Monday, October 15, 2007

Fahrenheit 451 1-24 Questions

58 comments:

katyj said...

Is Clarisse's uncle THE pedestrain Leonard Mead, or is he just her uncke who was arrested for being a pedestrian? And if it is the second one,is it still a reference to THE PEDESTRIAN or not?

Unknown said...

Questions to think about:
What effect do you think Clarisse will have on Montag? What makes her so different from all of the other kids her age? Why are books being burned, and how does this relate to The Pedestrian and Harrison Bergeron?

hannahl said...

1. This is a big-idea type of question; why haven't Clarisse and her family already been arrested? From the impressions I get about this society, it doesn't seem like they could survive as long as they did, seeing as they reject authority so much.

2. Why does Montag not get more irascible towards Clarisse, when she is obviously question all of his ideals?

3. Does the overwhelming addiciton to pills in this country represent something more, like a lack of respect for life (which has now become all about TV)?

Tylerg! said...

Will Clarisse change the way montag looks at cts?
Why does Montag keep a smile on his face all the time and never get unhappy?
I agree with Hannal, why haven't clarisse and her family been arrested, if the future is so hi-tech shouldn't the police or whoever is in charge know about this already?

amyw said...

1) Why does Montag look at the vent in the hall so much? He seems a little obsessed with it...
2) Why are people in this book so unhappy that they have to take lots of pills and almost die?

Anonymous said...

1. When Montag is at Clarrise's house and thinks that he won't tell on them but he just wants to hear, what is he referring to? Are they reading or is it just that they are free thinkers?
2. What are the salamanders and pheonix symbolic of? Is it that both animals have a strong connection to fire??

JohnB said...

People are using pills like it's nothing. I might be repeating myself, but it is because people aren't happy. But just like hannahl said, why? Is it rebellion or persuasion?

ParkerH said...

1. If what Clarrise and her family are doing is illegal, then why hasn't Montag called the cops on her and her family?
2. Why does Montag continue to listen to Clarisse and seem entranced by her?
3. What is the significance of his fireman regalia? Why does he continue to wear it even off duty?

alexf said...

1. How did you take it when the "doctors" said that they get this kind of call (suicide) all the time? What does this tell you about how society will soon be?
2. Why does Montag keep thinking about the vent above him? What could be in it?
3. Do you think Montag will change his mind about his job because of what Clarisse said? If so, do you think he will have the guts to tell his wife that he "supposedly doesn't love?"

Lukez said...

Why does montag like to burn things so much, would it be such a weird obseesion if he hadn't had a job that involved it?
What is the deal with Clarissa being so ghostly white, what does it mean?
Do you think that Clarissa was really standing right around the corner on the other nights? Or was that just Montag's imagination?

Alyssa S. said...

1. It might be just me, but I think it is a little wierd that Montang is so obssessed with burning books. Does anybody have any ideas on why burning books is so facinating to him?
2. Does Montang's number, 451, have any other importance besides the fact that it is his number?
3. After the men leave from changing Mildred's blood, Montang wishes that they could have taken her mind and memory and changed it for him. This struck me as kind of an odd passage. Does anyone know what he was talking about?

Alyssa S. said...

Katy D.- I think that Clarisse's uncle is the pedestrian, Leonard Mead.

lesliel said...

1.)As you were reading, you probably saw the connection between The Pedestrian and this book. From what you know from both of these stories so far, what do you think the government is like, and how do you think jobs worked?
2.) On page &, Clarisse McClellan said she was not afraid of Montag. WHy do you think the people would be afraid of the fireman?
3.) Do you think that the smell Montag smelled: "fesh apricots and strawberries in the air" is at all important to the story line?

chelseas said...

Some big picture topics that I came up with for the Fischbowl Blogging tomorrow were…
1. When does this take place? It seems to be a book that takes place a while ago at times, but then again, it can be a very futuristic book at times, too.
2. When it talked of the robotic dog, was it referring to an actual mechanical dog, or was it just a reference?
3. How does Clarisse McClellan challenge the system, or does she?
4. Why does Montag seem to fear being around people who talk to him a lot, but that he has no problem whatsoever burning books and houses down?
5. Does this book use imagery that relates to animals, just like Macbeth did?
6. Does the use of amphibians have any sort of significance to better explain things in this book?

