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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does Montag want to find to help him in his quest for knowledge?

2. When Mildred talks about “her family,” whom is she referring to?

3. How does Mildred respond to Montag's story about the book owner's death?

4. Where does Montag appear to be hiding something from his wife?

5. How did Clarisse die?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Montag realize about life in his society as the technicians work on Mildred?

2. Why did the book burnings first begin?

3. How does Montag react after the book burning at the elderly woman’s home?

4. According to Beatty, what was the main goal of the firemen when the book burnings first began, and how does this fit into the new society’s goal?

5. How does Montag react to the fire call at the elderly woman’s house in Section One?

6. How is Montag treated on his first day back at work after his “illness”?

7. What is the hound at work specifically trained to do?

8. What does Clarisse question about Montag’s way of life, and how does he react to her questions?

9. What does Montag reveal to Mildred after Beatty leaves their home?

10. How does Montag feel about the elderly woman’s book burning the next morning?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What does Montag hope to discover by reading through the illegal books? How does his quest for knowledge affect his relationship with government, Mildred, Clarisse, and himself? Be sure to include examples from the text to help strengthen your arguments.

Essay Topic 2

What does Captain Beatty represent in regards to government and censorship. Do you think Beatty believes in the value of his societal position, or is he simply an insecure man with power to exploit? Why might Beatty want society to be completely homogenous, and what does his treatment of Montag tell you about his character? Be sure to include examples from the text to help strengthen your arguments.

Essay Topic 3

What does the river in Fahrenheit 451 symbolize? In what ways are both fire and water used as cleansing agents in the novel? Then, describe the two daydreams Montag experiences while floating down the river, and what they express about his character journey. Be sure to include examples from the text to help strengthen your arguments.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 861 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample