Censorship, Truth & Happiness in Fahrenheit 451

Lesson 18
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ELA

Unit 7

10th Grade

Lesson 18 of 20

Objective


Analyze how Bradbury uses symbolism of the river and phoenix to reveal Montag’s character.

Readings and Materials


  • Book: Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury  pp. 119 – 158 — "Part 3: Burning Bright”

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Target Task


Writing Prompt

How does Bradbury use the symbolism of the river and phoenix to reveal Montag’s character?

Sample Response

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Key Thinking


Annotation Focus

What lines and phrases discuss the river and phoenix and seem particularly interesting and revealing?

Scaffolding Questions

Bradbury chooses to open the novel with a description of fire. Go back and look. How does he describe fire on the opening page of the novel. How is this similar to or different from the way Bradbury describes the fire on page 139? 

What are the men doing at the bottom of page 139? Why has Bradbury chosen to show us this as the first image of these men? 

How does Bradbury characterize Granger? What does Granger explain to Montag about the news on pages 141-142? 

How are the men who burn books different from the government that burns books? 

Bradbury describes the war as something that “[begins] and [ends] in an instant”? What does this mean? Why is it significant? 

How does Bradbury characterize the state of the city at the end of the novel? In what way is this connected to the title “Burning Bright?” 

Discourse Questions

What is the symbolic significance of the river and phoenix? 

How are Montag, Granger, and the men similar to the phoenix?

Homework


  • Prepare for the summative Socratic Seminar by crafting key points and selecting and citing strong evidence per question.

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Standards


  • LO 1.3B — Analyze how the writer's use of stylistic elements contributes to a work of literature's effects and meaning.
  • RL.9-10.3 — Analyze how complex characters (e.g., those with multiple or conflicting motivations) develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and advance the plot or develop the theme.

Supporting Standards

LO 1.3A
LO 2.3A
LO 5.1A
LO 5.1B
RL.9-10.1
RL.9-10.2
SL.9-10.1
W.9-10.2.a

Next

Formulate and share unique arguments about Fahrenheit 451

Support arguments with strong and thorough textual evidence in a summative Socratic Seminar.

Lesson 19
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Lesson Map

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