Fahrenheit 451Fahrenheit 451Our Review SessionOur Review Session

About the AuthorAbout the Author

Ray Bradbury is one of those rare Ray Bradbury is one of those rare individuals whose writing has changed individuals whose writing has changed the way people think. His more than five the way people think. His more than five hundred published works -- short hundred published works -- short stories, novels, plays, screenplays, stories, novels, plays, screenplays, television scripts, and verse -- exemplify television scripts, and verse -- exemplify the American imagination at its most the American imagination at its most creative. creative.

What Makes What Makes Science Fiction?Science Fiction?

In the beginning…In the beginning…It was a pleasure to It was a pleasure to

burn.burn. Kerosene smells as sweet as perfumeKerosene smells as sweet as perfume

The slogan is “Monday burn Millay, The slogan is “Monday burn Millay, Wednesday Whitman, Friday Faulkner, burn Wednesday Whitman, Friday Faulkner, burn ‘em to ashes, then burn the ashes.”‘em to ashes, then burn the ashes.”

In fact, Guy Montag has a fiery smile that In fact, Guy Montag has a fiery smile that grips his face until… grips his face until…

He meets He meets Clarisse McClellan.Clarisse McClellan.

What type of character is Clarisse?What type of character is Clarisse?

Direct CharacterizationDirect Characterization

Clarisse says:Clarisse says:

“ “I’m I’m seventeen and seventeen and I’m crazy.”I’m crazy.”

Direct CharacterizationDirect Characterization

The NARRATOR The NARRATOR tellstells us: us:

Her face was slender and milk-white, and in it Her face was slender and milk-white, and in it was a kind of gentle hunger that touched over was a kind of gentle hunger that touched over everything with tireless curiosity. It was a look, everything with tireless curiosity. It was a look, almost, of pale surprise; the dark eyes were so almost, of pale surprise; the dark eyes were so fixed to the world that no move escaped them. fixed to the world that no move escaped them. Her dress was white and it whispered.Her dress was white and it whispered.

Indirect Indirect CharacterizationCharacterization

Montag says to Clarisse, Montag says to Clarisse,

““You You areare an an

odd one.”odd one.”

Montag enters his… Montag enters his…

MAUSOLEUMMAUSOLEUM

Errr…. Errr….

I MEAN I MEAN

He enters his He enters his dreardrear abode abode where he where he discovers…discovers…

MILDREDMILDRED

What has happened to her? What happens to her? What is “Millie” like?

Clarisse Clarisse Versus Versus MillieMillie

Who Who Is More Is More Typical Typical in this in this

Dystopia?Dystopia?

Who Is Who Is Happier?Happier?

How How Do they Live?Do they Live?

HowHowDo they Do they

Die?Die?

Who IS the White Clown?Who IS the White Clown?Let’s talk color symbolism…. Let’s talk color symbolism….

Clarisse/white dress/good. Mrs. Black/ash/bad. Clarisse/white dress/good. Mrs. Black/ash/bad. WHITE clown? WHY MIGHT I SAY WHITE IS USED HERE?WHITE clown? WHY MIGHT I SAY WHITE IS USED HERE?

WHO is Beatty?WHO is Beatty?Why does he view books so differently from Faber?Why does he view books so differently from Faber?

According to Beatty…According to Beatty…When does the “trouble” When does the “trouble” start? start?

Umm…Umm…WHY does Bradbury allude to THIS war when he has such a WHY does Bradbury allude to THIS war when he has such a big selection of wars from which to choose???big selection of wars from which to choose???

HOW does burning HOW does burning books (supposedly) books (supposedly) keep people HAPPY?keep people HAPPY?

What has Montag been hiding in the vent in his What has Montag been hiding in the vent in his house?house?

WHY????WHY????

What EVENT sparks a fire What EVENT sparks a fire INSIDE Montag that he can’t put INSIDE Montag that he can’t put out???out???

Let’s chat ALLUSIONS.Let’s chat ALLUSIONS.What ARE they? Why do authors USE them? What ARE they? Why do authors USE them?

Ray Bradbury uses allusions to Ray Bradbury uses allusions to add meaning to his text.add meaning to his text.

