How Does Ray Bradbury Use Metaphors In Fahrenheit 451

In the novel Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury states the negative effects of technology. Bradbury illustrates a society where books are banned and people entertain themselves with parlor walls, which is a TV. One of the characters Mildred, who is the wife of Montag, a fireman who is paid to burn books. Mildred is always attached to technology and can’t get away from it. She is usually watching the parlor or listening to her seashell earbuds. Bradbury uses the literary element of indirect characterization on Mildred to suggest how she is selfish and thoughtless, examining the negative effects of technology when one constantly uses it and relies on it which causes obsession and over-reliance towards technology leading one to not think critically

This study examines the issue of freedom of information in the story of literary oppression found in Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. Bradbury presents the oppression of an authoritarian state that does not allow its citizens to reads books. Guy Montag is initially a servant of the state that requires him to locate and persecute members of the community that still collect books. In various cases, Bradbury defines the rights of certain citizens to rebel against Guy and the other “book burners”, which suggest liberation from tyranny and the freedom of information. Guy also becomes convenient that the policy to destroy books is a threat to civilization, and the rebellion allows him to change his views and to rebel against the government. More importantly, Clarisse’s role in inspiring Guy to revolt becomes a major catalyst for freeing the society from banning books that are deemed a threat to the social order. In essence, an analysis of freedom of information will be examined in this study of literary oppression found in Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451.

The tone of the excerpt from Ray Bradbury’s book Fahrenheit 451 is desperate, as portrayed through two literary devices. Figurative language is used to express an idea by utilizing a unique set of words. “ He (Montag) felt his smile slide away, fold over and down on itself like tallow skin, like the stuff of a fantastic candle burning too long and now collapsing and now blown out” (Bradbury 9) is a hyperbole. The previous quote’s meaning was that the smile disappeared, as it was too happy for Montag to handle; but it was wonderful nonetheless. By stating that the fantastic candle had blown out, means that Montag was sorrowful to have his smile leave and, therefore, wanted it back. The quote his accurately depicts to the tone. Descriptions used

Thomas Jefferson once said, “That government is best which governs least…”. In Fahrenheit 451, a dystopian novel written by Ray Bradbury, the government puts extreme laws in place to “protect” the people. Except, that these laws keep the citizens from knowing the truth. The good laws like speed limit aren’t enforced and the things that shouldn’t matter, like owning a book, are so strongly enforced, that if it is you that is found to own a book, your house will be burnt down. The government keeps everyone in check by censoring the citizens. During the 1950’s, the entire country was in fear of communism. There was a blacklist of authors, actors, and public figures. No one would hire them or buy their work. Bradbury wanted to warn the country of what could happen if it continued being ignorant , and by using pathos, rhetorical questions, and repetition, he effectively conveyed his purpose.

“Don’t face a problem, burn it.” (Bradbury 115). This is a quote from the book, Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. Fahrenheit 451 follows Montag’s journey after he begins to realize the truth about books. The overall theme is censorship and more importantly the result of it.

Would you rather have awareness of the world around you or just be completely oblivious? In Ray Bradbury’s novel, Fahrenheit 451, you clearly don't have a choice. Bradbury uses figurative language, symbolism, and biblical references in the book to express Bradbury’s concern about how powerful governments manipulate citizens.

To start off, a huge aspect of Fahrenheit 451 would be the media’s representation of displaying things as ‘perfect’. This brainwashing presence of the media in the novel can be shown through the parlor screen walls(‘television screen’), along with alluring advertisements of toothpaste. In the world of Montag, everyone seems to be so absorbed on their television to the point where even real-life interactions are non-existent. This example is hugely shown through Montag’s wife, Mildred who has an obsession with a ‘t.v show’ she called “the family” with whom she interacts and talks with. “The family”, or the actors on the screen, are shown to have a happy and fun life filled with funny situations and cheesy lines. When in actuality, Mildred is unhappy as disconnects herself from her personal relationship with her husband, Montag and shows to be more focused on the people on the parlor wall instead. An example of this is shown when Mildred ignores Montag’s question about her overdose and instead tells him to install another parlor wall in their home, so their living room would be like “all kinds of exotic people’s rooms”(21). Her insistence on having another parlor wall reveals a desire to be in another alternate world, or exotic room, rather than the reality, or the house she dwells in. In addition to parlor walls, the tendency display things as ‘perfect’ in the media of Montag’s society are also shown in advertisements. A