I agree with what people have been saying about the whole pills taking thing. I agree with Amyw when she said that they're probably doing it because they're unhappy. I bet that we'll find out later in the book. I find it odd, too, that Montag like to burn thing so much. I will save some of my comments for tomorrow’s discussion in class.

KatherineM said...

1. Why does Clarisse have such white, pale skin? It seems like she is someone that goes outdoors more than most people, so wouldn't she be tanner and have some color in her face?
2. With all the unhappy people and attempted suicides going on, don't people realize that something is terribly wrong?
3. Do you think Montag will reconsider and change his job, thoughts, and ideas as he talks to Clarisse more and more?

stefo said...

1.In the book Clarisse is described with many adjectives that use white or pure references. Who does Clarisse represent in the story and what predictions can be made from the other two short stories we read? What do you think will happen to Clarisse?
2. The mantra of the govenment is for people to be happy. Without books to offend people or to make them think there is less unhappiness in the world. But it seems that unhappiness is plenty abound. Why do you think that is? Why isn't the government's idea working? Also why haven't people realized that they are unhappy and done something about it?

Brian c said...

1. Why does Ray Bradbury compare the fire to animals and nature so much?
2. Why did Guy's wife take all the sleeping pills the night before and why would she froget/deny it?
3. Why would Clarissa even talk to Guy, i mean, was he the only person out or was Clarissa just randomly choose him, or does she know something Guy doesn't?

ashleyf said...

I didn't really understand at a part in the book, Montag reffered to "those men" or soemthing like that. I dotn know what page it's on, and i cant find it again. He was talkign about what happened with his wife that night. Maybe i misinterpreted it, but if anyonw knows what im saying, that would be great.

melissaz said...

1) If I understand this right, Montag's wife tried to commit suiside by taking too many sleep-aids, why did she even try to kill herself in the first place? And like alexf said, why are there so many people attempting to commit suicide that doctors don't even need to come anymore to the sence to help?
2) It seems that once Clarisse and her families, I guess you could say, odd ways is brought to Montag's attention, he almost seems envious of their happiness and laughter and the simple converation they have. Why is he envious?
3) Why doesn't Mildred remember taking all those pills tryig to kill herself, that seems very odd?

maddisonm said...

1) Already how is challenging the system presented in this book? Do you see it in Montag? How about Clarrise and her family?
2) What parallels can you draw between Montag and Clarrise? How do you think their relationship will change/grow as the book progresses?
3) In the society today, do you see anything that has/is forming that is similar to the society in the book?

kristinah said...

A couple of questions for yall!!!

1) Why does montag like burning books if he is a fireman? shouldn't he be putting out fires not starting them? Why would he be burning them in the first place? What symbolic value if any does this have??

2) Clarisse seems to have an angery or agitated tone when first meeting Montag, do you think that she is angery at him for burning books? It would make sense because she challenges the system in the way that she likes learning and talking and thinking and you do all of these things with/about books. What do you think?

3)On page eight clarisse asks montag if he ever reads the book he burns and he responds by saying that it is illegal for him to do so. Why would it be illegal for him to read the books he burns? Is is illegal to read in this society? Is that the reason that they are burning books??

MollyS said...

1. By what does Clarise mean by Happy? It seems she defines many things different than Montag, so when he decides he isn't happy, what does he mean?
2. Why is the word Eye capitalized when they are referring to the machine used by the handymen?
3. Why do so many people have this problem that his wife had? SO many in fact, that they had to develop a machine specially for it? What exactly IS it?
4. Why didn't Montag tell his wife about her 'surgery'??

nilec said...

How do you think montag meeting Clarisse will effect the story and to each of them as individuals? Is there any foreshadowing you noticed in these pages?

stephenf said...

1. Is their a chance for a stronger relationship to develop between Clarice and Montag?
2. Have we become so used to one style of life that we begin to forget simple and basic pleasures like they do in the book? Clarice just enjoys being in the rain, her uncle justed wanted to go for a drive and was arrested for driving at 40mph. In Cars they said "People didn't drive to make good time, they drove to have a good time."
3.Why do you think the hound goes after Montag, because he is a threat or different then the other Firemen?

markg said...

Does the fact that Clarisse is so pale white symbolize something?

Does Montag's occupation effect Clarrise's view on him?

Why does the girl stand on the corner every night for Montag? Or is it his imagination?

amandah said...

