Fahrenheit 451

Novel Analysis
Name: ____________________________
College: ____________________

Classwork Schedule and Grades

Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5

Day 6 Day 7 Day 8 Day 9 Day 10

Day 11 Day 12 Day 13 Day 14 Day 15

 Introduction Day 1

1. When was Fahrenheit 451 written? What do you know about the world at this time?
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2. Based on the title and the cover, what do you think the novel is going to be about? Make a prediction
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Excerpt from Lets Go To Dystopia

Dystopian novels portray a society, usually of the future, that has arrived at the destination were all headed for
if we dont change now. The great dystopian novels and the scary developments they portray convince us of
things that are all too possible in the society we live in, if we hadnt spotted them for ourselves. The most
shocking dystopian novel is the first one you read, when the whole idea of the arbitrariness of human
arrangements comes over you, with the realization that the future is contingent on the present, and can be
affected by something you do or dont do now.

For people of a certain age, that seminal reading experience is likely to have been one of the classicsJonathan
Swifts Gullivers Travels or George Orwells Nineteen Eighty-Four or Ray Bradburys Fahrenheit 451while
younger people may have started with something like The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.

Source: Lets Go To Dystopia by Diane Johnson, an American Novelist and contributor to The New York
Review of Books, this except is from a review she wrote about a book by Chang-Rae Lee, On Such a Full Sea,
in 2014.
Who? When? Where?

3. What do you think a dystopia is after reading this excerpt? Use details
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4. This is a history class, why would we read a story like this?

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5. Do you agree with Diane Johnsons statement the future is contingent on the present, and can be affected by
something you do or dont do now? Why or why not?
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6. Diane Johnson mentions The Hunger Games, how is that a dystopian novel? Use details from Mockingjay
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Day 2

TOPIC WHO WHAT

MAIN IDEA

2. What is Guy Montags occupation? What is strange about it? Use details to support.
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3. Who is the other character that we meet? What is odd about her? Use details.
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Adapted excerpt from Enemies from Within

Five years after a world war has been won, mens hearts should anticipate a long peaceand mens minds
should be free from the heavy weight that comes with war. But this is not such a periodfor this is not a period
of peace. This is a time of the cold war. This is a time when all the world is split into two vast, increasingly
hostile armed campsa time of a great armament race

The one encouraging thing is that the mad moment has not yet arrived for the firing of the gun or the
exploding of the bomb which will set civilization about the final task of destroying itself. There is still a hope
for peace if we finally decide that no longer can we safely blind our eyes and close our ears to those facts which
are shaping up more and more clearly . . . and that is that we are now engaged in a show-down fight . . . not the
usual war between nations for land areas or other material gains, but a war between two diametrically opposed
ideologies.
This indicates the swiftness of the tempo of Communist victories and American defeats in the cold war. As one
of our outstanding historical figures once said, When a great democracy is destroyed, it will not be from
enemies from without, but rather because of enemies from within. . . .

The reason why we find ourselves in a position of impotency is not because our only powerful potential enemy
has sent men to invade our shores . . . but rather because of the traitorous actions of those who have been treated
so well by this Nation. It has not been the less fortunate, or members of minority groups who have been
traitorous to this Nation, but rather those who have had all the benefits that the wealthiest Nation on earth has
had to offer . . . the finest homes, the finest college education and the finest jobs in government we can give.

This is glaringly true in the State Department. There the bright young men who are born with silver spoons in
their mouths are the ones who have been most traitorous. . . .
I have here in my hand a list of 205 . . . a list of names that were made known to the Secretary of State as being
members of the Communist Party and who nevertheless are still working and shaping policy in the State
Department. . . .

As you know, very recently the Secretary of State proclaimed his loyalty to a man guilty of what has always
been considered as the most abominable of all crimesbeing a traitor to the people who gave him a position of
great trusthigh treason. . . .

He has lighted the spark which is resulting in a moral uprising and will end only when the whole sorry mess of
twisted, warped thinkers are swept from the national scene so that we may have a new birth of honesty and
decency in government.

Source: Enemies from Within, a speech by Joseph McCarthy in Wheeling, West Virginia on February 5th,
1950. McCarthy was a senator from Wisconsin elected in 1946 who led the anticommunist Red-baiting in the
U.S. government during the Cold War. The list he claims to have was never made public.

Who? When? Where?

