Fahrenheit 451 Litblog Pages 51-63

Mary Ann MacDonald
Period 5
2-28-13

Pages 51-63

Summary: Montag tells Mildred he no longer wants to be a firemen and he can't live with the guilt of making that woman die. Captain Beatty comes to his house and they talk. Mildred tries to fluff his pillow and Montag is afraid of the book being found that is hidden under his pillow. The captain doesn't find the book and he tells Montag how things slowly receded from chapter books and classics, to tabloids and commics, and then to no books at all. He tells Montag that he has read a few books, and they mean nothing to him. Beatty says that they put theories and philosophies in people's heads that make them unhappy.

Quotation:"Each man the image of every other; then all are happy, for there are no mountains to make them cower, to judge themselves against. So! A book is a loaded gun in the house next door. Burn it " (58).

Quotation Significance: Beatty is saying that if men are all the same, then nothing will put them down and no one can judge them or make fun of their differences. Beatty says that books puts these ideas that cause diversity in people's minds. This in turn creates tension and judgement in society. To prevent this, Beatty thinks that burning the book is the answer.

Reflection: In this chapter, Montag is seriously doubting being a firemen. He wants to read books and find out what they are about. Clarisse has taught him all the little and different things in life make life worth living. Beatty thinks that diversity causes judgment and tension but in reality diversity creates a feeling of uniqueness and happiness to be who you are. Books cause diversity, so Montag wants to bring them back so people and be creative and think for themselves for once. Montag still has the book hidden under his pillow and it is almost discovered by Mildred. Beatty mentions also that is wasn't all the government's fault that books were unpopular and forbidden. Classics and stories were replaced soon by comics and tabloids over the years and the movies were replaced with violent and quick, flashy images. Then reading totally disappeared and the government started to ban books that were judgmental to one group some way or another. After a few decades, all books were banned and the firemen were put to use to burn the books they found. I think next someone will catch Montag stealing a book and he will try to rally the firemen to stop burning the books and he will start a revolution.

Discussion Question: Why is diversity and uniqueness important for our world and important to Montag? Why does Beatty disagree with Montag's philosophy?

 





Fahrenheit 451 Litblog Pages 32-50

Mary Ann MacDonald
Period 5
2-26-13

Pages 32-50

 

Summary: Clarisse disappears and Montag misses her a lot. They get an alert then travel to an old woman's house and Montag steals a book while the rest of the books burn. . The old woman picked up a match and started the fire herself while the men ran from the house. When he returns home, Montag realizes that he barely knows Mildred, she is a stranger to him. Then Montag cries because he realizes that he wouldn't cry if she died. Then Montag hears that Clarisse was run over by a car and killed. He hides the book under his pillow and calls in sick to work.

Quotation:"He was in someone else's house, like those other jokes people told of the gentleman, drunk, coming home late late at night, unlocking the wrong door, entering a wrong room, and bedding with a stranger and getting up early and going to work and neither of them the wiser" (42).

Quotation Significance: Montag is saying that he actually doesn't know Mildred and she feels weird and almost like a stranger to him. He feels like a drunk man who has no idea what he was doing and slept with someone he barely knows. This is how he feels about Mildred.

Reflection: In this section, Clarisse disappears! Montag is distraught about her disappearance and is deeply saddened when he learns that she died being run over by a car. Montag likes Clarisse and his routine has been upset. Clarisse taught him about the old ways and how to think and look at the little details in life that everyone else passes by. Clarisse was Montag's mentor and Montag now is realizing that he needs to do something to fix the messed up world that they live in. When the old woman died, Montag felt terrible and wishes he could take it back. This woman died so she could be with her books. Obviously, the books meant the world to her. Montag is wondering why this is and this is partly why he takes one of the books. We know that he has some hidden in the ventilation grille in his house, and he wants more books because he wants to understand the mystery about them. Montag is also starting to realize that he barely knows his wife Mildred, he can't even remember when they met. Montag thinks this is sad and cries when he finds that he wouldn't even cry if she died.

Discussion Question: Why do you think Mildred listens to the seashells? Do you think that Montag will do something to try and reverse the world they live in?

Fahrenheit 451 Litblog Pages 3-31

Mary Ann MacDonald
Period 5
2-25-13

 

Pages 3-31 Litblog

 

Summary: Guy Montag is a fireman who instead of putting out fires, he lights them and burns books. On his way home one day he meets Clarisse McClellan, a 17 year old girl who isn't like everyone else. She tells him about how things used to be, and she liked to talk midnight walks and just think, she even asks him if he is happy. Montag thinks this girl is crazy. He comes home to find his wife Mildred has overdosed on sleeping pills. The doctors come and Mildred denies that she tried to commit suicide. At work, the "Hound" (a machine programmed to kill people) growls at Montag and people at the firehouse get suspicious because hidden in a ventilation grill in his house Montag hides books. He becomes friends with Clarisse and walks with her each day and learns from her.

