20 Questions

1. “The Hearth and the Salamander” seems an odd choice for a chapter title. Why do you suppose Bradbury chooses it? What connections is he creating? (hint: in mythology, the salamander is a fire lizard, said to be capable of starting and putting out fires)

I think that Bradbury chooses this title because the Salamander is the fire that the firemen create and the Hearth is the books. The connections that Bradbury is making is the firemen will burning down the books

2. The lines, “It was a pleasure to burn. It was a special pleasure to see things eaten, to see things blackened and changed” (1) tell the reader a great deal about the protagonist, Guy Montag. What assumptions can the reader make?

The reader can assumptions that Guy Montag is happy that the books can vanish into thin air and the books can be gone.

3. Bradbury’s use of metaphor and animal imagery begins on page one of the novel. He writes, “With the brass nozzle in his fists, with this great python spitting its venomous kerosene upon the world, the blood pounded in his head...” (1). Why would he have chosen to characterize a fire hose as a “great python?” Is the imagery positive or negative?

The fire hose was chosen to eliminate the books. The imagery is positive towards Guy Montag because he is happy to eliminate the books which we don't really need to their world.

4. Also on the first page, we learn that Montag’s fire-helmet is inscribed with the number 451. What is the symbolic importance of this number?

The importance of this number is how much degrees into Fahrenheit is used to furn the books.

5. Explain how Clarisse McClellan is first described. What is it about her that immediately strikes Montag?

Clarisse McClellan immediately strikes Guy Montag because she is more different than other people that Guy Monatg has met because she is open-minded like communicating towards her family and nature.

6. The names “Clarisse” and “Guy” are significant. How?

The names "Clarisse" and "Guy" are significant because it shows difference ways how they are living they way they are today.

7. Clarisse questions Montag about his way of life. How does she question him, and how does he react to her questions?

Clarisse questioned Montag in a serious way, and Montag reacted confuse because he doesn't know if he is happy, or not.

8. During the first conversation between Clarisse and Montag the reader discovers several odd things about the society in which these two characters live. Describe at least three odd things we learn.

The odd things that Montag learned about Clarisse is that she communicates with her family a lot, she is also a person who doesn't really uses technology because she likes nature, and she open-minded like having her house bright in the night.

9. Montag employs two similes in thinking of Clarisse. What comparisons does he make and why?

The similes that he thinks about Clarisse are, "She had a very thin face like the dial of a small clock seen faintly in a dark room in the middle of a night when you waken to see the time and see the clock telling you the hour and the minute and the second, with a white silence and a glowing, all certainty and knowing what it has to tell of the night passing swiftly on toward further darkness but moving also toward a new sun," and "What a incredible power of identification the girl had; she was like the eager watcher of a marionette show, anticipating each flicker of an eyelid, each gesture of his hand, each flick of finger, the moment before it began." The comparisons that he makes about Clarisse thinking that she is happy and beautiful as she is even though she in the darkness because she shines bright no matter what she does.

10. What does Montag realize about himself after Clarisse leaves him the first time?

Montag is realizing what was wrong and what was right about his life from burning the books.

11. What are “Seashells” and how does Montag’s wife, Mildred/Millie, use them?

Milred uses the "seashells" to listen to the waves, or like listening to calm music.

12. There is a stark difference between Bradbury’s first description of Clarisse and his first description of Mildred. What does the reference to her face (11) signify and how does it contribute to our understanding of both her character and the marriage between Montag and Mildred?

The difference between Clarisse and his first description of Milred by thinking what is happening to the world. While Montag is understanding their marriage is being a strange because Milred is not being open-minded to her husband of what is going through her mind lately.

13. Describe the machine used on Mildred. Explain the symbolism.

The machine that was used on Milred was something to used to medicine, or to cure her from thinking what happened that made her started to feelings, or being open-minded towards herself.

14. Montag’s comment that “Nobody knows anyone” (14) is telling. What is the epiphany he has?

He is starting feel negative about himself from what Milred was going through without her telling Montag about it.

15. Unthinkingly, Montage finds himself drawn to the window of the McClellan household. Explain the contrast between his house and this one. What does the contrast tell the reader about society at large? 

The difference between their houses are Clarisse's house is more bright which gives light in their home, and Montag's house seems to be dead like dark and no light.

16. Montag’s confused statement, “‘I don’t know anything anymore’” (15) signifies a pivotal moment in the text. Explain. 

The reason why Montag saying that he doesn't know anything anymore because he started to be thinking and open-minded with his thoughts,

17. When Mildred wakes up from her near-death experience, she does not seem to remember what happened. Describe her mood at this point. Why has Bradbury characterized her this way? What does Millie’s conversation with Montag reveal about her? 

Bradbury characterized her this way because she won't have feelings about depression and tries to make her think this world of reality is fine. Milred's conversation with Montag reveal about her that she isn't really thinking straight because she isn't that open-minded of what she is doing.

18. Why does Clarisse visit the psychiatrist? 

The reason why Clarisse goes to the psychiatrist because she is difference from other people because she likes nature, but not technology that people use and also acts different which cause them to think that she is crazy.

19. What is “the Hound” and what is its function? Why is Montag bothered by the Hound?

The Hound is where Mechanical Hound which they built machines, or robots. Montag is bother by them because they actually don't like Montag.

20. Why does the woman want to stay-- and burn, and die--with her books, rather than surrender to the fireman and leave the books and her home to burn?

The reason the old woman wanted to stay, burn, and die with her books rather than surrendering because she wanted to live a life for books because it makes her happy and her think, or open-minded.