F451 Reading Diary → Part 2: “The Sieve and the Sand”, p.

67-106 Student: _______________________

PREPPING for DISCUSSION

A) Examining the Novel through the Lens of Dystopian Fiction: 3 Guiding Questions

1) What predictions does Ray Bradbury make about trends in technology, media, and society?
2) What seems wrong, “off” or problematic about this society and the people in it?
3) How is Montag changing? What evidence did you see that he is becoming a dystopian protagonist?

Q One answer/thing I noticed related to that question A quotation that clued me in to my answer Citation*

1 He relates and describes the ear piece Faber made to a “Montag placed the green bullet in his ear” (Bradbury 87)
bullet- which could be symbolism that he thinks the
technology is dangerous since he relates it with
weaponry. Bullets are only dangerous when in a gun, so
since this radio is being used to technically help
Montag, maybe it's implying how the radio could be
harmful if used wrongly or by the wrong people
(loading the gun), but that it's harmless when Montag
uses it. In the bigger picture, this can be seen how tech
is only dangerous if used poorly.

1 The effect of the parlour walls on society and how (Bradbury 91)
people dislike or don't know how to socialize properly “The three women fidgeted and looked
on a deeper level. The parlour walls are today's nervously at the empty mud-coloured walls.”
televisions, and shows how immersing ourselves fully
into technology makes us more independent and
causes lack in social skills and interaction. Without the
parlour walls on, we see how anxious Mildred and her
friends get, and how they don't know how to socialize
and communicate without having the screens on, or
having the topic of discussion being about the shows
they watch. They avoid any personal questions, and try
cutting the conversation with Montag as short as
possible so they can turn the screens back on, even if
that means listening to the poem on page 96. They
went through with listening to something they were
scared of if it meant they could return to watching
again.

2 This quote shows how Mildred prioritizes the parlor (Bradbury 69)
screens-her “family”-over all. It's odd how she does not "And besides, if Captain Beatty knew about
seem to worry for herself nor Montag at all. She has those books--" She thought about it. Her face
immersed herself into the world of the screens, not grew amazed and then horrified. "He might
caring about anything or anyone going on in real life come and burn the house and the `family.'
and using the flashy shows as distraction, with their
That's awful! Think of our investment”
bright colours, loud sounds and laughter, and
practically propaganda based content on anything
actually important. We know this from the talk about
the presidential elections on page 93, and how the
candidat less in favour of winning-Hubert Hoag- was
always shown as picking his nose and being unsightly
on the parlor screen. It was also odd how her face
grew “amazed” before the realization of what would
happen to the parlor. Maybe she thought Montag
would face all the consequences, and she would be
free from all his investigating.

2 (Bradbury 92)
It's weird how having children is something seen as "I plunk the children in school nine days out of
unnecessary work and pain, and how they are treated. ten. I put up with them when they come home
The children are barely home at all- not wanted there three days a month; it's not bad at all. You heave
to disturb the false sense of euphoria from the screens- them into the 'parlor' and turn the switch. It's
and put in school. The people are so closed off, not
like washing clothes; stuff laundry in and slam
wanting human interaction at all. Apart from not
wanting to be with the children, we also see this when
the lid."
Mildred rarely wants to interact with Montag at all, and
how Mrs. Phelps and Mrs. Bowles are the same with
their husbands. Also the choice of words when Mrs.
Bowles said “I put up with them..” making it sound like
an unwanted chore. Same with the last line when she
related seeing them to putting laundry into a laundry
machine, letting a machine do all the work for you
 instead of washing something yourself, or paying
attention to her kids in this example. She lacks
empathy, along with everybody else.

3 We see how much Clarisse has changed Montag. This (Bradbury 68)
shows how Montag had empathy for someone who “She was the first person in a good many years
was looked down upon and seen as crazy. This quote I've really liked. She was the first person I can
also shows that Montag craves empathy and attention remember who looked straight at me as if I
from others as well. He liked Clarisse because she counted."
interacted and socialized with him unlike everyone
else. This differentiates his behavior from everyone else
because whilst every other character put more effort
into avoiding this level of socialization than
participating in it, it was the very thing he didn't know
he wanted until conversing with Clarisse.

