Fahrenheit 451: Test
Review
Is it hot in here?
Basic 451 information
• Authored by Ray Bradbury in
1950
• Written mostly in UCLA library
• Science fiction genre
• Plot covers about 3 weeks time
• Based on what Bradbury
thought we might be like
someday
Setting
• Set in an unspecified large city
in an unspecified time in the
future
• This allows readers to put
themselves in the position of
the characters for a more
personal experience
Characters
• Montag: Protagonist of novel,
decides he wants to change,
fights inner war and outer war,
forced to burn his house down
• Beatty: Antagonist of novel,
upholds societal rules, symbol
of what’s wrong with society,
killed in the climax
More characters
• Clarisse: Supporting character,
symbol of goodness, what used
to be society, opens Montag’s
eyes with her question, “Are you
happy?”, killed in apparent
drive-by violence
More characters
• Mildred: Guy’s wife, represents
effects of society, turns
husband in for books, “family” is
parlor walls
• Faber: Retired English
professor, helps Montag reach
goal, headed to St. Louis to
begin again, invites Montag
Basic terms
• Paradox: Statement that seems
to be false or contradict, but
actually could be true
• Irony: An outcome or event that
turns out to be much different
from what is expected
• Metaphor: Comparison w/o
“like” or “as”
Symbols
• Seashells: Like headphones
• Mechanical hound: 8 legged
predator, does dirty work for
humans in this story
• Phoenix: Bird that rises from its
ashes to live again, represents
Montag and his life
More symbols
• Colors such as red, orange,
yellow, black, gray = FIRE
• Uniforms are orange and black
• River: Montag’s rebirth
• Wars: Internal and external
• Snake: Unhappiness in society
• Dandelion: Love, happiness
Aren’t symbols fun??
• Hearth: Keeps fire inside,
contained, what Clarisse is and
Montag is later
• Salamander: Burning, what
firemen are
• Books: forbidden knowledge,
government control of lives
451 Themes
• Censorship can be dangerous
• Individuality is a good thing
• It is better to have knowledge
than be ignorant
• Even when it is difficult, we
must stand up for what is right
Random, yet important facts
• Dover Beach, by Matthew
Arnold, is a poem about
knowledge and what the lack of
it can do to a person
• This ultimately symbolizes
Montag’s quest for something
different
How about one more?
• The fact that society is glued to
the parlor walls during Montag’s
pursuit and “capture” shows
how uncaring and unfeeling it
really is
• It is also willing to believe
anything seen on TV. Sound
familiar??
What can you learn from 451?
• Be an individual
• Stand up for what is right
• Question things you don’t
believe or don’t understand
• Never stop learning and wanting
knowledge
• Never take freedom for granted