Fahrenheit 451

What parallels are there between Ray Bradbury’s dark vision of the future and the early 21st century? How is the novel prescient of scientific progress?

Clarisse and Mildred are the two prominent female characters. Compare their key characteristics and highlight how growing up within this society has shaped their life experience.

Discuss the roles that both nature and technology play in Fahrenheit 451. Give examples of how these two themes impact the characterization, setting, and tone of Bradbury’s novel.

Captain Beatty is a staunch defender of authoritarianism, and yet he is also educated and extremely well-read. How does he justify the need for censorship, and does he truly believe in the fireman system? Use specific examples from the text.

Chart Montag’s progression from book-burning ideologue to book-protecting radical. Where did his journey begin, and what are the key moments in the novel that shape his story arc? Refer to specific examples from the text.

Granger’s “Book People” can preserve knowledge. What technique allows them to do this? Why is it essential for the future of this society that they do so?

Faber talks about what he did when authoritarianism began to take hold. What actions did he take, and was he complicit in allowing books to burn? On a broader scale, why do you think it’s important to stand up for what you believe?

Refer to the text and identify three key symbols that are important in Bradbury’s novel. What significance do they have in the story?