What Are Some Discussion Questions For Fahrenheit 451 Be Banned

Fahrenheit 451 Socratic Seminar

Question 1:

Are there circumstances where censorship might play a beneficial role in society? Are there some books that should be banned? How would Ray Bradbury answer this question? Explain using evidence from the book.

Notes:

Yes, sometimes censorship might be beneficial, especially in schools, but Ray Bradbury would say no as it silences opinions. Censorship should not be present in adulthood since everyone has different opinions and we need to respect both sides even if we don’t agree with them.

Quotes:

When Captain Beatty starts yelling at Montag he yells, “What traitors books can be! You use them, too, and there you are, lost in the middle of the moor, in a great welter of nouns and verbs and adjectives”

I knew it, that’s what I wanted to prove! I knew it would happen! I’ve always said, poetry and tears, poetry and suicide and crying and awful feeling, poetry and sickness; all that mush! Now I’ve had it proved to me. You’re nasty, Mr.Montag, You’re nasty!” (97).

While Faber is talking to Montag, Faber tells him, “I remember the newspapers dying like huge moths. No one wanted them back. No one missed them. And then the government, seeing how advantageous it was to have people reading only about passionate lips and the fist in the stomach, circled the situation with your fire-eaters”

Why would "mirrors" be important in this new society? Explain.

Notes:

I don’t think that “mirrors” as an object are necessarily important in this society, but the implication is that people need to start looking at themselves and reflect on their actions is important as we see society blindly following the ‘rules’, and figure out what they are doing, why they are doing it and reflect on the things they have done indeed of blaming/hating others.

Quotes: Beatty states when talking to Montag, “For everyone nowadays knows, absolutely is certain, that nothing will ever happen to me. Others die, I go on. There are no consequences and no responsibilities (108-109).

While Montag is talking to the ladies he shouts, “Did you hear them, did you hear these monsters talking about monsters? Oh God, the way they jabber about people and their own children and themselves and the way they talk about their husbands and the way they talk about war, dammit, I stand here and I can’t believe it!”