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• Guided Reading Questions
• Go to Ray Bradbury Info on Fahrenheit 451 Page

1. How old is Douglas Spalding?
2. What "sorcerer's ritual" does Douglas perform, and where does he perform it?
3. What does Mr. Jonas do?
4. How are the mansions across town described?
5. What does Mr. Tridden do?
6. Explain the phrase, "Douglas, conducting an orchestra, pointed to the eastern sky."
7. When does the story begin? Be as precise as possible.
8. Why does the author mention all the people that he does?
9. What is Doug's fantasy / mind set throughout this chapter.

1. How did Doug know the day was going to be different?
2. What is Doug's mood during the events before lunch?
3. What is the "open wound"?
4. Describe Tom.
5. What is Tom fond of doing?
6. How is life described after Doug silently screams, "I'm really alive!"
7. What "conspiracy" does Doug think his father had planned?
8. What was the mysterious presence Doug felt lurking throughout the chapter?
9. List 2-3 descriptions, comparisons, metaphors or similes you feel are appealing?
10. Describe what it is like to feel alive like Doug? Have you ever felt this way?

1. Describe the process for making the dandelion wine: 1st..., 2nd..., 3rd...
2. List all of the qualities and powers and uses of dandelion wine.
3. Quote vivid language used to describe dandelion wine.
4. What is it about dandelion wine that makes it special?

1. "The ravine was indeed the place where you came to look at the two things of life..." What were they? What was the interrelation between the two Doug observed?
2. What question does Doug ask at the end of the chapter? What do you think the answer was that he knew while staring down at his motionless feet?

1. What was the second summer ritual?
2. Reflecting on how Ray Bradbury describes the event, describe how you feel when you get a new pair of sneakers for the summer (or anytime). Use your own unique descriptions
3. Why does Doug feel sorry for boys in California?
4. When he went to bed, what rationale did Doug think of for needing the shoes. What was "the motto"?
5. How does Mr. Sanderson react to Doug's proposal? What does he think of Doug?
6. Is Doug a good salesman? Why? Give several examples of his strategy.
7. What does the last line of the chapter mean?

1. Doug says the summer is divided into 2 halves, what are they? Explain each.
2. List two of the other summer rituals.
3. How is Doug's list divided? What are the division titles?

1. Find two similes and copy them.
2. Find one metaphor or analogy and copy it.
3. Have you ever experienced the ritual of the front porch or any thing like it? Explain.

1. What request or suggestion does Doug make to Leo Auffmann?
2. What is Leo's opinions of machines?
3. How does Leo respond to Doug's challenges?
4. What were all the men talking about in front of the store?
5. What does, "Savor the very bacteria in heir porcelain mouth's that would some day stop them cold" mean?

1. What kind of man is Leo Auffmann?
2. What are the "shocks" of life?
3. What kind of family does Leo have?
4. What would Leo's machine allow people to do?

1. List as many of the revelations that Tom has in his experience with "The Lonely One" while searching for Doug.
2. Discuss at least one experience you have had with death?
3. Have you ever experienced an adult protector in you life suddenly becoming afraid and then fearing you are utterly alone? If not, describe Tom's feelings and experience with this.
4. Describe the mother's emotions and feelings throughout this entire chapter. How do they shift and change? What is she thinking and feeling?

1. How did Lena think differently than Leo. How was her process different?
2. What is Lena's opinion about the Happiness Machine? Why do you think she holds that opinion?
3. What is Leo's counter-arguement to Lena?

1. List the major points or revelations of Grandfather's lecture.
2. What does new-mown grass smell like? Be fully descriptive.
3. Do you or anyone you know garden? Do lawn chores? What is your feeling about that "ritual"?
4. Grandfather's discussion with Bill Forrester is a representation of the classic argument about how life should be lived, the argument between the breadth and depth of life. Do many things superficially or a few things deeply. Which do you feel is better and why?

1. What is Lena's revelation about the "Happiness Machine"?
2. What is Leo's revelation after the fire as he talks to Grandfather Spalding?
3. What is the real happiness machine?
4. What is the message about living happily in this chapter?
5. What is the difference between happiness and acquisition. What is the difference between happiness and the avoidance of pain or acquiring pleasure?

