Fahrenheit 451

Part I Study Questions

  1. What is the protagonist’s name and occupation?
  1. What does a fireman do?
  1. According to Montag, what smells like perfume?
  1. Who is Clarisse McClellan? How old is she? What is she like?
  1. What inferences can you make about the society they live in when Clarisse says, “because they never see them slowly,” in reference to the grass and flowers (p 9)?
  1. What did Montag step on in his bedroom?
  1. Who is Mildred? What happened to her?
  1. Instead of an M.D., why did technicians treat Mildred?
  1. Describe the TV parlor.
  1. How does Clarisse’s psychiatrist describe her? What does her psychiatrist want to know?
  1. What is the Mechanical Hound? How many legs does it have? What does it do?
  1. Who is Captain Beatty?
  1. Who was the First Fireman, according to the rule book?
  1. How do the firemen know which houses have books?
  1. What does Montag take while in the attic at the old lady’s house?
  1. Why do you think the old lady chose to commit suicide and die with her books?
  1. What does Mildred have in her ears all the time?
  1. What happened to Clarisse? Do you think it was an accident?
  1. What is Montag worried about Captain Beatty finding at his house?
  1. Why did people stop reading? Why did they start burning books?
  1. Do you think Captain Beatty knows Montag’s secret? Why or why not?
  1. What secret does Montag reveal to his wife, Mildred?

Fahrenheit 451

Part II Study Questions

  1. What book did Montag take from the old lady’s attic? What kind of significance do you think this will have?
  1. Who is Faber? Describe what he is like
  1. Why did Montag go see Faber?
  1. What is the plan that Montag and Faber come up with? Do you think the plan will work? Why or why not?
  1. How does Montag convince Faber to help him carry out the plan?
  1. What is the little green bullet that Faber gives Montag? What does it do?
  1. Who are Winston Noble and Herbert Hoag?
  1. Why does Montag read the poetry to the ladies?
  1. What does he do with the poetry book after he read it to the ladies? Why do you think he did that?
  1. What does Montag do with the rest of his books?
  1. Who do you think reported Montag’s house to the fire department? Why?

Fahrenheit 451

Part III Study Questions

  1. Who reported Montag’s house to the fire department?
  1. Why doesn’t Montag run away when Captain Beatty is questioning him?
  1. Why did Montag kill Captain Beatty?
  1. Beatty can quote literature from many famous authors. Does this make him a hypocrite? Why or why not?
  1. What saves Montag from being run over by a car?
  1. Where is Montag going?
  1. What does Montag tell Faber to do to cover Montag’s scent in Faber’s house?
  1. Where does Montag go after leaving Faber’s house?
  1. Granger gives Montag a liquid to drink. What is it and why does Montag drink it?
  1. Why did the Mechanical Hound and camera incriminate an innocent man?
  1. Why do the men by the river identify themselves as famous authors?
  1. What do the men by the river do with books after they have read them? Why?
  1. What happened to the city Montag lived in?
  1. What book does Montag have memorized?
  1. Once the war ends, what do Montag and the men by the river want to do?