4. Who is the author of the speech? What do you know about him from the source? From reading his speech?
Use details
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5. Who does McCarthy blame for the losses that the U.S. is suffering during the Cold War? Use 2 details
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6. Imagine you were at McCarthys speech in Wheeling, West Virginia in 1950, how would you feel is a U.S.
Senator was telling you these facts? Fill the lines
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7. Is the United States in Fahrenheit 451 a result of the losses of the Cold War or due to McCarthys moral
uprising? Use 2 details
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Day 3

TOPIC WHO WHAT

MAIN IDEA

2. What happened to Guys wife, Mildred? How do the other emergency men act? Use details
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3. What does the operator mean when he says, Got to clean em out both ways pg. 12?
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4. What is the new technology that the operator tells Guy about? Use 2 details to describe it
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5. What is strange about Mildred and Guys conversation in the morning? What does Mildred complain about?
Use details
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6. Clarisse says, Ive got to go see my psychiatrist now. They make me go (pg. 20), why do you think they
make her go? List 2 reasons why
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Day 4

TOPIC WHO WHAT

MAIN IDEA

2. What is the technology that the firemen have at their disposal? What does Guy think of it? Use details
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3. Compare and contrast how Guy feels at the Firehouse vs. how he feels when talking to Clarisse
Guys Feelings and Actions at the Firehouse Guys Feelings and Actions when talking to Clarisse

4. What is the revelation that Clarisse exposes Guy too? Where does Clarisse get the inspiration for a lot of her
information? Use Details
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Part of Senator Joseph McCarthy telegram to President Harry S. Truman
Source: A telegram from Senator Joseph McCarthy to President Harry S. Truman in 1950 after his speech in
Wheeling, West Virginia.
Who? When? Where?

5. What is different about McCarthys claims in this telegram compared to what he said in his speech in
Wheeling, West Virginia? Use details
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6. Why do you think that Joseph McCarthy is so worried about Communists in the United States? And
Communists working for the government? If you do not know, make a prediction
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Day 5

TOPIC WHO WHAT

MAIN IDEA

2. How do the firemen react to the radio saying that there is going to be war? Is this surprising?
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3. How did the firemen know that the lady had books? How do you feel about Guys dilemma about hurting
people versus hurting things?
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4. What is Guy referring to when he states always at night the alarm comes. Never by day! It is because fire is
prettier by night? More spectacle, a better show?
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5. Captain Beatty qives context to the quote that the lady at the house was saying and uses the term heresy.
Heresy is defined by Merrian-Webster as an opinion, doctrine, or practice contrary to the truth or to generally
accepted beliefs or standards, how does this relate to McCarthyism?
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6. What has come between Guys relationship with his wife, Mildred?
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7. Describe the television shows that Mildred watches. What do you think about them?
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8. What happened to Clarisse? How do you think this is going to affect Guy? Make a prediction
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Day 6

TOPIC WHO WHAT

MAIN IDEA

2. Why do you think that Guy does not want to do into work and is afraid to call into work to tell Captain Beatty
that he is sick? How does this show that Guy is changing?
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3. What does Captain Beatty explain to Guy?
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4. How is the world in Fahrenheit 451 different from ours today? How is it the same?
Today Fahrenheit 451

5. In Captain Beattys speech to Guy he describes why the firemen burn books, what reasons does he give?
Which do you find the most compelling?
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6. Captain Beatty states that Clarisse didnt want to know how a thing was done, but why, why would this be
an issue?
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7. What is your definition of a fact? What is Captain Beattys definition of a fact?

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8. How does Mildreds description of her driving make you feel? Why does or doesnt she feel the same way
you do?
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9. What has Guy been doing at work for the past couple of months? Make a prediction about what will happen.
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Day 7

TOPIC WHO WHAT

MAIN IDEA

2. Why do you think that the mechanical dog is outside of the Montags House? What do you think that it
represents?
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3. War is mentioned again, how is Guys reaction different this time? Use details from the text
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4. How does McCarthyism relate to Guy talking about the rest of the world hating the United States?
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5. What does the sand and the sieve story symbolize?

