Name: ___________________
English 10H
Below you will find discussion questions based on your summer reading assignment
(Oedipus the King, and Fahrenheit 451).
Each book is followed by a series of questions. You will be assigned to a group to answer the questions based on one work . After thoroughly completing the questions, you will present your answers to the class in a group presentation complete with visual aids. You will receive a grade for your group presentation based on the attached rubric.
You are responsible for taking notes on both books during the presentations.
GROUP #1
Oedipus the King by Sophocles
1. Discuss the role of the chorus and the choral odes in the play. How does the chorus’s opinion of Oedipus change? Use specific quotes from the choral ode to make your points.
2. Describe the following characters, their traits, their motivations, and their conflicts:
Oedipus, Jocasta, Tiresias, Creon.
3. There are three types of irony in the play: dramatic, verbal, and situational irony.
Dramatic irony occurs when the audience knows more than a particular character or characters. Verbal irony is irony that is spoken. Situational irony is irony that arises out of a particular situation. Give one or more examples of each type of irony in the play.
Then explain the role that irony plays in revealing the truth about Oedipus.
4. How does Oedipus the King fit the definition of a tragedy ? (Consider how the structure of a tragedy is different from that of a regular plot.) Explain the various points in the plot structure of Oedipus the King (introduction, rising action, climax, falling action, catastrophe, catharsis). Create a visual aid which details the plot structure of the play.
5. How is Oedipus a tragic hero ? What is his tragic flaw ? What wisdom does he gain through his suffering?
GROUP #2
Oedipus the King by Sophocles
1. A motif is a recurring idea or image in a work of literature. Sophocles uses the motif of eyes and sight throughout his play. Discuss Sophocles’ numerous references to sight as a symbol of seeing and knowing the truth using specific quotes from the text. (You

might trace the use of eye imagery in the dialogue of Tiresias and Oedipus.)
2. A paradox is a statement that seems contradictory, but actually makes sense.
[Example: "Cowards die many times before their deaths." –Julius Caesar] An oxymoron is a figure of speech that combines two opposing or contradictory ideas. [Example:
“jumbo shrimp”]. Give an example of at least one paradox in the play. BONUS: Find an oxymoron to describe Tiresias.
3. A theme is a main idea or subject explored in a literary work. What themes can you identify in Oedipus the King? Name at least four and explain how each theme is developed. [Remember: A literary theme is a statement expressing the purpose of a work, not just a single word.]
4. Some critics have suggested that Oedipus is a Christ figure. Explain how one might argue this both ways.
5. What literary elements are most prevalent in the text? Create a visual aid for your presentation by drawing or visually representing important scenes , symbols, and other literary elements (motif, imagery, figurative language, etc .) Your poster should include important quotes (with page #s) in addition to visual images. Be prepared to discuss the meaning of the quotes and images you have chosen.
GROUP #3
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
1. Our identity is continually shaped, even as we grow older. Discuss the concept of identity in Fahrenheit 451. What factors shape the identities of Guy Montag, Millie,
Clarisse, Faber, and Beatty? Are they dynamic or static characters? What are their various motivations and conflicts? Use specific examples and quotations wherever possible.
2. Science fiction is literature that explores technological and societal change. Science fiction is often based on scientific principles and technology. It may make predictions about life in the future or comment on important issues in society. What elements make
Fahrenheit 451 a science fiction novel? Create a poster that defines the elements of science fiction, and shows how Fahrenheit 451 depicts these.
3. Both verbal and situational irony are used in Fahrenheit 451. (See definitions above in
Group #1, question #3.) Find examples of both. What is Bradbury’s purpose in employing irony?
4. In the fictional world where Montag lives, books are considered dangerous. Why? Use specific examples and quotations to back up your answer.
5. What makes Montag rebel? Consider the quote on p.55, where Montag says:

“Let you alone! That’s all very well, but how can I leave myself alone?
We need not to be alone. We need to be really bothered once in awhile.
How long is it since you were really bothered? About something important, about something real?”
What does Montag mean by this quote? Explain its relevance to the themes of the book.
How does it relate the various quarter themes (Identity, Culture and Diversity,
Perspectives, Journeys) we will be exploring this year?
GROUP #4
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
1. What is the meaning of (and symbolism behind) the various section titles: The Hearth and the Salamander, The Sieve and the Sand, Burning Bright ?
2. What does Fahrenheit 451 suggest about the power of media and government? Do you think this kind of world is possible? To what extent is it happening today? Explain.
BONUS: Why do you think Michael Moore, the creator of the controversial documentary, Fahrenheit 911 , chose to allude to Bradbury’s novel?
3. Discuss some of the many allusions made in Fahrenheit 451. Why are they important in this novel?
4. A theme is a main idea or subject explored in a literary work. What themes can you identify in Fahrenheit 451? Name at least four and explain how each is developed.
[Remember: A literary theme is a statement expressing the purpose of a work, not just a single word.]
5. What literary elements are most prevalent in the text? Create a visual aid for your presentation by drawing or visually representing important scenes, symbols, and other literary elements . Your poster should include important quotes (with page #s) in addition to visual images. Be prepared to discuss the meaning of the quotes and images you have chosen.
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Notes: