What is a THEME? A theme is a main idea, moral, or message, of

an essay, paragraph, movie, book or video game. The message may be about life, society, or human nature. Themes often explore timeless and universal ideas and are almost always implied rather than stated explicitly.

WHAT WE’RE LEAVING BEHIND

“Oh, just my mother and father and uncle sitting around, talking. It’s like being a pedestrian, only rarer. My uncle was arrested another time—did I tell you?—for being a pedestrian. Oh, we’re most peculiar.” ~Clarisse McClellan, F451 (p. 9)

SOCIAL/ ANTI-SOCIAL: WHO GETS TO DECIDE?

“The psychiatrist wants to know why I go out and hike around in the forests and watch the birds and collect butterflies.”

~Clarisse McClellan, F451 (p. 22)

(*see also pp. 28-29)

THE MECHANIZATION/ INDUSTRIALIZATION OF SOCIETY

“And I do all the shopping and housecleaning by hand.”

~CM, F451 (p. 29)

THOUGHT CONTROL

“Established, 1790, to burn English-influenced books in the colonies. First Fireman: Benjamin Franklin.”

~from The Brief History of the First Firemen of America, F451 (p. 33)

HERETICS & MARTYRS

“‘Play the man, Master Ridley; we shall this day light such a candle, by God’s grace, in England, as I trust shall never be put out.’”

~the lady in the burning house, F451 (p. 35) (*see also p. 39)

MASS MEDIA INFLUENCE“Then—motion pictures in the early twentieth century. Radio. Television. Things began to have mass.”

~Captain Beatty, F451 (p. 53)

FUN & HAPPINESS“We stand against the small tide of those who want to make everyone unhappy with conflicting theory and thought.”

~Captain Beatty, F451 (p. 60) (*see also p. 58)

OTHER THEMES

• PC

• CONTRADICTION IN BOOKS

• CENSORSHIP

What else???

• Write one theme from F451 on top of your paper.

• Find a quote from the book that fits with that theme, and write it down as well.

• Under your quote, write a paragraph explaining why it fits with the theme you chose.