Study Questions &
Essay Topics
Study Questions
1. How plausible is the future envisioned
in this novel? Specifically, do you think the author provides a convincing
account of how censorship became so rampant in this society?
2. Why do you think Beatty hates books?
3. Read the poem “Dover Beach,” by
Matthew Arnold. In what ways is it significant that Montag reads
this particular poem to Mildred and her friends?
Suggested Essay Topics
1. How does Faber define the
value of books? Does his definition of “quality” apply to media
other than printed books? Do you think his definitions are accurate
or not? Explain.
2. Discuss Montag's relationship
with Mildred. Is this a typical marital relationship in their culture?
Discuss the role of family in the characters' lives, particularly
in relation to the TV parlor “families” and their nature and function.
3. Describe Clarisse's effect
on Montag and her function in the novel. How and why does she change
him? Why does she vanish from the novel?
4. Discuss the use of quotations
from literature in Fahrenheit 451. Which works
are quoted and to what effect? Pay specific attention to “Dover
Beach,” the Bible, and quotes from Shakespeare.