1. What is the metaphor of the threads of the rug and the ability to see the past and future
2. List some of the revelations from the boys as they really see the rug. How do the adults see it?
3. How does Doug always want everything to be?
4. Copy a passage that supports your answer for number three.

1. Mrs. Bentley was a ____________________.
2. How old is Mrs. Bentley?
3. What won't the children believe?
4. What does Mrs. Bentley resent?
5. What proof does Mrs. Bentley assemble and how do the children react to the proof?
6. What do you think of the children's attitude and behavior?
7. What kind of mood or emotion is in the atmosphere between Mrs. Bentley and Jane and Alice?
8. Mrs. Bentley, that night, imagines a conversation with her late husband, John. What are all the things he tells her.
9. How does Mrs. Bentley change her mind, and what does she do about it?
10. How has the mood changed at the end of the chapter? Why?

1. What is Tom's "revelation" in this scene? Why is this sad? What is your opinion about this revelation?

1. Describe Colonel Freeleigh as completely as you can including his physical, psychological and behavioral characteristics.
2. What three journeys do they make?
3. How do the boys get the time machine to work?
4. What revelations are there concerning war in the chapter?
5. What have the children taught the Colonel?

1. What modes of transportation does Douglas discover are available to him?
2. What is far-traveling?
3. What are Doug's resolutions concerning the Colonel?
4. Do you know anyone like Colonel Freeleigh? Describe this person. Do you see them any differently now?

1. What do the two sisters fear?
2. How did the sisters get the "Green Machine"? How did they feel?
3. What do the sisters decide they must do?
4. What is the good news / bad news situation at the end of the chapter?
5. What is the mood of each of the sisters at the end of the chapter and why?
6. Do you know someone who has been sold a major purchase by a slick salesman appealing to their dreams? Explain.

1. "Something like a buggy whip flings up from its roof to brush the spider thread high in the passing trees from which it takes its juice." What is it?
2. How much do the kids pay for the trolley ride? Why?
3. Where is the trolley going? Why? What happens when they get there.
4. Why are the trolleys being replaced and with what? What do you think has been lost in that switch?
5. What are Doug and Charlie's thoughts at the end of the chapter? What is their mood?
6. Have you seen or know of anything that has become obsolete in you lifetime? What replaced it? What has been lost? What has been gained?
7. What do you think will become obsolete next in your life? (money, going to school in a school building, books ...) What do you think will replace it?

1. Describe completely, John Huff.
2. List John Huff's worries?
3. What revelation about separation does Doug and John come to?
4. What section of the chapter deals with doing rather than being? Paraphrase.
5. List the things Doug does to try to slow time, or stop John.
6. Describe the game of "Statues"
7. How and why did each boy (Doug and John) play the game of "Statues"? What was each boy's goal?
8. At the end of the chapter, why doesn't Doug like the sound of his own beating heart?
9. Why does Doug react with anger at the end of the chapter?
10. According to Doug, why are statues best?

1. What does Doug request from Tom?
2. Why does Doug request from Tom what he does?
3. What is Doug's worry?
4. What is Tom's reply? What does it mean? Digress and Expound.

1. What is Elmira's assumption about Clara based on Sam's information?
2. Why is Elmira so willing to make an assumption like that?
3. What is Elmira's real goal and what is her plan to get it?
4. What is Clara Goodwater's attitude toward Elmira? How does she treat her?
5. What is Tom's role in all this?
6. Why do you think Elmira has has many accidents and illnesses?
7. How do the Lodge ladies react to Elmira's speech? What is happening to Elmira? What does Clara show Elmira while she is speaking? Why
8. Ultimately, how do we see Clara relating to Elmira? Why do you think she relates the way she does?
9. Do you know or know-of anyone like Elmira? What is their problem?

1. Write a paragraph as if you were Tom Spalding and describe your feelings and emotions after your encounter at the Ladies Lodge.
2. What does Doug mean, "Yes I do and no I don't"?
3. What do you think is on Doug's mind at the end of the chapter? What is he planning or thinking?

