Discussion Questions Opinion: The Mobbing of a Portland Bookstore Reminds Us Why FAHRENHEIT 451 Was Written
1. Define censorship, dystopian, fascism
2. The label ‘fascist’ gets used a lot these days. How well can you articulate what a
fascist truly believes? What, for example, did the Nazis stand for? How did they
maintain control of the German state?
3. Why do people try to ban books?
4. Consider this phrase again: “his work is too dangerous to be allowed to be aired.”
What is your reaction to that idea?
5. Who decides what’s dangerous?
6. Where else have you seen free speech suppressed lately?
7. How well does the novel Mr. Polumbo discusses match what’s happening in
Portland? In other words, do you find his argument effective, or not? Why?
8. What books have you read that wrestle with the dangers of suppressing
unpopular speech?
9. How is reading books different from reading social media posts or news articles,
or even columns like this one?
10. What can books do that these other reading materials cannot?
11. Why do you think the bookstore owner removed Ngo’s book from his shelves
while keeping it in the online catalogue? Was he right to do so? Explain.
12. If you were the bookstore owner, what would you do? Why?
13. Do you think that truth can eventually be found if all ideas are able to be freely
expressed? Can truth be found if some ideas are not given the possibility of
consideration?
14. Should these protesters face consequences for their efforts to manipulate this
bookstore? Why or why not? If so, what consequences would be appropriate?