Fahrenheit 451
This lesson plan is for teaching around the themes of censorship,
ignorance and technology presented in chapter 1.
A. Bellringer: on your sheet, write about the following quote:
"If they give you ruled paper, write the other way."
(What does this quote mean? What is the author trying to say?)
B. Read the First Amendment:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
How does this apply to your life?
2. Copy the Character List:
Guy Montag The protagonist, an unhappy, complacent man who is thirty years old. He has been a fireman for ten years. He meets Clarisse and finds that her outlook on life is refreshing.
Mildred Montag (Millie) Guy's self-destructive wife, also thirty years old, who reveals to Montag the alienated existence of citizens in his society. She has never wanted children and considers her family to be television characters.
Clarisse McClellan Montag's new neighbor, seventeen years old, who calls herself crazy and enjoys conversations. Her recalcitrance and nonconformity allow Montag to discover how jaded his view of life has become.
Captain Beatty The antagonist of the book and Montag's superior, the Fire Captain, who functions as the apologist for the dystopian culture in which Montag lives. He is well read and uses his knowledge of books as a weapon to fight curiosity about them.
Mechanical Hound A machine, similar to a trained killer dog that the firefighters use to track down and capture criminals. The Hound disables and kills offenders with a morphine or procaine needle.
Unidentified Woman A woman from the ancient part of the city. Her martyrdom reveals to Montag the power of civil disobedience, books, and ideas.
Faber An elderly man, a retired English professor who is an underground, though ineffectual, scholar. He becomes Montag's ally and mentor.
Granger An ex-writer who is the unacknowledged leader of the social outcasts and criminals. He unites the group to keep the content of books safe.
Stoneman and Black Montag's fellow firemen who are conformists, and conservatives. Together with Beatty, they form Montag's familiar working colleagues.
Mrs. Phelps and Mrs. Bowles Millie's friends who do not question the social structure. Their husbands are called away to war. They also view the television characters as their families and become agitated when Montag reads to them.
Fred Clement, Dr. Simmons, Professor West, Reverend Padover, and Harris in Youngstown Social outcasts and criminals who are led by Granger. They choose and memorize a book to ensure that the story is never forgotten.
3. Complete Section 1 (1-25) Vocab in your packets.
-Use the dictionary online
-The test is next Tuesday, 4/15
4. Review Vocabulary
5. Begin to read: Pages 1 - 18
(Whatever is not read, will be homework)
6. Complete corresponding packet work.
2. Read the following overview:
Guy Montag is a fireman who lives in a society in which books are illegal. His job is not to
extinguish fires, but to light them. He burns books, and all the firemen
wear the number "451" on their uniforms because that is the temperature
at which books burn.
But the role reversal of the firemen is not the only difference between
present-day society and the world in which Montag lives. People of
Montag's world take no interest in politics or world issues. The only point
of life is pleasure. Montag's wife, Mildred, spends her time watching the
televisions that take up three of the four walls in their parlor, or listening
to the seashell radios that fit snugly in the ear. It isn't until Montag meets
a young girl named Clarisse that he realizes that there might be more to
life than the electronic entertainment that absorbs everyone. Clarisse
makes him think about the world beyond the wall television and seashell
radios; she makes him wonder about life
CC.1.2.9-10.A: Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.