1. Why doesn't the Colonel like the dream of the dropping apples?
2. What has happened to Colonel Freeleigh based on the first three pages of the chapter?
3. Why does the Colonel make the long distance calls? What is his philosophy?
4. What is happening to Colonel Freeleigh as he is phoning Mexico City the second time?
5. "Any town, New York, Chicago, with its people, becomes improbable with distance. Just as I am improbable here, in Illinois, in a small town by a quiet lake. All of us improbable to one another because we are not present to one another." What does this mean in the chapter?
6. "There was something in his silence that made them all shut their mouths." What was it?
7. Describe the Colonel's frustration and desire.
8. What is it that Colonel Freeleigh needed?
9. Death is described as the closing of a window. Why is this such a good analogy?

1. Why does Doug feel all those people and events have died?
2. What is the difference between Tom and Doug's conceptualization of death?

1. Answer the two questions Douglas thinks to himself starting on the 17th line of the chapter.
2. What does the wine metaphor tell us about the joys and sorrows we experience in life?
3. At the end of the chapter, what is Grandfather's advice all about?

1. List all of the sayings and wisdom of Miss Helen Loomis. Remember her ideas on women, men, old people, love, death, etc.
2. What revelations did you learn about love from Helen and Bill? What new revelations do you have of your own?
3. Do you feel you know Helen Loomis? Why? How? Discuss the author's technique for making her real.q
4. Discuss the Dragon and the Swan.
5. How does Helen Loomis see herself now? (pg. 143)
6. Why did Helen never marry?
7. What request does Helen make of Bill? Why?

1. What is Tom's answer to Doug's question about happy endings? What is his philosophy about happiness?
2. Why does Tom believe the "Lonely One" lives in the ice house?

1. Who were three recent victims of the "Lonely One"?
2. What double discovery do Lavinia and Francine make in the ravine?
3. Why does Lavinia insist on continuing the night at the movies?
4. What bad joke is played on the women?
5. What "mistake" does the druggist make?
6. How are the women embarrassed at the theater?
7. What is ironic about Lavinia's escape home?
8. Give an extended character sketch of Lavinia Nebbs. Describe her physically, psychologically, emotionally, socially, and philosophically.

1. What happened to Lavinia Nebbs the night before?
2. Describe Doug's demeanor during this chapter. What is wrong? Why?
3. What is Tom's intention in this chapter? Why does he do what he does?

1. Summarize Great-grandma's advice to Tom.
2. Summarize Great-grandma's advice to Doug.
3. Discuss the nature of death and dying as it is presented in this chapter.

1. How would Doug have finished the conclusion to his list? You write the ending.
2. The fireflies are symbols, metaphors. What do they represent? What comparison is being drawn?

1. Explain the meaning of Mme. Tarots' verse on page 191.
2. Expand on what Doug really wants out of life. (pg. 192-193)
3. What happens to you when what you want clashes with what is?
4. What is Mr. Black's magic philter mentioned at the bottom of page 196?
5. What does Mr. Black ask the Mme. Tarot?
6. How does Doug prepare to live forever? (page 200)
7. Describe your feelings as to how the father reacted to Doug's situation.
8. Explain Doug's obsession with Mme. Tarot. What does she represent in his life?
9. If you could know everything about your future, would you really want to know?

1. How is Tom's behavior reminiscent of Doug's outlook on life?
2. How does Mr. Jonas see himself; define himself and his purpose?
3. What rules for taking the junk did Mr. Jonas have? How is this like a golden rule?
4. What do the children do in return for the junk?
5. On page 210 how does Bradbury describe Mr. Jonas?
6. What do you do with the junk of your life? How long do you hold on to it? What might you or Doug learn from this?

1. Explain and analyze Doug's hallucination. Quote what you feel is the key line.
2. What surprising "confession" does Tom make to Mr. Jonas.
3. Mr. Jonas has an amazing ability to empathize. What does that mean?
4. What does Mr. Jonas say about things you hear in your sleep? What do you hear?
5. What is Mr. Jonas offering on his midnight visit?
6. How does Jonas analyze and compare himself to Doug?
7. What is it about Mr. Jonas' visit that really cures Doug? What do you think?

1. There are two ways one can be baptized. One is by fire; one is by water. How does this apply to Doug? What does this mean?

1. What is the best way to repay a kindness?
2. What is it that Doug passed on?
3. Discuss the value or virtue of chaos.

1. What pieces of advice about life does Grandfather give on pages 236-237?
2. What are Doug's final comments on the tablet?
3. What peace, what acceptance has Douglas come to in the conflict of getting what he wants and being happy?

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