Today, teens are spending one third of their day using technology according to a new study released by Common Sense Media. That is a whole nine hours spent mindlessly surfing the web or watching cat videos. In the science fiction novel Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury writes a social commentary on what the future may look like if technology continues to be overused. In his dystopia, all books are banned and the government controls almost every aspect of people’s lives by brainwashing them with technology. Firemen burn down people’s houses who have books, Guy Montag being one of them. Slowly, Montag starts to question his society and steal books, to the dismay of his technology obsessed wife, Mildred. Bradbury uses Mildred as a symbol of societal corruption to highlight the dangers of excessively using technology.

In “Fahrenheit 451,” Ray Bradbury analyzes the misuse of technology by using the characterization of Mildred as dependent on technology and the imagery of fire and the Mechanical Hound to convey that when overused, technology can lead people to escape responsibility and replace aspects, of life, which can lead people to not use their brain and depend on technology for everything.

Imagine a society where books are banned, technology has taken over and is on the verge of a world war. This is what you encounter when reading the totalitarian novel Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury from the perspective of the protagonist Guy Montag, a fireman with the task of burning every still existing book there is. Throughout the course of the novel, he begins questioning his current life-situation and evolves from a workaholic to a rule-breaking rebel in a matter of days. Considering the occupation of the protagonist, fire coincidentally has a significant role in this story, however, the symbolism changes coherently with Montag himself. The meaning of fire and burning provides dimension and depth and thus making it a food for thought type

Fahrenheit 451 has been called an ingenious and life changing work of literature. It could not have had this effect on people, however, without the incredibly pivotal part 3 of the novel. This part is what shows the inherent hopeful nature of the writing. Ray Bradbury’s intent when writing Part 3 of Fahrenheit 451 was to show how even a dark and dystopian world like the one in the novel can be reborn into a new and better society, and that even the most hopeless of situations can be fixed. He demonstrates this intent through an analogy about the seasons, similes involving wax dolls, and finally the overarching metaphor of the phoenix.

Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 is a display of how humans are relying more and more on technology for entertainment at the price of their ability for intellectual development. It is a novel about technological dystopia, often compared to other novels such as, George Orwell’s 1984 and Asimov Ender’s Game. Although today’s technology has not quite caught up with Bradbury’s expectations, the threat of having his vision of a dystrophic society is very realistic. He sees a futuristic society in which this submission of thought is highly valued. In Fahrenheit 451, Bradbury displays a futuristic utopian society where "the people did not read books, enjoy nature, spend time by themselves, think independently, or have meaningful conversations" (Mogen, Pg. 111).

Symbolism is a major literary device that helps people see a book through symbols that often have a deeper meaning. A symbol is used to explain something in a different way, using images, objects, etc. instead of just saying it in words. As you search for a deeper meaning in a work of art or literature it can help you understand the author’s intentions and the deeper significance of a work. In Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, symbols help reinforce the major themes of the book.

Prompt: The novel contains many literary elements and references to different works of literature, how do these convey the themes of the novel?

Bradbury uses allusions numerous times throughout the novel. Bradbury alludes to the biblical reference to sheep in the bible. For example, as Beatty takes possession of the book Montag returns to him, he says, “the crisis is past and all is well, the sheep returns to the fold. We’re all sheep who have strayed at times” (Bradbury 105). This quote explains how Captain Beatty believes Montag is betraying his position as a fireman and his place in society because he has strayed from the typical way of life in the novel. But because Montag returns to the firehouse he is returning to the herd. This quote is similar to one within the bible because it states how people, like sheep, have gone astray. The significance of this literary devices is to