3 This quote shows Montag’s dislike for how society
avoids its problems. He’s aware of how leisure is all
anybody cares about, and that those ways of living are
different than in other parts of the world. Before
Montag wouldn't have batted an eye at this, not even
aware that he didn't enjoy the way he was living. Now
we see he cares and knows things shouldn't be this
way, and his interest in being part of the change with
his research of the books. It also shows he has empathy
for the poor and starving, and the unfairness of how
lavishly they live in comparison.11
(Bradbury 69-70)
“Is it because we're having so much fun at home
we've forgotten the world? Is it because we're
so rich and the rest of the world's so poor and
we just don't care if they are? I've heard rumors;
the world is starving, but we're well-fed. Is it
true, the world works hard and we play? Is that
why we're hated so much?”

*Since we are only referring to one text, use (Bradbury #) in your first citation, then just the page # after that.
If you have lots more to say, make an extra chart/set of notes on lined paper.

Summarize thoughts about the key characteristics of dystopia that Bradbury uses in F451

How are people In what ways are citizens What is RESTRICTED? How? What do people/does society
CONTROLLED? DEHUMANIZED? FEAR?

-societal pressure, parlour -attached to devices, anti Books, driving slowly on Responsibility, firemen,
walls, lack of knowledge, social, no empathy highway socializing, books, rebels
history of firemen
B) Questions I need or want answers to OR that I think would be interesting to discuss

My question(s) My guess at an answer (if I can) Answers/ideas that came up during discussion

Why didn't Montag take action
back in the park when he knew
Faber had a book?
I think Montag may have N/A
subconsciously been curious about
what Faber had to say and the poem,
or maybe he pitied Faber and didn't
want to reprimand him when Faber
was already so jittery.

Faber mentioned how books N/A

smell like nutmeg, a spice from
a foreign land. Does that mean
Books originate from other
parts of the world only and not
their own land?
Maybe he just relates the smell to
that spice, and it's not meant in a
literal way?

C) Analyzing how Bradbury uses Stylistic Devices → HINT: don’t just pick the 1st example you see! Look for SDs that reveal
important things. (i.e. What is a character really feeling? What is wrong with people/society? What atmosphere is evoked?)

Stylistic I read… Quote the example, with a Citation I think Bradbury was trying to suggest… Analyze it!
Device

Simile "How like a beautiful statue of ice it was, melting in How books were something beautiful, but slowly
the sun." turned into something unrecognizable and
non-existent

Metaphor This shows how though he’s a “coward”, Faber is

“I can sit comfortably home, warming my frightened
bones, and hear and analyse the firemen's world, find
its weaknesses, without danger. I'm the Queen Bee,
safe in the hive. You will be the drone, the travelling
ear” (Bradbury 87)
using his experience and knowledge to aid Montag
and bring demise to the fire station. Montag on the
other hand is ready to risk it all even though he is still
figuring his feelings out. This shows that no matter
the consequences Montag is ready to take the risk.

Repetition This shows how hysterical Montag was, how

"Shut up, shut up, shut up!" It was a plea, a cry so desperately he was trying to retain the information
terrible that Montag found himself on his feet” from the books, and how he was so out of it he
ended up acting rashly and hysterically in public.

Extra SD “They were like a monstrous crystal chandelier Referencing Alice In Wonderland with the cheshire
(label it): tinkling in a thousand chimes, he saw their Cheshire cat allusion.
Allusion cat smiles burning through the walls of the house, and
now they were screaming at each other above the
din.“ (Bradbury 89)

REFLECTING on DISCUSSION: Ways Discussion Enhanced my Understanding

Answer at least two of the F451 Seminar Reflection Questions (see posters on corkboard)

Q My answer

N/A (was not present for seminar)