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6. What does Denhams Dentifrice mean? (Hint: Think about what dentifrice sounds like)
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8. Faber says, I dont talk things, sirI talk the meaning of things. I sit here and I know Im alive. What does
this mean to you? How does it relate to what Captain Beatty said about Clarisse earlier?
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Day 8

TOPIC WHO WHAT

MAIN IDEA

2. What is Faber referring to when he says, Im one of the innocents who could have spoken up and out when
no one would listen to the guilty, but I did not speak and thus became guilty myself? Connect this to
McCarthyism
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3. How does Fabers speech about books remind you of Captain Beattys? What is similar? What is different?
Faber Captain Beatty
4. Why does Faber say that we need books? Why do you think we need books?
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5. Faber refers to the firemen as providing a circus, what is this similar to that weve read?
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6. Faber mentions, the government, seeing how advantageous it was to have people reading only about
passionate lips and the first in the stomach, circled the situation with you fire-eaters Why would the
government burn books? How does this relate to the Cold War and McCarthyism?
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7. There is a lot of new technology in Fahrenheit 451, that was not around in the 1950s, and some is still not
created today. Pick one and write a positive and negative aspect of the new technology.
Technology:

Positive Negative

Day 9

TOPIC WHO WHAT

MAIN IDEA
1. Describe the television shows that the women watch. Would you watch them? Why or why not?
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2. What do the women say about the war? Use details from the novel
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3. What are the women looking for in a President? How does this make you feel? What is one attribute that you
look for?
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4. What does Mrs. Bowles get so upset about the poetry? What does she say about it?
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5. Who is the fool that Guy is talking about? What does he say is happening to this fool?
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6. Faber says, mistakes can be profited by, what does he mean? Do you agree with him? Why or why not?
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7. Who does Beatty call sheep? What does he mean by sheep? Do you think this is an accurate description?
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8. What happens at the end of the chapter? Make a prediction about what will happen next
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Day 10
TOPIC WHO WHAT

MAIN IDEA
1. What does Beatty say the real beauty of fire is? Do you agree? Why or Why not?
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2. What happens to the mechanical hound? What do it help represent in the novel?
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3. Guy says, Beatty wanted to die. Why would Beatty want to die?
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4. Why do the police say to watch for a man running? What does this help us learn about the society?
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5. How do the men react at the gas station to war being declared? Relate their conversation back to what
Clarisse told Guy earlier.
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6. What happens as Guy tries to walk across the street? Who does this remind us of? Use details
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7. What do the kids driving the Beatle help us learn about the society Guy is living in? Would you like to live
during this time? Why or why not?
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Day 11

TOPIC WHO WHAT

MAIN IDEA
1. What has Guy done to Mr. and Mrs. Black? Do you think he was right in doing this? Why?
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2. How do the people in Fahrenheit 451 react to war compared to Americans during the Cold War? Remember
what my teacher told us
Fahrenheit 451 Cold War

3. Describe the Hobos that Faber talks about. What is ironic about them?
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4. What is the government doing with the chase of Montag? What else is this similar to?
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5. Why do you think it is so hard for Guy to stop himself from watching the chase?
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6. What other tactic does the government use to try and catch Montag? Compare this to Beattys speech about
sheep.
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7. What is happening to Guy when he is in the river and then walking along the train tracks? Use examples
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8. What does the deer symbolize? Compare to other creatures mentioned in the novel
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Day 12

TOPIC WHO WHAT

MAIN IDEA

1. What do the men give to Montag? (Hint: Two things) Why did they give them to him?
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2. Explain how Montags chase ended. What did the Government do? Do you think people watching were
satisfied?
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3. Is what the Government does at the end of the chase fair? Do you think it is legal?
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4. Who are the men? What were their professions? Why are they out in the woods?
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5. What else do the men mention they are? (Hint: It is an object) Why are they these things?
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6. What are the men doing? And what are they planning on doing? Use details
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7. Do you think that the plan is going to be successful? Why or why not?
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8. How many others are involved in their plan? Does this seem like a lot? What may need to happen for them to
succeed?
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Day 13

1. One of the men says to Montag, Dont judge a book by its cover, what is Montag looking for in the men?
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2. What does Granger say the difference between a lawn-cutter and a gardner is? Explain in your own words
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3. Guy is constantly thinking about Mildred, do you think that she is thinking about him? Why or why not?
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4. What has happened to the city? Use details

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5. Granger mentions the Phoenix, what does it symbolize?

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6. What does Granger make sure to mention to the men? Why might this be important when rebuilding society?
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7. How has Montag changed in this last section? How is he different from the beginning of the novel?
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8. Montag comes up with what to say to the men, And on either side of the river was there a tree of life, which
bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month; And the leaves of the tree were for the healing
of the nations. This statement is one of the ones he memorized from the bible, but he chooses it to share.
Analyze this statement and state why he might think it is a good time to share it.
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