FAHRENHEIT 451 SEMESTER 1 EXAM
hearth - Answers- the fireside as a symbol of the home and family
salamander - Answers- from mythology it is a creature that is unaffected by fire
visual representation of fire - Answers- hell
great python - Answers- fire hose used to douse homes with Kerosene before igniting
them
biblical allusion to the Garden of Eden and man's fall to the serpent tempting Eve--
Water? - Answers- fire hose as a snake, water as a purifier, water as in the flood
451 - Answers- temperature at which paper catches fire and burns
books - Answers- forbidden knowledge
Clarisse - Answers- innocence, curiosity, the individual, intelligence, thought
phoenix - Answers- mythical bird reborn from its own ashes
Seashells - Answers- constant entertainment (connected yet disconnected from the
world in which they live)
sleeping pills - Answers- numbing of pain and escaping mundane existence
Mildred - Answers- future society: the masses who would rather be entertained by
meaningless TV, advertisements, games, and music instead of thought
the Eye - Answers- God, all-knowing, all-seeing into one's soul
wall TVs - Answers- constant entertainment, mind-numbing TV with no plot or meaning
(Reality TV)
Mechanical Hound - Answers- death, Montag's guilty conscience, the mechanical world
taking place of the natural world (Dalmatians)
actors in the TV shows - Answers- family, replacing relationships with interactive
characters in TV holograms
What do the "firemen" do for a living? Why is this ironic? - Answers- They burn houses
which is ironic because originally a fireman's mission was to put out fires.
, In the opening scene, why are the books compared to birds? - Answers- The books are
compared to birds because as the books are burning, they take "flight" to that of
birds/pigeons that are nuisances.
According to pages 3-4, what does Montag think of his job? - Answers- Montag thinks
his job is entertaining and he enjoys what he does, so in all he loves his job.
Who does Montag meet on his way home? - Answers- He meets Clarisse McClellan, a
17 year old girl, who knows awfully a lot more than what is expected of their society.
During his conversations, Montag says that " You never wash it off completely" referring
to the kerosene. What could this mean symbolically? - Answers- This could mean that
once you burn something important like books, you can't exactly shake off the feelings
after you've done it as it is the guilt of burning books and the houses that contain them.
Why do you think that Bradbury would introduce Clarisse before Montag's wife, Mildred?
- Answers- It is probably because Clarisse will be of more importance in the story and
to show the differences in personalities of the two of them.
Why does Mildred need help when Montag gets home? - Answers- Mildred needs help
because she overdosed on sleeping pills and was completely passed out.
Describe the help that she recieves. - Answers- Two men hook up tubes that pump her
stomach and extracts the pills as well as pumps new blood.
Is there anything unusual about the way the two men go about helping Mildred? How is
it unusual? - Answers- They are very impersonal about the ordeal. The men say this
happens often and that the two aren't necessarily doctors but just operators.
How is life in Montag's house very different from that of Clarisse's house? - Answers- In
Montag's house, Mildred and Guy hardly ever talk or communicate in any way. Mildred
is always in the "parlor" and Guy is often at work. At Clarisse's house, she and her
family often talk and discuss things.
How does Mildred react after she wakes up from her previous night's experience? -
Answers- Mildred doesn't remember what had happened and feels as if she is having a
hangover.
What does Mildred do all day? - Answers- Mildred watches TV or listens to her music
from her earpieces (seashells).
Describe the setup of Montag's TV room? - Answers- There are four walls with a TV
except for one that is just a plain wall.
What is Clarisse doing when Montag sees her on page 21? - Answers- Clarisse is
speaking to her uncle.
hearth - Answers- the fireside as a symbol of the home and family
salamander - Answers- from mythology it is a creature that is unaffected by fire
visual representation of fire - Answers- hell
great python - Answers- fire hose used to douse homes with Kerosene before igniting
them
biblical allusion to the Garden of Eden and man's fall to the serpent tempting Eve--
Water? - Answers- fire hose as a snake, water as a purifier, water as in the flood
451 - Answers- temperature at which paper catches fire and burns
books - Answers- forbidden knowledge
Clarisse - Answers- innocence, curiosity, the individual, intelligence, thought
phoenix - Answers- mythical bird reborn from its own ashes
Seashells - Answers- constant entertainment (connected yet disconnected from the
world in which they live)
sleeping pills - Answers- numbing of pain and escaping mundane existence
Mildred - Answers- future society: the masses who would rather be entertained by
meaningless TV, advertisements, games, and music instead of thought
the Eye - Answers- God, all-knowing, all-seeing into one's soul
wall TVs - Answers- constant entertainment, mind-numbing TV with no plot or meaning
(Reality TV)
Mechanical Hound - Answers- death, Montag's guilty conscience, the mechanical world
taking place of the natural world (Dalmatians)
actors in the TV shows - Answers- family, replacing relationships with interactive
characters in TV holograms
What do the "firemen" do for a living? Why is this ironic? - Answers- They burn houses
which is ironic because originally a fireman's mission was to put out fires.
, In the opening scene, why are the books compared to birds? - Answers- The books are
compared to birds because as the books are burning, they take "flight" to that of
birds/pigeons that are nuisances.
According to pages 3-4, what does Montag think of his job? - Answers- Montag thinks
his job is entertaining and he enjoys what he does, so in all he loves his job.
Who does Montag meet on his way home? - Answers- He meets Clarisse McClellan, a
17 year old girl, who knows awfully a lot more than what is expected of their society.
During his conversations, Montag says that " You never wash it off completely" referring
to the kerosene. What could this mean symbolically? - Answers- This could mean that
once you burn something important like books, you can't exactly shake off the feelings
after you've done it as it is the guilt of burning books and the houses that contain them.
Why do you think that Bradbury would introduce Clarisse before Montag's wife, Mildred?
- Answers- It is probably because Clarisse will be of more importance in the story and
to show the differences in personalities of the two of them.
Why does Mildred need help when Montag gets home? - Answers- Mildred needs help
because she overdosed on sleeping pills and was completely passed out.
Describe the help that she recieves. - Answers- Two men hook up tubes that pump her
stomach and extracts the pills as well as pumps new blood.
Is there anything unusual about the way the two men go about helping Mildred? How is
it unusual? - Answers- They are very impersonal about the ordeal. The men say this
happens often and that the two aren't necessarily doctors but just operators.
How is life in Montag's house very different from that of Clarisse's house? - Answers- In
Montag's house, Mildred and Guy hardly ever talk or communicate in any way. Mildred
is always in the "parlor" and Guy is often at work. At Clarisse's house, she and her
family often talk and discuss things.
How does Mildred react after she wakes up from her previous night's experience? -
Answers- Mildred doesn't remember what had happened and feels as if she is having a
hangover.
What does Mildred do all day? - Answers- Mildred watches TV or listens to her music
from her earpieces (seashells).
Describe the setup of Montag's TV room? - Answers- There are four walls with a TV
except for one that is just a plain wall.
What is Clarisse doing when Montag sees her on page 21? - Answers- Clarisse is
speaking to her uncle.
