Fahrenheit 451 Themes Theme Chart Notes Theme

Fahrenheit 451 Themes Theme Chart Notes

Theme Topic: Knowledge vs Ignorance • Firemen destroy knowledge (books) • Government promotes ignorance • What is critical thinking? – Challenging ideas rather than accepting them • Look for the contrast between Faber and Captain • Beatty Look for Montag’s journey from ignorance to enlightenment – What is enlightenment you say?

Theme Topic: Government Control/ Conformity • Government Control – The government seeks to control the people by making them ignorant of their history – How could this be a form of control? • Conformity – In this fictional world it is highly prized to be the SAME. – No one is allowed to have individual thoughts – Interestingly this is SELF-ENFORCED by the citizens. . . hmmmm, sound familiar? • What are some similarities to our modern society?

Theme Topic: Over-reliance on Technology • TV and electronics are the enemy (even though they • seem like amazing advancements that we’d all enjoy)! The argument for the advanced technology is that people are HAPPIER when they DON’T have to THINK! – Sound familiar? I love a good Kardashian episode. . . don’t you? • What are the problems with becoming too overly reliant on technology? – Look for these for your theme chart

Theme Topic: Man vs Natural World • Think about “There Will Come Soft Rains” – Who won? Man or the Natural World? – Who ultimately has more control? • Man = Technology/government/conformity • Natural World = engagement/truth/living • What is our life cycle? How does technology work to eliminate the natural cycle of life?

Theme Topic: Dissatisfaction • Are you really happy? • Everyone in this novel seems to be happy. . . they have what we all want! The best that money can buy in technological advances! – Watch TV all day, have food made for them at any time, drive cars as fast as they want • Sounds like a dream right? Or is it?

Theme Topic: Violence • The futuristic world of Fahrenheit 451 is violent – They have no respect for human life – Violence is an outlet for pent-up emotions • Why do you think this is? As we read, and consider how the other themes relate to this theme. . . is there a problem here?

Theme Topic: Censorship • No one is able to think independently • If they have an original idea, it is quelled immediately – They may be put in jail or sent to a doctor for psychological help • This is connected to books. . but don’t let that bother you (even if you don’t love to read). . . the problem is NO ONE IS ABLE TO SPEAK HIS/HER MIND! (Books are merely symbolic of this problem!)

Theme Chart pgs. 3 -14 Main Points • Montag is a fireman that sets fires Setting Characters Relation to Theme He’s on a Montag – a Violence – • Montag meets street and fireman and Montag seems Clarisse and it’s dark the obsessed with she asks him if protagonist burning he’s happy • Montag finds Montag’s House Clarisse – 17 Dissatifaction – his wife has mildred’s tried to commit and a war & crazy, is insightful attempted suicide beginning Mildred suicide and Guy’s admission that

Theme Chart pgs. 14 -28 Main Points Setti Characte Relation to Theme ng rs • Mildred gets her stomach pumped • Montag sees Clarisse (dandelion test)– He’s not in love • The Mon tag’s Hou se On the stre et Midred Montag Clarisse Captain Beatty Dissatisfaction – Mildred’s denial of her suicide attempt and Montag is not in love Violence/Government Control – The hound kills people to show the power of the government over the community (Over reliance on

Theme Chart pgs. 28 -42 Main Points Setting Charact Relation to Theme ers • Clarisse explains why she’s “antisocial” • Montag steals a book • The woman commits suicide by burning herself On the street Clarisse and Montag The burning woman’ s house Captain Beatty, Stonem an and Black Violence – Clarisse’s classmates hurt each other, Fun Parks Conformity – Everyone is expected to be the same (high school) Knowledge vs Ignorance – Montag is moving towards knowledge Violence/Dissatisfa Woman ction – woman kills herself who burned

Theme Chart pgs. 42 -53 Main Points Setting Characters • Montag Mildred and Overrelianc Montag e on Tech – Mildred Dissatisfacti on – Montag Violence – Clarisse has been hit by a car feels like Mildred’s TV family is more important to her • Montag finds out that Clarisse is Montag’s house Relation to Theme

Theme Chart pgs. 53 -68 Main Points Setting Characte Relation to rs Theme • Captain Mildred Montag Beatty explains how the firemen came to have their jobs • Montag tells Mildred about the Montag’s house Knowledge vs ignorance – society used to move slower and had time to think , Montag is trying to become knowledgable

Theme Chart pgs 68 -80 Main Points Montag calls aber Montag has eaded out to make copies of he Bible Montag tries to memorize the ible but he is oo distracted Setting Characters Relatio theme Montag’s house Faber – retired Censors English Books a The train professor allowed Montag met at a people park hiding t Montag Mildred Man vs world – advertis are man

Theme Chart 80 -93 Main Points Setting • Montag arrives Faber’s House at Faber’s • 3 solutions for society – quality, leisure time, right to action • Want to cause doubt about the firemen by hiding books in Characters Faber Montag Rel the Kno Igno Fab kno Mon grow Cen Mak of c mat

Theme Chart 93 -107 Setting Montag’s d house Firehouse Characters Montag Mildred Mrs. Bowels and Mrs. Phelps – Mildred’s friends Captain Beatty (Faber in Montag’s ear) Relation to theme Dissatisfaction – Women are unhappy but can’t admit it Knowledge vs Ignorance – Montag is becoming knowledgeable while Mildred/friends stay ignorant

Theme Chart pg 107 -121 Main Points • The alarm goes off and the firemen and Montag drive to his house • Montag burns his own house and Beatty • Montag burns the hound and Setting Characters Firehouse Montag, Montag’s Beatty, Faber house (in his ear) Mildred The hound Relation Censorsh Burning house to him from books Governm Control – Beatty m control

Theme Chart 121 -136 Main Points Setting Characters Relatio • Montag is almost run over by a car • Plants books in Fireman Black’s house • Faber and Montag decide on a plan – Faber to St. Louis to make copies of Bible, Faber’s house Faber Montag New hound Kids from the car Violence a target A street The Blacks’ house Governm – The w started, governm people t the man Over rel technolo

Theme Chart pgs 136 -150 Main Points Setting Characters Relation • Montag runs – City streets Montag He’s being chased by a Hobo camp Hound new mechanical hound Granger – • The TV tells Smart, rustic everyone to hobo look outside on the count of 10 • Montag finds the hobos and Governm – the go controls in their s Montag Man vs N Montag c apprecia natural w “leisure”

Theme Chart pgs 150 -166 Main Points Setting Characters • The Hobo camp Montag government kills Granger a man who isn’t Montag • Granger tells Montag that there is a large group of people who have memorized books Relatio Governm – they c the peo (“Monta the bom no one Violence innocen Knowle