Question

fahrenheit 451 – reading assignment 3
analysis questions for pages 23 - 45
start: “the flutter of cards...”
end: “he did not open the window.”
directions: answer each in complete sentences. each will require at least 2 complete sentences to answer. write neatly and explain your ideas. use the question itself to craft your response.

1. discuss the significance of montag asking what happened to “the man whose library they fixed” (31) and “trying to imagine just how it would feel” (31)?
2. discuss the claim by the other firemen that benjamin franklin was the “first fireman” (32). consider that benjamin franklin was an author, a scholar, an inventor and he was a signer of the declaration of independence. what is bradbury’s point by bringing him up here?
3. discuss the significance of the line, “play the man, master ridley; we shall this day light such a candle, by go’s grace, in england, as i trust shall never be put out” (33).
4. discuss the significance of the line, “they fell like slaughtered birds and the woman stood below, like a small girl, among the bodies” (34).
5. captain beatty says that “none of those books agree with each other” (35). what does this mean in terms of a possible argument that the government makes for burning books?
6. discuss the significance of the woman’s actions.
7. reference specific evidence in the text and discuss montag and mildred’s relationship.

Explanation:

These are analysis - type questions related to the novel Fahrenheit 451. They require understanding of the text's themes, character motivations, and symbolic meanings. For example, questions ask about the significance of character actions, statements, and literary references within the context of the story's dystopian society and the act of book - burning.

Answer:

1. Montag's questions show his growing curiosity and unease with the society's book - burning practices. Wondering about the man and his library indicates his emerging desire to understand the past and the value of knowledge that has been suppressed.
2. Bradbury brings up Benjamin Franklin to highlight the irony of a society that claims Franklin as a "First Fireman" when he was also a great intellectual. It shows how the society has distorted history to fit its anti - knowledge agenda.
3. This line is a reference to a historical martyrdom and symbolizes the idea of spreading knowledge and truth as an unquenchable light. In the context of the novel, it represents the hope for a future where knowledge is free and not destroyed.
4. This simile emphasizes the violence and tragedy of book - burning and the destruction of culture. The woman's stance among the "bodies" of the books shows her courage and the power of her resistance.
5. Captain Beatty's statement implies that the government argues that books are a source of conflict and confusion due to their diverse and often contradictory ideas. This is used as a justification for burning them to create a more "uniform" society.
6. The woman's actions, such as staying with her books during the fire, are significant as they represent the extreme dedication to knowledge and the willingness to sacrifice for it. Her actions inspire Montag and challenge the norms of the dystopian society.
7. Montag and Mildred's relationship is strained. For example, Mildred is more interested in her "family" on the TV walls than in Montag's inner turmoil. Montag's growing dissatisfaction with their life and his newfound interest in books further distance them.