Fahrenheit 451

Literary Notebook

People often consider Ray Bradbury to be “the world’s greatest science fiction writer.”
However, Bradbury is more than just a teller of futuristic adventure tales; he is an “idea
writer.” Because of the nature of Bradbury’s thought-provoking ideas, we will be using
the ideas presented in Fahrenheit 451 as a springboard to strengthening our discussion
and writing skills. We will also focus on strengthening our strategic reading and ability
to analyze literature. To assist us, we will be working with the following activities:

I. LITERARY ANALYSIS: Ray Bradbury uses numerous similes and metaphors as well
as other literary devices to create mental pictures or images in his readers’ minds.
As a result, his prose often sounds much like poetry. Look for examples of his poetic
prose as you read the novel.

• You will keep a literary “notebook” of these terms and examples. Find at
least ten examples of the following terms: simile, metaphor, irony (three
types), personification, allusion, and symbol. Provide a separate section
for each term. On the first page of the section, provide a definition of the
term. Provide ten examples of the concept from Fahrenheit 451. These
examples must include the page numbers. Finally, provide an analysis and an
explanation of each example given (i.e. you might show how irony reinforces
his theme or the tone [attitude] that is created by a simile, etc.). You must
have examples from each of the three sections of the novel. Your notebook
should be your notebook. It should not be identical to anyone else’s.

II. WRITING: As a maturing writer, you will be attentive to Bradbury’s style of

writing, and you will practice writing by composing reading responses.

• You will keep an ongoing list of passages that appeal to you. You may quote
them because you like the word choice, the meaning, the syntax, the rhythm
or any other reason the passages appeal to you. You do not have to explain
the meaning of the passage; you must simply quote the passage, identify the
page number, and briefly note your reason for collecting it. You will collect
thirty passages from the novel. You must have passages from each of the
three section of the novel.

• For each subsection (there are a total of 9), you will write a reader
response. Responses should be completed by the day that each reading
section is due.

• Throughout the course of the novel you will be completing various writing
exercises in order to strengthen your own writing. Each of these activities
should be kept in this section of your Fahrenheit notebook.

• You will also keep any vocabulary lists or exercises in this section.
III. DISCUSSION: As you read, you should be thinking about the issues represented in
the novel. We will be participating in both small group and whole class discussion
circles. To prepare for discussion, you may

• For each of the subsections within the three major section of the novel,
you will compose a list of three questions, thoughts, and/or predictions you
have about the novel. It will not be difficult to record three thoughts….
The idea is that you be able to approach your discussion circle with ideas
that you can share with or questions that you can ask your group.

• Any notes that you take about the novel should be kept in this section of
your notebook.

IV. SOCIAL EXPERIMENTATION: Part of experiencing Fahrenheit 451 is to “work”

with the ideas the novel presents.

• You will conduct an interview with someone who was born before the days of
television… (More information about this interview will be distributed later.)

• You will also conduct a social experiment on yourself . You will record
(using a chart) your television, computer, game, music, reading, and
discussion activities for ten days. At the end of the time period, you will
analyze your results.

V. ART PROJECT: At the end of the novel, you will create a scene from the novel
based on your own interpretation of how the scene looked. You will be able to
choose to create a diorama or various other means of presentation. This may be
completed individually or in small groups.
 Fahrenheit 451
Vocabulary List

Define each word according to the context of the novel. If you own your
own copy of the novel, you may draw a box around the vocabulary word and
write its definition in your book.

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3

Phoenix (6) Cadence (75) Incomprehensible (114)

Salamander (6) Suffused (76) Liquefaction (119)
Marionette (11) Retaliate (79) Fugitive (124)
Pulverized (14) Romantic (82) Quarry (133)
Stratum (14) Intuitively (83) Phantom (133)
Contrasedative (16) Insidious (86) Limned (134)
Olfactory (25) Welter (90) Grotesque (134)
Proboscis (25) Contemptible (91) Juggernaut (140)
Morphine (25) Subaudible (95) Pedants (153)
Procaine (25) Ruinous (96) Status Quo (157)
Ballistic (26) Quavered (98) Incessantly (162)
Trajectory (26) Manifested (105)
Abstract (31) Parried (106)
Proclivities (33) Rebut (107)
Odious (35) Beatific (107)
Centrifuge (45) Tyranny (108)
Cacophony (45) Perfunctory (108)
Luminescent (48) Phosphorescent (110)
Radical (50)
Feigning (50)
Pratfall (56)
Intellectual (58)
Theremin (61)