Censorship, Truth & Happiness in Fahrenheit 451

Lesson 8
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ELA

Unit 7

10th Grade

Lesson 8 of 20

Objective


Examine the details in hospital and fire scenes and analyze what they reveal about the values and beliefs of the society portrayed in Fahrenheit 451

Readings and Materials


  • Book: Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury  pp. 8 – 34 — “Part 1: The Hearth and the Salamander”

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Target Task


Writing Prompt

How does Bradbury use key details in the hospital and fire scene to reveal the values and beliefs of the society portrayed in Fahrenheit 451?

Sample Response

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Key Thinking


Scaffolding Questions

Pages 9-18

  • Why is Montag thinking of Clarisse on page 9? What does this reveal about society?
  • Track how Bradbury describes Montag’s wife on page 10. What key details describe Montag’s wife? What is the significance of these details? What do they reveal about the wife and about the situation? Specifically, what is wrong here?
  • Track the figurative language on page 11 used to describe Mildred. What figurative language describes Mildred? What is the literal meaning of this figurative language. What is the figurative meaning of this language? What is the significance of the figurative language on this page? What does it suggest about Mildred? 
  • Explain the “machine.” What does it reveal about society? What does Bradbury’s figurative language about the machine reveal his perspective on society?
  • Track the words of the “doctors.” What do they say? What do their words suggest about the society in which Montag lives?
  • What does Montag notice about Clarisse’s family on his way home? How does it make him feel? How is Clarisse’s family different from other families and people in Fahrenheit 451 society?

Pages 32-34

  • In one sentence, summarize the “rules” on page 32.
  • On page 33, what diction does Bradbury use to describe the actions of the firefighters? What does it imply about them? What does it imply about their beliefs and values? 
  • On page 33, what is the meaning of the phrase “amazing objectivity? What does it imply about Beatty? 
  • How does Bradbury describe the books at the bottom of page 33? What is significant about this description?
  • At the top of page 34, explain why they usually tape the victim’s mouth shut. What does this suggest about the value they place on people in this society? 
  • How does the woman behave? How does this make the firemen feel? 
  • Track all of the diction used to describe the books on page 34. What words describe the books? What are the connotations of these words? What does the diction imply?

Discourse Questions

Why does Bradbury most likely include the hospital and fire scenes? 

Homework


  • Read and annotate Section 2 of Fahrenheit 451 by Lesson 13. 
    • Annotation Focus: In what ways does Montag’s character change in Part 2? Who does he become? 
  • Track evidence for this unit’s Free Response Question using a SAY, MATTER, MEAN chart.

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

Next

Analyze the significance of Lady Macbeth’s handwashing. 

Explain the implied relationship between Montag’s hands and Lady Macbeth’s hands.

Lesson 9
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