1. I had the same question as Lesliel why are people afraid of the firemen?
2.The guys who "saved" Meredith said that many people were overdosing on pills. Why is this?
3.What happened to Meredith after she got her system cleaned out? why doesn't she remember overdosing on the sleeping pills?

Selenam said...

1. What does the Mechanical Hound represent?
2. Why are there so many cases like Mildred's? The person who saved her said there were 8 or 9 a night.
3. Does the number 451 mean anything?

mattf said...

1. Does the casual use of pills in this book have to do with what the author thinks about our society today and how we depend on medicine to sleep?

2. Does the way Guy Montag likes to burn books show something about his hobbies, such as destruction pleases him/ satisfies him? Will he be influenced to destroy more than just books in this book?

3. Clarisse and her family are definitely challenging the system. Will they have any influence on Guy and his wife?

DawnielleN said...

1. In Harrison Bergeron they simply eliminate everything good form every body which most think is bad but is it also bad to not allow flaws and to do the opposite of what was done in Harrison Bergeron?

2. Do you think that today we could get away with the use of pills as they do in the book or do you think it would be completely out of the question?

3. Early on we know that no one really believes that firemen actually put fires out at one time. Could that be because of the burning of books that told stories or other things about firemen or could it have been removed from people's minds?

beckyg said...

1. Why does Mildred wear earpieces all the time, and what do they do? Why does she wear them to sleep, because wouldn't that bug her?

2. Why do they take sleeping pills? Has there evolution into technology caused their bodies to stop sleeping on their own? Is this why the people who saved Mildred said that their were so many cases like hers, in an attempt to sleep and blot out the daytime miseries, they overdose?

3. In this time are there prearranged marriages, because Montag and Mildred definately don't seem in love with eachother to me. If not, why did he choose Mildred? Did she used to be like him, but the struggles of their lives wore her down, and drove her to her current state of constant "entertainment" by technology.

beckyg said...
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mitchl. said...

selenam- 451 is the temperature when books burn, so that could represent his job in a way. i think that there are so many cases like mildreds b/c this lifestyle might be relly depressing and boring, so i think that there are so many insane people in this time and don't even know that they are going suicide just like mildred denied ever trying to go suicide.

Anonymous said...

1. Is Mildred death or does she choose to wear the sea shells all the time to completely zone out the real world?

2. Is Montag falling in love with Clarisse?

3. What is Bradbury's purpose in not explaining the society but rather letting the readers get a picture of it through the conversations with Clarisse or Montag's observations, feelings, or thoughts?

phoebef said...

Farenheit 451 Questions.....
1. Why does Montag, unlike other people, listen to Clarisse?
What does he see in her?
2. Why doesnt Mildred remember what happened the night before?
3.What is the "hound" suppossed to represent?

catem said...

1. Does anyone else think that the city is constintly being censored? Perhaps that is why he keeps looking up at the vent, afraid that the government might sense his thoughts.

2. Montag seems like a pretty intelligent guy. Why hasn't he questioned the way the government has been run before... or has he? How many times do you think that Montag has had to get a blood/stomach transplant to get rid of his "darkness"?

3.What do you think that TVs represent about the society?

NickB said...

Hooray! It's currently 6:32 in the Morning!

1) How Does Clarisse chalenging the system? Is it how she does this that makes Montag think about her

2)what does the house represent relating to montag?

3)Why doesn't montag tell his wife about the incident the other night? what does this tell you about their relationship? how does this reflect on montag?

mitchs said...

1. Why is it Montag's job to burn books?

2. Could burning all of the books be a part of government censorship? If people read they would realize what life used to be like and probably wouldn't be too happy with the boring lives they lead in this book.

3. In the future, are firemen people that start fires instead of stopping them? Or is Montag starting fire just so that over firemen have to put them out?

clarao said...

Here are some questions:

1. Why did talking to Clarisse have such an enormous impact on Montag? He was just having an ordinary day, but after he talkied to her the first time, he had a lot to think about.

2. How is Clarisse's family challenging th system?

3. How has Montag's personality already changed from before he talked to Clarisse?

josed said...

Oops, I posted my question in the wrong place, so here goes: why do people take so many pills (according to the machine operator)?

maddief said...

