Fahrenheit 451 – Reading Guide – Grade 8
Use these questions to guide your reading and understanding of the book. Preview the
questions before you begin to read each chapter or section of the book.
Part 1. The Hearth and the Salamander
1. What is the name of the main character? What does he do for a living?
2. Whom does Montag meet on his way home? What do they talk about? What does
Montag think about the conversation?
3. What does Montag find when he walks into his house? Who responds to his call
for help?
4. What kind of girl is Clarisse?
5. What is the Mechanical Hound? What does Montag suspect is the reason for the
Hound’s attack on him in the firehouse?
6. Why are the firemen called to the old lady’s house?
7. What does the old lady do after the firemen douse her books with kerosene? What
is Montag’s reaction to this?
8. How does Beatty describe the society in which they live?
9. What does Mildred find under Montag’s pillow while he and Beatty are talking?
10. What does Montag do after Beatty leaves? What is Mildred’s reaction?
11. How have Montag’s opinions changed by the end of the first part of the novel?
12. Why do you think the first section was entitled, “The Hearth and the
Salamander”?
Part 2. The Sieve and the Sand
1. Instead of going to work, where does Montag go?
2. What do Faber and Montag talk about? According to Faber, what three things are
missing from society?
3. What does Faber give Montag so that the two can continue to communicate?
4. What does Montag do to Mildred’s friends? How do the friends react?
5. When Montag arrives at the firehouse what do he and Beatty talk about?
6. How does Beatty attack and argue with Montag? What is Montag’s reaction?
7. Where does Montag go on his next fire call?
Part 3. Burning Bright
1. What does Montag do to his house? Why do you think he does this?
2. Then what does he do? Where does he run?
3. What happens as Montag crosses the boulevard?
4. Who is chasing Montag and why?
5. How does Faber help Montag?
6. How does Montag escape from the Hound? Where does he hide?
7. Whom does Montag meet whilst walking on the railroad tracks? What do they talk
about?
8. What is happening in the city? Whom do the police catch?
9. How was the city destroyed?
10. Where do the hobos on the railway tracks store their books? Why do they keep
them here?
11. Why does Granger want to build a mirror factory?
Reflection
Do you think Ray Bradbury had any particular purpose or message in mind when he
wrote F451? If so, what was the message?