Quotation: "He was not happy. He was not happy. He said the words to himself. He recognized this as the true state of affairs. He wore his happiness like a mask and the girl had run off across the lawn with the mask and there was no way of going to knock on her door and ask for it back" (12).

Quotation Significance: For a long time Montag thought that he was happy. He hadn't really thought about it but he knew that this had to be the case. But when he really thought about it he realized that he wasn't at all. This is part of the first steps for Montag to find his true happiness.

Reflection: As you can see, this society that Montag lives in is a very twisted and sad society. The fireman are assigned to burn books, and Montag is one of them. But we know that he is against this because we discover that he does in fact have some books hidden in his ventilation grill at his house. The Hound senses this, and because the Hound can't sense or do anything it isn't programmed to do leads Montag to believe that someone might know about the books or have suspicions about him. Because of this, the firechief becomes suspicious of Montag. Montag also meets Clarisse. Clarisse is known as an outcast, and also no longer attends school. All the schoolchildren murder each other and commit violent acts for fun. Underneath the fake "happy" feeling in this society that is enforced, everyone is sad and angry. Montag looks at things and thinks a bout things he never even noticed before when he is with Clarisse. She tells him how the world used to be and Montag realizes how bad the world is now and how it needs to change. I think next, Clarisse will disappear or die leaving Montag to start a revolution to end the terrible society they live in and reestablish the old ways.

Discussion Question: Why is the Hound suspicious of Montag, and who programmed the Hound to act this way? What do you think will happen Clarisse?





All Quiet on the Western Front Ch. 10 Litblog

Mary Ann MacDonald
Period 5
2-6-13

Chapter 10

 

Summary: The boys are sent to guard a supply dump at a vacant village nearby and they take the chance to live luxuriously by bringing in beds, adopting a cat, and making a feast but they are bombed once because the enemy sees their smoke. They leave taking the supplies and cat with them and while evacuating another village Kropp and Paul are injured by a shell. Paul's leg is broken and Kropp's leg has to be amputated at the thigh but he survives. An injured man named Lewandowski is excited when his wife arrives and the boys help arrange private time for him and his wife he has been separated from for two years. Paul receives leave to go home and visits his mom, who is very weak.

Quotation: "What do they expect of us if a time ever comes when the war is over? Through the years our business has been killing;- it was our first calling in life Our knowledge of life is limited to death. What will happen afterwards? And what shall come out of us?" (264).

Quotation Significance: Paul is telling us that he doesn't know what he would do if the war was over. He has no plans when all he knows of life and living is death itself. He has no idea what will happen to him afterwards.

Reflection: The boys guard a supply dump and they live luxuriously for a few weeks. Amid all the dying and the terror they wanted to pretend and reassure themselves that life can still be good. They adopt a cat, roast pigs, and make feasts. They even get blankets and sleep in soft beds. But then Kropp gets injured and once his leg is amputated Kropp loses all the fight in him and Paul knows that he wants to commit suicide. He won't talk and he must feel useless now. All he knew how to do was be a soldier and now this is ending for him. His whole life is gone and he doesn't know where to go next or how to deal with it. Paul feels badly for him but Paul is ready to go back into battle after his broken leg heals up quickly along with his broken arm. Paul even visits his mom, who is even weaker than before. She is dying from cancer and Paul is trying to find a way to deal with it. The boys also want to help Lewandowski reconnect and spend intimiate time with his wife because the boys want the same thing for themselves someday so they distract the nurses and talk loudly so the man and his wife can have privacy.

Discussion Question: Why is Kropp so upset about his leg being amputated? How is Paul dealing with his thoughts about war and why it should end?



All Quiet On The Western Front Ch. 9 Litlbog

Mary Ann MacDonald
Period 5
2-5-13

Chapter 9

Summary: Paul returns to the front and finds that Kat, Muller, Tjaden, and Kropp are all alive and well. The emperor of Germany comes to visit them and after he leaves Paul volunteers to go out in the open and gather info about the enemy's strength. On the way back Paul gets lost and hears an attack coming and he has to crawl in a shell hole to play dead. An enemy soldier comes in and Paul kills him. Paul has to wait in the hole because it is too light and talks and treats to the dying soldier, whose name is Gerard Duval. Paul reads him letters from his family and promises to send the family money. Paul returns and tells the boys about killing the man.

Quotation: "But now, for the first time, I see you are a man like me...Why do they never tell us that you are poor devils like us, that your mothers are just as anxious as ours, and that we have the same fear of death, and the same dying and the same agony-Forgive me, comrade; how could you be my enemy?"(223).

Quotation Significance: Paul has stabbed an enemy soldier and for the real first time he knows that this man isn't his enemy and as he is dying Paul makes promises to him and tries to ease his pain. Paul now recognizes that this man has the same hopes and fears as him. He refuses to believe that this man is his enemy.