I know that this does not have much to do with the actual plot of Fahrenheit 451, but does anyone know how far into the future it takes place? Also, why is it okay to read scripts, but not books? It says that Mildred was reading a script of a play that she was going to be in. Clarisse seemed to have had a large effect on Montag. Is she that different than anyone he has ever known, or does he just think that she's really weird?

ZachH said...

1.) There are several simularities to The Pedestrian. Are there any major parallels to Harrison Bergeron?

2.) Doesn't it seem odd that the girl has so much knowlege about the past that Montag doesn't have (such as fireman stopping fires instead of starting them)? How do you think she got this knowlege?

3.) I think Happiness has seemed to play a role in the story so far. Montag seems to relize that even though he fits in, this girl who is some what different is happier than he is. Why do you think this brief encounter made such an effect on his outlook of his own life?

Louiseb said...

Why does Montag talk to Clarisse? NO one else talks to her so what is diefferent about him that make it ok for him to talk to her? What does he see in her?

ryanm said...

1. Does Montag have a reason to fear looking over his shoulder?

2. Would anyone else say that Clarisse is ghallenging the system severly by asking questions?

3.Connection to the Pedestrian, walking down the street noticed one house's illumination.

4.Does the snake represent regret or human nature or something like that?

5. does the eye represent a powerful self conscience or the government?

Unknown said...

Okay, I tried to get my questions on last night, but it wouldn't work, so I'm going to do my best to remember what they were...

1) Doesn't Montag feel any guilt whatsoever about buring houses? Even if it is part of his job, he committed arson...

2) Is it just me or does Montag's house feel creepier than Clarisse's house? I feel like his house is creepy.

3) Montag's house seems to have a lot of technology built into it. Why??

4) Who were those guys that came and treated Montag's wife?? It seemed like they just came out of nowhere...

That's all for now!

jordanh said...

Here are some questions:

What is Montag hiding in his house behind the ventillator grill?
(this one really confuses me)

How did Montag become obsessed with burning things?

How is Clarisse affecting Montag's view on his modern world?

ryanm said...

If this book is about burning books, why is there a book? Shouldnt it have been burned????

amyw said...

ryanm---I thought of the same thing myself. It's weird and kinda ironic to have a book about burning books! But I think that although it's kinda ironic, Ray Bradbury probably wasn't thinking about that...he was probably just thinking about "exposing" how things are gonna be in the future.

amyw said...

If that makes any sense at all :-)

amyw said...
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amyw said...
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amyw said...

jordanh---Montag probably became obsessed with burning things because he wanted a job and this is a widely accepted job because of how their society is (no thinking for yourself or reading), so he most likely convinced himself that he liked this job and was happy because it was what he had. If you convince yourself enough about anything, you can convince yourself that it's OK, you're happy, etc. So all of this convincing probably lead to his obsession and love of burning things. Just my thoughts!

josed said...

Ok, big question that I think nobody has as of yet asked: Why Would Clarisse McClellan be wearing a white dress? Look back to the Macbeth movies: only really good guys wore white. We know Clarisse is like a mirror, but really, does that mean she's pure?

JohnB said...

josed-
Good question! Um, I'm guessing I speak for everyone when I say that the McClellan's are "good people".
If you rebel, you are not a bad person, although that was the intension of the word "rebel", to be a bad influence. But "bad" defined for normal people is not "bad" for the McClellan's. So, maybe this dress is addressing the only purity left in the world.

morganw said...

Jordanh - Montag is not really obsessed with burning. He is more transfixed by the whole act of burning itself. It doesn't seem to me that he likes it - it is like watching a train wreck, you know what's coming, it's awful, and, yet, a part of you wants to watch more. Does that make any sense?

morganw said...

I think Montag is hiding something behind the ventillator in his ceiling, but I don't know what. It's almost as if it were somebody watching him, but somebody not alive. Maybe a recording of some kind.

Liap said...

katyj- I had the same question about her uncle...it seems like he could be because of the references made to the viewing walls later on, but i'm not sure either. Also, did his wife try to commit suicide or did something else happen?

alexd said...

Is Montag genuenely different from the others because he chooses to listen to Clarisse?

Are Montag and his wife truelly in love?

In what ways is Montag different than his wife? Clarisse?

Javonm said...

What do people think about how Mildred compares to George's wife in Harrison Bergeron?

Do you think Clarisse is going to convince Montag to challenge the system?

Do you think Montag has always had this good in him or that in the few days he has known Clarisse it has all sparked up?