Fahrenheit 451 ThemesFahrenheit 451 Themes

Theme Chart NotesTheme Chart Notes

Theme Topic: Knowledge vs Theme Topic: Knowledge vs IgnoranceIgnorance

• Firemen destroy knowledge (books)Firemen destroy knowledge (books)

• Government promotes ignorance Government promotes ignorance

• What is critical thinking? What is critical thinking? – Challenging ideas rather than accepting themChallenging ideas rather than accepting them

• Look for the contrast between Faber and Look for the contrast between Faber and Captain BeattyCaptain Beatty

• Look for Montag’s journey from ignorance to Look for Montag’s journey from ignorance to enlightenmentenlightenment– What is enlightenment you say? What is enlightenment you say?

Theme Topic: Government Theme Topic: Government Control/ ConformityControl/ Conformity

• Government Control – The government Government Control – The government seeks to control the people by making seeks to control the people by making them ignorant of their historythem ignorant of their history– How could this be a form of control? How could this be a form of control?

• Conformity – In this fictional world it is Conformity – In this fictional world it is highly prized to be the SAME. highly prized to be the SAME. – No one is allowed to have individual No one is allowed to have individual

thoughtsthoughts– Interestingly this is SELF-ENFORCED by the Interestingly this is SELF-ENFORCED by the

citizens...hmmmm, sound familiar? citizens...hmmmm, sound familiar?

• What are some similarities to our What are some similarities to our modern society? modern society?

Theme Topic: Over-reliance on Theme Topic: Over-reliance on TechnologyTechnology

• TV and electronics are the enemy (even TV and electronics are the enemy (even though they seem like amazing advancements though they seem like amazing advancements that we’d all enjoy)!that we’d all enjoy)!

• The argument for the advanced technology is The argument for the advanced technology is that people are HAPPIER when they DON’T that people are HAPPIER when they DON’T have to THINK!have to THINK!– Sound familiar? I love a good Kardashian Sound familiar? I love a good Kardashian

episode...don’t you? episode...don’t you?

• What are the problems with becoming too What are the problems with becoming too overly reliant on technology? overly reliant on technology? – Look for these for your theme chart Look for these for your theme chart

Theme Topic: Man vs Natural Theme Topic: Man vs Natural WorldWorld

• Think about “There Will Come Soft Rains” Think about “There Will Come Soft Rains” – Who won? Man or the Natural World? Who won? Man or the Natural World? – Who ultimately has more control? Who ultimately has more control?

• Man = Man = Technology/government/conformityTechnology/government/conformity

• Natural World = engagement/truth/livingNatural World = engagement/truth/living

• What is our life cycle? How does What is our life cycle? How does technology work to eliminate the natural technology work to eliminate the natural cycle of life? cycle of life?

Theme Topic: Theme Topic: DissatisfactionDissatisfaction• Are you really happy? Are you really happy?

• Everyone in this novel seems to be Everyone in this novel seems to be happy...they have what we all want! happy...they have what we all want! The best that money can buy in The best that money can buy in technological advances! technological advances! – Watch TV all day, have food made for Watch TV all day, have food made for

them at any time, drive cars as fast as them at any time, drive cars as fast as they wantthey want

• Sounds like a dream right? Or is it? Sounds like a dream right? Or is it?

Theme Topic: ViolenceTheme Topic: Violence

• The futuristic world of Fahrenheit 451 The futuristic world of Fahrenheit 451 is violent is violent – They have no respect for human lifeThey have no respect for human life– Violence is an outlet for pent-up emotionsViolence is an outlet for pent-up emotions

• Why do you think this is? As we read, Why do you think this is? As we read, and consider how the other themes and consider how the other themes relate to this theme...is there a relate to this theme...is there a problem here? problem here?

Theme Topic: CensorshipTheme Topic: Censorship

• No one is able to think independently No one is able to think independently

• If they have an original idea, it is If they have an original idea, it is quelled immediately – They may be quelled immediately – They may be put in jail or sent to a doctor for put in jail or sent to a doctor for psychological helppsychological help

• This is connected to books....but don’t This is connected to books....but don’t let that bother you (even if you don’t let that bother you (even if you don’t love to read)...the problem is NO ONE love to read)...the problem is NO ONE IS ABLE TO SPEAK HIS/HER MIND! IS ABLE TO SPEAK HIS/HER MIND! (Books are merely symbolic of this (Books are merely symbolic of this problem!)problem!)

Theme Chart pgs. 3-14Theme Chart pgs. 3-14Main PointsMain Points Setting Setting CharactersCharacters Relation to Relation to

ThemeTheme•Montag is a fireman that sets firesMontag is a fireman that sets fires

•Montag Montag meets meets Clarisse and Clarisse and she asks him she asks him if he’s happyif he’s happy

•Montag Montag finds his wife finds his wife has tried to has tried to commit commit suicidesuicide

He’s on He’s on a street a street and it’s and it’s darkdark

Montag’Montag’s House s House and a and a war is war is beginninbeginning g

Montag – a Montag – a fireman fireman and the and the protagonisprotagonistt

Clarisse – Clarisse – 17 & 17 & crazy, crazy, insightfulinsightful

Mildred - Mildred -

Violence – Violence – Montag Montag seems seems obsessed obsessed with burningwith burning

Dissatifaction Dissatifaction – mildred’s – mildred’s attempted attempted suicide and suicide and Guy’s Guy’s admission admission that he isn’t that he isn’t happyhappy