Reflection: Paul feels terrible for killing that soldier and this guilt is eating him alive. He refuses to now believe that the men they are shooting are their enemies and he now only wants peace. This was the first man that Paul kills in hand-to-hand combat and this is hard for him to swallow. He finds that the name of the man is Gerard Duval and he has a wife and a child. Paul feels horrible knowing that this family will be cut off from a loving father and money so Paul promises to write to his wife and send her money. But Paul knows he won't be able to keep this promise. Paul realizes that this man has the same fears and hopes as him and that he is only trying to survive.

Discussion Question:

 







All Quiet On The Western Front Ch. 8 Litblog

Mary Ann MacDonald
Period 5
2-5-13

Chapter 8

Summary: Pauk arrives at the training camp and Russian prisoners are starving and picking through the garbage and Paul doesn't see an enemy in them.  Paul gives them cigarettes and one plays the violin by the fence for Paul. Paul visits his sister and father before returning to the front and gives the prisoners two of the cakes his mother made for him.

Quotation: "It is strange to see these enemies of ours so close up. They have faces that make one think- honest peasant faces, broad foreheads, broad noses, broad mouths, broad hands, and thick hair "(190).

Quotation Significance: Paul is saying that he sees his comrades in these "enemies" of his. He knows that some people powerful people made them his "enemies" but he can't see it. All he sees is a normal man and he doesn't know why he is fighting these men who are just like him.

Reflection: Paul arrives at training camp in this chapter and his sister and father come to visit. It seems like Paul has a hard time connecting with his family and it sounds awkward for him and his family. His family is going through a rough time because his mother has cancer and Paul doesn't know how to respond to it. So this just makes an awkward and sad time between Paul and his family and he feels more comfortable around his friends because they understand the horrors of war and what he is going through. Paul is also distraught because of the Russian prisoners. Paul doesn't see the enemy in the poor peasants digging through scraps of food and he gives them some cakes and cigarettes. Paul knows that men with power have made him and these prisoners enemies but he doesn't see why he is willing to fight a man who is just like him.

Discussion Question: Why is it so hard for Paul to connect with his family?

All Quiet on the Western Front Ch. 5-6 Litblog

Mary Ann MacDonald
Period 5
2-1-13

Chapters 5-6

 

Summary:  Himmelstoss is sent to the front as a punishment for tormenting recruits. Himmelstoss comes over and orders Tjaden to stand but Tjaden moons him. The boys talk about what they will do after the war. Authorities come looking for Tjaden but the boys wont give him up. Tjaden and Kropp are put on trial for insuboridination and they receive light punishments because of the way  Himmelstoss treated them and Himmelstoss gets talked to about his behavior.  Tjaden receives three days of arrest and Kropp gets one.  The boys then go back to the farmhouse and kill the geese and eat it. In chapter 6, the Second Company return to the front two days early. Men wait and receive food and ammunition.  Days pass and then the bombs begin to fall, and a recruit cracks and tries to leave so Kat and Paul have to beat him into submission.  The dugout receives a direct hit, and a recruit escapes. The shelling lessons and the attack comes.  The company fights ferociously and wreak havoc before grabbing all the provisions they can carry and run back to rest. Paul keeps watch and days pass and many are dead and wounded. Paul runs into Himmelstoss pretending to be wounded. They rush forward with an attack and Haie receives a fatal wound. In the end only 32 of the 150 men remain.

Quotation: “We have become wild beasts. We do not fight, we defend ourselves against annihilation. It is not against men that we fling our bombs, what do we know of men in this moment when Death is hunting us down- now, for the first time in three days we can see his face, now for the first time in three days we can oppose him; we feel a mad anger” (113).

Quotation Significance: Paul and the men are just about to fight after days of waiting and Paul is saying that he is not fighting against these men, he is just running from death. The men attack each other but Death is the real enemy, not the men themselves.

Reflection: In this chapter, Paul and the men return to the front. In this section of the book we begin to see more of how Paul is an experienced soldier who knows what he is doing on the battle field. The men are reinforced with recruits who are barely trained and drop like flies. Haie receives a fatal wound and only 32 of the 150 men die. Paul begins to reflect how Death is the real enemy in this war, not the men fighting against them. On watch, Paul has daydreams of being in a cathedral and talks about how this memories are strange and move him. The men are tired and in chapter 5 they talk about how they don’t know what they are going to do after the war. Kat has a wife and children, but most talk of getting drunk and being with women but Paul doesn’t know how to answer this question. He knows that the war has become his whole life and he doesn’t know where he will go after the war is over.  In chapter 5, Tjaden also moons Himmelstoss and gets three days of jail time. But after considering what he did to Tjaden the judge goes easy on him and if I was Tjaden I wouldn’t show Himmelstoss too much respect but it seems like the boys and Tjaden keep punishing Himmelstoss. They did it once (where they beat him senseless) but now they are doing reckless things to keep punishing him. It seems like they are almost punishing Himmelstoss for making them into monsters and someone they didn’t want to be.

Discussion Question:  Why do you think the boys keep punishing Himmelstoss?