Part OnePart One

““Play the Play the man, Master man, Master Ridley…”Ridley…”

Part TwoPart Two

““And why do you worry And why do you worry about your clothing? about your clothing? Consider the lilies of Consider the lilies of the field and how they the field and how they grow…”grow…”

Part ThreePart Three

““Old Montag wanted to Old Montag wanted to fly near the sun, and fly near the sun, and now that he’s burnt now that he’s burnt his damn wings, he his damn wings, he wonders why.”wonders why.”

While talking Part 3…While talking Part 3…

The word “Ecclesiastes” comes from a Hebrew root word that means The word “Ecclesiastes” comes from a Hebrew root word that means “assembly” or “one who gathers.” “assembly” or “one who gathers.”

When considering the ending of the novel, why does it make sense that When considering the ending of the novel, why does it make sense that Montag will “become” THIS book?Montag will “become” THIS book?

HMMMMMMmmmmmm……… Etymology can be so INTERESTING. HMMMMMMmmmmmm……… Etymology can be so INTERESTING.

(Ecclesiastes is located in the Hebrew Bible in Writings and in the Old (Ecclesiastes is located in the Hebrew Bible in Writings and in the Old Testament of the Christian Bible. It deals with how man should use his Testament of the Christian Bible. It deals with how man should use his time under the sun.)time under the sun.)

Also, there’s that little note from Revelations. HMMMMMMmmmmmm….Also, there’s that little note from Revelations. HMMMMMMmmmmmm….

THEMESTHEMES

Which character might quote W.B. Yeats to Which character might quote W.B. Yeats to Montag? How might this quote relate to Montag? How might this quote relate to arching themes in arching themes in Fahrenheit 451Fahrenheit 451?:?:

““Education Education

is not is not

filling a bucket filling a bucket

but but

lighting lighting a fire.”a fire.”

According to Faber, what’s MISSING According to Faber, what’s MISSING from Society that’s needed for an from Society that’s needed for an

individual to CHANGE it?individual to CHANGE it?

Quality InformationQuality Information

Leisure time to think about/process that Leisure time to think about/process that informationinformation

Freedom to ACT on thoughtsFreedom to ACT on thoughts

US versus THEMUS versus THEM

What’s something that our society has in What’s something that our society has in common with Montag’s society?common with Montag’s society?

What’s something that is DIFFERENT about our What’s something that is DIFFERENT about our society when compared to Montag’s society?society when compared to Montag’s society?

Do you think Montag’s society is possible? Why Do you think Montag’s society is possible? Why or why not?or why not?

The POINT?The POINT?

When asking yourself what the THEME of a book is, When asking yourself what the THEME of a book is, you should consider, what is the author’s POINT?you should consider, what is the author’s POINT?

WHY, oh, why, oh, why did WHY, oh, why, oh, why did

Ray Bradbury write this little tomeRay Bradbury write this little tome

when he could have gone fishing when he could have gone fishing

instead?instead?

The Phoenix The Phoenix

Why does Granger talk about a Phoenix? Why does Granger talk about a Phoenix?

What does he want to build after war has been What does he want to build after war has been buried in an abyss-like trench? buried in an abyss-like trench?

Why? Why?

Mirrors/Reflections/EgosMirrors/Reflections/Egos

““An unexamined life An unexamined life is not worth living.”is not worth living.”

That’s not in the book, but it That’s not in the book, but it

would fit, wouldn’t it? would fit, wouldn’t it?

Review…Review…

Your vocab quizzes… any questions you got Your vocab quizzes… any questions you got wrong. wrong.

The book itself. Make sure you have read and The book itself. Make sure you have read and understand the text.understand the text.

Be familiar with the meaning of a couple major Be familiar with the meaning of a couple major allusions. allusions.

Work out for yourself whether or not you think Work out for yourself whether or not you think Ray Bradbury’s fear that students/society will Ray Bradbury’s fear that students/society will stop learning how to THINK is coming true. stop learning how to THINK is coming true.

BRING TO THE TESTBRING TO THE TEST

All vocabulary assignments (etymology All vocabulary assignments (etymology worksheet plus definitions for list one and list worksheet plus definitions for list one and list two)two)

Characterization worksheetCharacterization worksheet

Comp Questions 1-3 with whatever notes Comp Questions 1-3 with whatever notes you’ve taken in class. you’ve taken in class.

QUESTIONS?QUESTIONS?