I enjoyed reading the book Fahrenheit 451. I know a lot of my classmates didn't understand it or like it, but I did. I found some of the things in the book very interesting. My favorite character in the book was Clarisse. It made me realize that one person can make a big difference. Some of the technology Ray talked about, such as the mechanical hound, made my mind run wild. I also liked the river scene in the book. It reminded me of a baptism, because crossing the river for Montag was like starting over in life. The only part I didn't like was at the end when the city was destroyed, because it doesn't really tell you what happens next. It leaves you with the idea that Montag and the other "book people" will start over and pass their knowledge onto their children, but it doesn't tell if that actually happens.

Rose237 I kind of agree with you on how it was an interesting book. Once I understood what was happening or the point of the things Bradbury wrote about I did find "Fareinheit 451" an interesting book. The ending was not a good ending I think. Bradbury could of ended it by telling you what happens to all the other people like Montag. I would like to know what happened to the people who still don't obey the law of no books, do books still ge burned, and what happens to the city.

Rose & Daisy, I disagree. I find that to be a fine ending for the book. The point o not explaininjg what happens is to let the reader decide, in their mind what happens. They can decide if these, living books can rebuild society in a much more, positive, knowledge-able way. In a personal opinion, I find it hard to compare the river crossing a baptism as much as a cross roads, almost in the literal sense. Montag is moving on from his old life into his new one. Althoug sone of his beleifs change, it is more about him literally finding his way into this new, knowledge accepting world. In my opinion.
I GO HARD

I definitely agree with you guys, I hate when books end like that because I feel as of it "let's you hanging." I would rather just know how the story actually ends because then I don't have to wonder "what if?" that is probably one of the reasons why I didn't like and/or understand the book. I think I might have liked it a little bit more if it actually had a good ending. But either way I still think it was kind of interesting considering how ray described the characters and setting.

I have to agree with weedeater917 on this one, I do like how the book leaves you hanging and makes you think in the end. By doing so, Bradbury gave his readers the opportunity to express their thoughts on what the future holds for the people of Fahrenheit 451, and Montag's new beginning. In my opinion, I prefer stories to end this way because I like the suspicion of what would happen next. Aside from the book's ending, I also think that Ray did an excellent job in symbolizing different points such as Montag's crossing of the river and what the books really meant.

Bradbury himself preferred the movie ending to the book, said it made him weep every time, and worked for years on a sequel, though I don't believe Remembrance of Books Past has yet seen print.

I love the symbolism of Montag crossing over the river! A cleansing. A rebirth. A renewal. Another chance at a new life!

I'm sorry but I do not enjoy when novels end as Fareinheit 451 did. The only reason I think that would be a good ending is if there were other books that went along with that one. I don't like when a book ends without more o what happens next because when I become the slightest bit interested into a book I like to know what happens beyond the main part of the novel. I don't think it is a bad book, alittle confusing but it would of been better with a better ending. THe ending just did not satisfy me. It did not help with me to enjoy the book more. That is just my opinion. Bradbury should of had a better ending.

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Sometimes I like books that leave you hanging and let you think up your own ending, however in Fahrenheit 451 I didn't. I just felt like the book shouldn't have ended the way it did. I remember finishing the book and thinking, "That was it?" After forming my own ending to the book, I think that a sequel would be great. We watched the movie in class, but I didn't like it. I never like movies if I read the book before I watch them, because the whole time I'm watching the movie I'm thinking things such as, " That's not how I pictured this scene."

I would have to agree with Rose237 on this. The ending of the book wasn't good to me because as it was mentioned, it did not tell what was going to happen next. It could have told a little more information on the ending. And yes, i also wondered when i finished reading the book if that was it. I don't like books that leave you hangin either. But, my overall opinion of the book was that it was very interesting to me. It made me think of what the future really will be like but, everyone has their own opinion of what it will be like. Bradbury had a different point of view when he wrote this book. As we all probably had a different view as we read it.

(Edited to combine two posts into one--nothing deleted.)

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What do we know at the end of FAHRENHEIT 451? The oppressive civilisation has self-destructed. Montag has escaped and found like-minded people. Those people have found way of perpetuating books even if there are no more physical books. There is a definite sense of a new beginning. For this reason, I don't find the ending unsatisfying.

We don't know for a fact what will happen next, but we know that (a) Montag has found a place for himself, (b) what oppressed him is now gone, (c) stories/literature will survive, and (d) it's going to be a frightening and uncertain future.

I appreciate some readers wanting to know what happens next, but a story has to stop somewhere, and the best place is when there has been a turning point which gives the characters new hope. In this instance, Bradbury has taken a really depressing ending (the end of civilisation as we know it!!!) and turned it into a hopeful rebirth.

...And Montag has lost everything!!! His wife, friends, home, job, and he is even wearing someone else's clothing when the story concludes. However, he has not lost that most important virtue each of us needs to hold dearest, protected within our hearts and souls!

Don't know what that might be? Look within Pandora's Box once all of the evils had been released. http://www.pantheon.org/articles/p/pandora.html

That is what the novel Fahrenheit 451 ultimately is all about. I feel, and tried to convey as I presented its themes to youth - very much like our friends in PA. So, we must all be Guy Montags in a way. Because if we do not commit ourselves to what is right and fair...who will!

As the book ends, Guy had a passage from the Book of Revelation (22:2) memorized and would share its message with all in the city who needed to hear the words. A beautiful expression about the "Tree of Life!"

(It is also very important to know about where Mr. Bradbury wrote this classic piece of literature - the basement of the UCLA Library - and how ALL of those references became stuffed into the context of the story!)

Here is Joe Magnaini's original cover on the first edition of 1953:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/24635180@N07/3196624011/

This artist and Mr. B were very respected friends for many years. For you future artists out there, do a J. M. search!

Enjoy!

(Nice work from across the Big Pond, phil!)

I sorry to say that I did not enjoy Fahrenheit 451. It just wasn't the book for me. I thought that Ray Bradbury didn't go into a lot of detail about some of his characters. I also didn't like his style of writing. I thought that the book moved to slow and wasn't very thrilling. I think the speed of the book and the lack of thrill caused me some confusion with the book. If the book would have moved at a faster pace I think that it would have been much more exciting to read and I would have been able to understand it more. I'm not the biggest fan of science fiction either, so that was another reason why I didn't like this book.

Pace is a relative thing. Fahrenheit 451 is quite short as novels go, but has quite a significant number of character development events... so I personally find it hard to see it as "slow-paced". But I imagine it depends on your speed of reading, and your level of engagement with the text.

Thunder I can see how the book was slow for you. When I don't take an interest in a book it will take me a long time to read it, and I usually end up not liking the book. The beginning of Fahrenheit was slow for me too. I feel that the book really picked up towards the end, when the firemen go to Montag's house and Montag uses the flamethrower on Captain Beatty. The chase was exciting. I was in awe when I read the part where the mechanical hound lost Montag and killed an innocent man to keep the people that were watching the chase entertained.