Say Level
Pg. 54. Based on this passage what was one of the reasons that people lost interest in books?
Books weren't as fun as other things such as sports
“A book is a loaded gun in the house next door”. What kind of stylistic technique is used here? And what does it say about Beatty’s perspective on books?
Stylistic technique: metaphor
Beatty thinks books are dangerous and are an easy way to get killed. He thinks they can harm you.
"Will you turn [the parlor] off for a sick man?" "I'll turn it down." She went out of the room and did nothing to the parlor and came back. "Is that better?" (pg. 46) What does this say about Mildred and Montag's relationship?
It shows that Mildred doesn't even care about Montag's illness, and this goes to show that she's putting in no effort into their relationship. Their relationship is getting weaker.
Pg. 57 Based on this passage what is another reason for books being outcast by society?
To avoid conflict between different races, genders, religions, etc.
“I don’t know what it is. I’m so damned unhappy, I’m so mad, and I don’t know why.” How does this answer EQ 2?
Montag had never thought about if he were happy or not, but after having many encounters and conversations with Clarisse, he realized that he was not happy. He had nothing to love and not much meaning to his life.
“I’ve had to read a few in my time… the books say nothing!... They’re about non-existent people… one professor calling another an idiot...you come away lost.” What does this tell you about how the society that Montag lives in looks at books and how they would have gotten there?
Society has spent so long having been taught that books are bad, so long that now they only see the non-ethical and boring parts of a book.
Pg. 55 Judging by this passage what is another reason that books were disregarded?
Everyone would be the same, have the same rights, and be equal
“That’s why we lowered the kindergarten age year after year until now we’re almost snatching them from the cradle.” Why do you think they do this?
So that no one can grow up and become different. They want everyone to be the same and to be equal. No one is smarter and no one is better. They can’t give room for them to develop on their own so they teach them how to be
"A natural error. Curiosity alone," said Beatty. "We don't get over anxious or mad. We let the fireman keep the book twenty-four hours. If he hasn't burned it by then, we simply come burn it for him." Why is this unfair, to let firemen keep a book for one day? (pg. 59)
It's unfair because the other citizens won't get a chance to find out if they like books or not, while the firemen get to look at the books, and since they're not that big of a group compared to the citizens, the amount people who find out they like books is basically zero because firemen are already trained to not like books.
"We're the Happiness Boys, the Dixie Duo, you, I, and the others." What does this tell you how the firemen think of book burnings?
They think that they're the people working towards everyone being happy
“Ten minutes after death a man’s a speck of black dust. Let’s not quibble over individuals with memoriams. Forget them. Burn all, burn everything. Fire is bright and fire is clean.” What propaganda technique is used here and what is the propaganda trying to express?
Prop tech: Glittering Generalities
The propaganda is trying to show that fires and burning things (such as books) are good things. In our history reading, the author Homer uses words like ‘dirty’, and ‘filthy’, To describe the war negatively. Here, the author uses words such as ‘bright’, and ‘clean’, To show how people believe that it is a good thing to burn away books, and even sometimes people.
Pg. 54-55. What EQ does this answer? And how does it answer it? Bonus: What is the “cliff’ in this passage?
This answers the essential question “what do books do for us?” In this case, it is really what CAN books do for us. Montag believes that there is a chance that the books could help them, save them from the “cliff” they are about to go over. He thinks it’s possible that these books could be something special.
Bonus: The cliff is the edge of them living life, without actually living it, without meaning.