Hi I`m a student from Germany and I just read Fahrenheit 451. Now I`d like to know how you would describe the atmosphere in the book (adjectives) and what the quotation by Juan Ramón Jiménez ahead of Bradburys novel saying “If they give you ruled paper, write the other way" should mean.
And does anybody know what the salamander on Montags arm stands for? It`s teh symbol for the fireman but why is it a salamander and nothing else?

Thank you very much for your replies.

The Jiménez quotation is telling us to not conform to the system that is imposed upon us; to disobey authority; to rebel. ("Ruled paper" is writing paper which has lines printed on it. "Write the other way" means "don't follow the lines".)

The salamander, in mythology, lives in fire. There is some interesting information about it here: http://www.eaudrey.com/myth/salamander.htm

Well, freaky, in response to your question, I ask you this...what was your initial feeling when you originally read F451? AND, I challenge you to think about why you felt that way upon your completion of the novel!

Thanks for your help :-))
you`ll hear from me if further questions occur *g*

Sorry but I really have another question...
How come that they don`t forget how to read and write like Mildred who (in Part 1) reads the script for this new interactive show although I think they are not taught to read as there are no books...rigtht?! I think this a bit controversial.
And did Mildred take the pills on purpose or not...I think she did so but she doesn`t want to admit it, right?

You are right that there are no books, however, I think that literacy was still an important thing. I hope that the society realized the need to continue educating people on what "the man" wants. Also, the firemen could all read because they had to read the manual for their line of work. What Mildred was reading, a script for a television program, was heavily censored by and probably approved by "the man." Therefore, people could still read because many societies recognize the value of literacy if not free thought and free thought was what the society of F451 was being robbed of!

As per Mildred taking the pills, I think that she was too naive to realize that taking too many was detremental. I always thought that she took one pill, forgot about it, and took another...several times over! Basically, she knew that there was some sort of affect the pills were supposed to have, didn't feel that affect and, therefore, continued taking them as though she had not previously taken a dose.

That clear things up?

Freaky raises a good point: whether F451 is about books falling into disuse, or about literacy. I think funmow is right, in that books are banned but reading isn't.

Interestingly, in Francois Truffaut's film of F451, literacy itself is dead - there is no writing anywhere in the film. People read comics (which have no speech balloons in them); things are identified by symbols (including numbers, but not letters); even the opening titles of the film are spoken instead of written! But clearly the characters have been taught to read, since Montag is able to (haltingly) read one of the books he has kept.

Thanks

It`s good being able to clear things up on here otherwise there might be some misunderstandings ;-)
So I understood it correctly that you can`t say Mildred commited suicide on pupose but still the "MDs" said that they get 9-10 cases a night. Do you think they do it on purpose?

The old woman (I think it was Ms.Blake) she killed herself in the house where Montag stole the book, didn`t she? Because she did not want to go on living like that without books etc. right? Cause it doesn`t say for sure that she is dead but it seems as if.

*freaky*

Ok sorry...I found Montag saying later on that they "burned an old woman with her books" so that is clear ;-)

As I said before, I think it is pure naivety that causes these people to "commit suicide." Though people are able to read still, I do not think they are educated in common sense because that would also include a limited ability to think for themselves and that must be avoided at all costs. So rather than understanding/remembering that Mildred (and the others) took one or two...or three pills already, they simply drug themselves until something happens...that something being a coma or at least a deep sleep and some caring person coming along and realizing something is wrong, therefore, saving the common sense lacking person from him or herself! That help more?

Yeah now I got it ;-) Thanks for everything *g*