Question

fahrenheit 451 – reading assignment 3
analysis questions for pages 29 - 45
start: “the flutter of cards...”
end: “he did not open the window.”
directions; answer each in complete sentences unless told otherwise. each will require at least 2 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.
8. discuss mildred both in terms of the memory montag has about her driving and her reaction/response to what she reveals about clarisse.

Explanation:

1. Montag's questions show his growing curiosity and empathy, signaling a shift in his values from a fireman's destructive role to a more human - centered one.
2. Bradbury brings up Franklin to contrast his multi - faceted, creative, and freedom - loving nature with the firemen's role of destruction in the dystopian society, highlighting the loss of intellectual and creative heritage.
3. The quote is a reference to martyrdom and the indestructibility of truth and ideas. It implies that the light of knowledge (like the candle) cannot be extinguished, which is a powerful message in a book - burning society.
4. This line uses vivid imagery to emphasize the violence and tragedy of book - burning. The woman's smallness in the midst of the "slaughtered birds" (books) shows her vulnerability and the enormity of the loss.
5. The firemen's claim that books don't agree with each other is used as a justification for burning them. The government may argue that the lack of consensus in books causes confusion and unrest, so they should be destroyed to maintain a homogeneous society.
6. The woman's actions, such as staying with her books, show her courage and commitment to knowledge and culture. Her sacrifice is a powerful statement against the oppressive book - burning regime.
7. Specific evidence like their lack of deep communication and Montag's sense of distance from Mildred can be used to show that their relationship is shallow and strained, reflecting the emotional emptiness of the society.
8. Montag's memory of Mildred's driving shows her recklessness and lack of awareness. Her reaction to Clarisse reveals her conformist and unfeeling nature, contrasting with Clarisse's vitality and curiosity.

Answer:

1. Montag's questions indicate his emerging self - awareness and moral awakening as he begins to question the firemen's actions and empathize with the victims.
2. Bradbury uses Franklin to highlight the contrast between a historical figure associated with progress and freedom and the repressive firemen in the dystopian world.
3. The line symbolizes the indestructibility of knowledge and the power of ideas, which is significant in a society that tries to suppress them.
4. The imagery emphasizes the violence of book - burning and the tragic loss of culture and knowledge.
5. It represents the government's argument that the diversity of ideas in books is a threat to social order, justifying book - burning.
6. Her actions are a courageous and self - sacrificing stand for the value of books and knowledge.
7. Their relationship is shown to be strained and shallow, with little emotional connection, as seen through Montag's observations.
8. Mildred's driving memory shows her carelessness, and her reaction to Clarisse reveals her lack of emotional depth and conformity to the society's norms.