Fahrenheit 451 Study Guide

Comprehension Questions

Identify Guy Montag and describe his job.
Describe Clarisse McClellan.
What smelled like perfume to Montag?
Clarisse asked Montag if he was happy. Was he?
Who is Mildred, and what happened to her?
Why did Emergency Hospital send technicians instead of doctors to treat Mildred?
What are parlor-walls?
Describe the mechanical hound.
What did Montag believe had been done to the hound?
Why was Clarisse considered anti-social?
Who gave Clarisse most of her information about the way life used to be?
Who was Captain Beatty?
How did the firemen know which houses had books?
What lie did Captain Beatty tell Montag?
What did Montag do in the old lady's attic?
Why were the alarms to burn always at night?
Why did the old woman light the match and commit suicide?
What happened to Clarisse? Was it an accident?
What was Montagafraid Captain Beatty would discover when he came to visit?
Why did Captain Beatty believe books should be destroyed?
What did Montag show Mildred after the captain had left the house?
Who was Faber?
Why did Montag go to see Faber?
What three elements did Faber feel were missing from life?
What plan did Montag and Faber devise?
What was Montag willing to do to convince Faber to help carry out the plan?
What had Faber designed that allowed him to be in constant contact with Montag?
Why did Faber decide to go to St. Louis?
Why did Montag burn the book of poetry in the wall incinerator in his home?
Where did Montag hide his books after the ladies left?
What was the destination of the alarm on the night Montag returned to work at the firehouse?
Who was the informant on Montag's home?
Why did Montag kill Captain Beatty?
Why didn't Montag run away before he killed Captain Beatty?
Where did Montag go after he killed Beatty?
When Montag left Faber's house, which direction did he go?
Why did Montag take whiskey, a suitcase, and some of Faber's dirty clothes with him?
What did the railroad tracks mean to Montag?
What was different about the fire Montag saw after leaving the river?
During the manhunt for Montag by the hound, why did the camera identify an innocent man as Montag?
What was different about the hobos Montag Met? Why did each man identify himself as a famous author or piece of literature?
What had Montag been able to memorize?
What happened to the city during the war?
What did Montag and the intellectuals believe their mission to be once the war ended?

Critical Thinking Questions

Describe Montag's relationship with Mildred.
Are Montag's actions believably motivated? Explain why or why not.
Fahrenheit is a relatively short novel. Could anything have been gained by including more scenes from the time before or after the events of this story? If so, what could have been added and for what purpose? If not, explain why not.
Characterize Ray Bradbury's style of writing. How does it contribute to the value of the novel?
Compare and contrast Mildred and Clarisse.
Compare and contrast Montag and Beatty.
Are the characters in Fahrenheit 451 stereotypes? If so, explain why Ray Bradbury used stereotypes. If not, explain how the characters merit individuality.
Explain how the title relates to the events of the novel and the themes of Fahrenheit 451.
Explain Faber's role in the novel. Why was he included?
What was Clarisse's role in the novel? Why was she important?
Could the same thing happen to us today? Explain why or why not.
What do you think Faber meant when he said, "I don't talk things, sir. I talk the meaning of things. I sit here and know I am alive."
How would the story and its effect have changed if Montag had been caught and punished in the end.
Was Montag a hero?
Why was Montag's society so violent?
Why did there seem to be a low value placed on human life in the story?
What kinds of things do we have today that resemble things in Montag's society?