Unlike Mrs. Hudson, Montag chooses not to die in his house with his books. Instead, he burns them, asserting even that “it was good to burn” and that “fire was best for everything!” Are these choices and sentiments
consistent with his character? Are you surprised that he fails to follow in her footsteps?
Beatty justifies the new role of firemen by claiming to be “custodians of [society’s] peace of mind, the focus
of [the] understandable and rightful dread of being inferior.” What does he mean by this, and is there any sense
that he might be right?
How does the destruction of books lead to more happiness and equality, according to Beatty? Does his lecture
to Montag on the rights of a man sound like any rhetoric still employed today?
Why does Montag memorize the Old Testament’s Ecclesiastes and the New Testament’s Revelation? How do
the final two paragraphs of the novel allude to both biblical books?
Are there any circumstances where censorship might play a beneficial role in society? Are there some books that should be banned?
If you had to memorize a single book or risk its extinction, which book would you choose?