Theme Chart pgs. 14-28Theme Chart pgs. 14-28

Main Main PointsPoints

SettSetting ing

CharactCharactersers

Relation to ThemeRelation to Theme

•Mildred Mildred gets her gets her stomach stomach pumpedpumped

•Montag Montag sees sees Clarisse Clarisse (dandelio(dandelion test)– n test)– He’s not He’s not in lovein love

•The The mechanicmechanical hound al hound threatens threatens MontagMontag

MoMontantag’s g’s HouHousese

On On the the strestreet et

Fire Fire StatStationion

MidredMidred

MontagMontag

ClarisseClarisse

Captain Captain BeattyBeatty

Dissatisfaction – Dissatisfaction – Mildred’s denial of Mildred’s denial of her suicide her suicide attempt and attempt and Montag is not in Montag is not in love love

Violence/Violence/Government Government Control – The Control – The hound kills people hound kills people to show the power to show the power of the government of the government over the over the community (Over community (Over reliance on reliance on technologytechnology

Theme Chart pgs. 28-42Theme Chart pgs. 28-42

Main Main PointsPoints

SettinSetting g

CharacCharactersters

Relation to Relation to ThemeTheme

•Clarisse explains why she’s Clarisse explains why she’s “antisocial” “antisocial”

•Montag Montag steals a steals a bookbook

•The The woman woman commits commits suicide by suicide by burning burning herselfherself

On the streetOn the street

The The burninburning g womawoman’s n’s househouse

Clarisse and MontagClarisse and Montag

CaptaiCaptain n Beatty, Beatty, StoneStoneman man and and BlackBlack

WomaWoman who n who burnedburned

Violence – Clarisse’s classmates hurt each Violence – Clarisse’s classmates hurt each other, Fun Parksother, Fun Parks

Conformity – Everyone is expected to be the Conformity – Everyone is expected to be the same (high school) same (high school)

Knowledge vs Knowledge vs Ignorance – Ignorance – Montag is Montag is moving towards moving towards knowledgeknowledge

Violence/Violence/Dissatisfaction – Dissatisfaction – woman kills woman kills herself herself

Theme Chart pgs. 42-53Theme Chart pgs. 42-53

Main Main PointsPoints

Setting Setting CharacterCharacterss

Relation Relation to Themeto Theme

•Montag Montag feels like feels like Mildred’s Mildred’s TV family TV family is more is more important important to herto her

•Montag Montag finds out finds out that that Clarisse is Clarisse is deaddead

•Captain Captain Beatty Beatty shows shows up at up at Montag’s Montag’s househouse

Montag’s Montag’s househouse

Mildred Mildred and and MontagMontag

OverrelianOverreliance on ce on Tech – Tech – MildredMildred

DissatisfaDissatisfaction – ction – MontagMontag

Violence – Violence – Clarisse Clarisse has been has been hit by a hit by a carcar

Theme Chart pgs. 53-68Theme Chart pgs. 53-68

Main Main PointsPoints

Setting Setting CharactCharactersers

Relation to Relation to ThemeTheme

•Captain Captain Beatty Beatty explains explains how the how the firemen firemen came to came to have their have their jobsjobs

•Montag Montag tells tells Mildred Mildred about the about the books books

•They They read read togethertogether

Montag’s Montag’s househouse

MildredMildred

MontagMontag

BeattyBeatty

Knowledge Knowledge vs ignorance vs ignorance – society – society used to used to move slower move slower and had and had time to think time to think , Montag is , Montag is trying to trying to become become knowledgablknowledgablee

Theme Chart pgs 68-80 Theme Chart pgs 68-80 Main Points Setting Characters Relation to

theme•Montag calls Faber •Montag has headed out to make copies of the Bible•Montag tries to memorize the Bible but he is too distracted

Montag’s house

The train

Faber – retired English professor Montag met at a park

MontagMildred

Censorship – Books are not allowed so people are hiding them

Man vs natural world – advertisements are man-made and he needs nature’s peace

Theme Chart 80-93Theme Chart 80-93Main Points Setting Characters Relation to

theme•Montag arrives at Faber’s•3 solutions for society – quality, leisure time, right to action•Want to cause doubt about the firemen by hiding books in their houses

Faber’s House Faber

Montag

Knowledge vs Ignorance – Faber has knowledge and Montag is growing

Censorship – Making copies of censored material

Theme Chart 93-107Theme Chart 93-107Main Points Setting Characters Relation to

theme•Montag goes home to Mildred and her friends

•Montag reads “Dover Beach” to the women

•Montag comes face to face with Beatty finally (Faber is in his ear)

Montag’s house

Firehouse

Montag MildredMrs. Bowels and Mrs. Phelps – Mildred’s friends

Captain Beatty (Faber in Montag’s ear)

Dissatisfaction – Women are unhappy but can’t admit it

Knowledge vs Ignorance – Montag is becoming knowledgeable while Mildred/friends stay ignorant

Over-reliance on technology – the women talk about their TV “family”

Theme Chart pg 107-121Theme Chart pg 107-121

Main Points •The alarm goes off and the firemen and Montag drive to his house

Setting

Firehouse Montag’s house

Characters

Montag, Beatty, Faber (in his ear)

Relation to theme

Censorship – Burning Montag’s house to keep him from reading books

Government Control – Captain Beatty maintains control