Fahrenheit 451 Study Guide

Fahrenheit 451 Study Guide Fahrenheit 451 is a novel by Ray Bradbury. Published in 1953, the book takes place in a dystopian future world where the job of a firefighter is to burn books, rather than put out fires. The main character, Guy Montag, is one such fireman, who slowly begins to perceive the world around him as perverse and superficial even as it slides inexorably towards a nuclear war. A commentary on the power of literacy and critical thought, Fahrenheit 451 remains a potent reminder of how quickly a society can fall apart. Fast Facts: Fahrenheit 451 Author: Ray BradburyPublisher: Ballantine BooksYear Published: 1953Genre: Science FictionType of Work: NovelOriginal Language: EnglishThemes: Censorship, technology, conformityCharacters: Guy Montag, Mildred Montag, Clarisse McClellan, Captain Beatty, Professor Faber, GrangerNotable Adaptations: 1966 film by Franà §ois Truffaut; 2018 HBO adaptation by Ramin BahraniFun Fact: Bradbury wrote Fahrenheit 451 on rented typewriters at his local library, spending $9.80 to write the book. Plot Summary The protagonist, Guy Montag, is a fireman whose job is to burn hidden caches of books, which are forbidden in this unspecified future society. At first, he goes about his job fairly mindlessly, but a conversation with a non-conforming teenager spurs him to question society. He develops a restless dissatisfaction that cannot be quashed. Montag steals a Bible and smuggles it into his home. When he reveals the book (and the others hes stolen) to his wife Mildred, she panics at the thought of losing their income and thus the huge wall-sized televisions she watches constantly. Montag’s boss, Captain Beatty, gives him 24 hours to burn the book or face the consequences. Montag eventually buries his book collection with help from Faber, a former professor. Soon, however, a call comes in for the Firemen to burn a new book cache- and the address is Montag’s house. Beatty insists that Montag do the burning; in response, Montag kills him and flees into the countryside. There, he meets a group of drifters who tell him of their mission to memorize books in order to eventually rebuild society. At the end of the book, there is a nuclear attack on the city, and Montag and the drifters head out to begin rebuilding. Major Characters Guy Montag. The protagonist of the story, Guy is a fireman who has been illegally hoarding and reading books. His blind faith in society erodes and opens his eyes to the decline of civilization. His efforts to resist conformity make him a criminal. Mildred Montag. Guy’s wife. Mildred has retreated entirely into a fantasy world stoked television. Mildred is unable to comprehend Guy’s dissatisfaction and behaves in a childish, superficial manner throughout the story. Her behavior represents society at large. Clarisse McClellan. A teenage girl who lives in Guy Montag’s neighborhood. She is curious and non-comformist, representing the nature of youth before the corrupting effects of society and materialism. She is the catalyst for Montag’s mental awakening. Captain Beatty. Montag’s boss. Beatty is a former intellectual whose disappointment in books’ inability to truly solve problems has turned him into an anti-intellectual. Beatty tells Montag that books must be burned because they make people unhappy without offering real solutions. Professor Faber. Once a professor of English, Faber is a meek, timid man who deplores what society has become but lacks the bravery to do anything about it. Faber embodies Bradbury’s belief that knowledge without the willingness to use it is useless. Granger. The leader of a group of drifters who have escaped society. Granger and the drifters preserve knowledge and wisdom by memorizing books. He explains to Montag that history is cyclical, and that a new age of wisdom will follow the current age of ignorance. Major Themes Freedom of Thought vs. Censorship. The novel is set in a society where the state forbids certain kinds of thought. Books contain the collected wisdom of humanity; denied access to them, people lack the mental skills to resist their government. The Dark Side of Technology. Passive pastimes like watching TV are portrayed as harmful purveyors of passive consumption. Technology in the book is consistently used to punish, oppress, and otherwise harm the characters. Obedience vs. Rebellion. Humanity assists in its own oppression. As Captain Beatty explains, banning books didn’t require effort- people chose to ban books, because the knowledge in them made them think, which made them unhappy. Literary Style Bradbury uses rich language filled with metaphors, similes, and figurative speech throughout the book. Even Montag, who has no formal education, thinks in terms of animal images and poetic, deeply beautiful symbols. Captain Beatty and Professor Faber frequently quote poets and great writers. Bradbury also uses animal imagery throughout to associate technology with dangerous predators. About the Author Born in 1920, Ray Bradbury was one of the most important writers of the 20th century, particularly in the science fiction genre. Bradbury framed technology and supernatural forces as dangerous and foreboding, which reflected the anxious, uneasy atmosphere of the newly atomic post-World War II world.

25 Essay Topics for American Government Classes

25 Essay Topics for American Government Classes If you are a teacher searching for essay topics to assign to your U.S. government or civics class or looking for ideas, do not fret. It is easy to integrate debates and discussions into the classroom environment. These topic suggestions provide a wealth of ideas for written assignments such as  position papers, compare and contrast essays  and  argumentative essays. Scan the following 25 question topics and ideas to find just the right one. Youll soon be reading interesting papers from your students after they grapple with these challenging and important issues. 25 Topics Compare and contrast what is a direct democracy versus representative democracy.  React to the following statement: Democratic decision-making should be extended to all areas of life including schools, the workplace, and the government.  Compare and contrast the Virginia and New Jersey plans. Explain how these led to the Great Compromise.  Pick one thing about the U.S. Constitution including its amendments that you think should be changed. What  modifications would you make? Explain your reasons for making this change.What did Thomas Jefferson mean when he said, The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants? Do you think that this statement still applies to todays world?  Compare and contrast mandates and conditions of aid regarding the federal governments relationship with states. For example, how has FEMA delivered support to states and commonwealths which have experienced natural disasters?Should individual states have mor e or less power compared to the federal government when implementing laws dealing with topics such as legalization of marijuana  and abortion?   Outline a program that would get more people to vote in presidential elections or local elections.What are the dangers of gerrymandering when it comes to voting and presidential elections?Compare and contrast the major political parties in the United States. What platforms did they use in the last presidential election? What policies are they preparing for upcoming midterm elections?Why would voters choose to vote for a third party, even though they know that their candidate has virtually no chance of winning?  Describe the major sources of money that are donated to political campaigns. Check out the Federal Election Regulatory Commissions website for information.Should corporations be treated as individuals regarding being allowed to donate to political campaigns?  Ã‚  Look at the recent Citizens United ruling.  Defend your answer.  Explain the role of social media in connecting interest groups that have grown stronger as the major political parties have grown weaker.  Exp lain why the media has been called the fourth branch of government. Include your opinion on whether this is an accurate portrayal. Compare and contrast the campaigns of Senate and  House of Representatives candidates.Should term limits be instituted for members of Congress? Explain your answer.Should members of Congress vote their conscience or follow the will of the people who elected them into office? Explain your answer.Explain how executive orders have been used by presidents throughout the history of the U.S. What is the number of executive orders issued by the current president?In your opinion, which of the three branches has the most power? Defend your answer.Which of the rights guaranteed by the First Amendment do you consider the most important? Explain your answer.  Should a school be required to get a warrant before searching a students property? Defend your answer.  Why did the Equal Rights Amendment fail? What kind of campaign could be run to see it passed?Explain how the 14th Amendment has affected civil liberties in the United States from the time of its passage at the end of the Civil War.D o you think that the federal government has enough, too much or just the right amount of power? Defend your answer.