

Just before they start, the front door calls them to say there is someone at the door. They assume it is Beatty who has returned.

NB

There is one very important point that Beatty mentions when he is talking to Montag. The government did not ban books at first. Photography, film and television made it possible to present ideas in an easy way, so people stopped buying books. In addition, there were so many people who were offended by things written in books that people stopped buying books altogether. The government then started burning books to "protect" people. As we have seen, there are many people today who feel offended by books and want to ban them. In fact, some people even want to ban Fahrenheit 451 because they are offended by it. Watch a video news report here.