Symbolism In Fahrenheit 451

Throughout English literature there are a number of authors who use symbolism to get a point across to the reader. Symbolism is a chance for the author to show the reader instead of tell. The futuristic book Fahrenheit 451 is a novel based around symbolism and ulterior meanings. Water and fire are symbols commonly used in all types of literature. These elements are especially apparent in mythology. Also, within the novel the parlor walls proved themselves to be more than what was initially apparent. These symbols give this book a very specific tone and mood.

Montag, brought up to burn books, is confused at his actions. As his mind unravels he begins to think for himself after meeting Faber, he constantly questions how he “could have been so blind” and “how it got to this.” He thinks back to burning books and thinks “my hands did the actions, mindlessly” montag feels anger toward his ignorance, maybe he could have done things different. Guy pity’s himself and his wife, mildred, not because he is sad, because he wish things could have been different for them. Mostly, is enraged by the ignorance and helplessness of the people around himself, and is the cause of most of his confusion.

But, books were illegal in this day and age, so he must keep the city protected. While watching the senior burn with her books, he learned that these books are so important to some people- there has to be something special about these books. As a result of this, he stole some of her books and took them to his home to read. This example proves that the old lady develops Guy Montag’s character considering he went from being fearful and weary about owning books, to becoming curious and wanting to learn the importance and significance of books. He begins to become intrigued, going against the law and putting his job- and life- at risk.

Guy Montag is a fireman who is greatly influenced in Ray Bradbury's novel, Fahrenheit 451. The job of a fireman in this futuristic society is to burn down houses with books in them. Montag has always enjoyed his job, that is until Clarisse McClellan comes along. Clarisse is seventeen and crazy. At least, this is what her uncle, whom she gets many of her ideas about the world from, describes her as. Clarisse and Montag befriend each other quickly, and Clarisse's impact on Montag is enormous. Clarisse comes into Montag's life, and immediately begins to question his relationship with his wife, his career, and his happiness. Also, Clarisse shows Montag how to appreciate the simple things in life. She teaches him to care about other people and

Guy Montag, on the other hand, is a fireman who starts fires, rather than stops them, in order to burn books, which are banned. Anyone caught with books are reported and their house and sometimes the people themselves are burned to the ground. People in his society don’t read books, enjoy nature, spend time by themselves, think independently, or have meaningful conversations. Guy is struggling with the meaninglessness of his life. His wife doesn’t seem to care and when he meets a seventeen year old girl named, Clarisse McClellan it opens up his eyes to the emptiness in his life. After this Montag becomes overwhelmed because of the stash of books in his house that he stole while on the job. Beatty, the fire chief, says that it’s normal for every fireman to go through a stage of wondering what books have to offer. Beatty gives Montag the night to see if the books have anything valuable in them, and to return them in the morning to be burned.

Faber changed Montag from being a confused man, to an aware, thinking and analyzing person that is deferent from the society he lives in. after killing Beatty, the chief fireman at the station who has read many books and memorized most of them. Montag seeks Faber 's help again, he was confused did not know where to do to escape from the mechanical hound that was running after him. Faber tells Montag to go to the forest, where Montag rested and thought about what happened and whether he did the right thing or not. At the forest, Montag meets a group of men that was lead by Granger; an author who is the leader of a group that hopes to re-populate the world with books.

Guy Montag is a man that cannot think for himself and enjoys following the government’s orders. The novel introduces him with one of his thoughts, “It was a pleasure to burn. It was a special pleasure to see things eaten, to see things blackened and changed” (Bradbury 1). On his way home from work one day, Guy meets a young girl named Clarisse McClellan. She’s the only person who questions his actions and challenges him to start thinking about why he burns books. Clarisse asks Montag if he ever reads the books that he burns, Montag laughs and says, “That’s against the law!” (Bradbury 5). Montag has been so brainwashed and ignorant about burning books, but Clarisse gives him new ideas by continuing to create doubts in his mind. She talks to Montag about the firemen from the past and how they were different then they are now. Clarisse says to Montag, “Is it true that long ago

In the novel, Montag eventually realizes the importance of rebelling against his employer and society. Montag later recognizes the significance of books and information and knows that the society he lives in is not ideal. Montag begins to wonder if books actually do have meaning and are important to civilization itself. Montag first rebels against his employer early in the novel by stealing a book from a house that had been called in, yet when asked to turn that book in, he had planned on lying to his boss and turning in a “substitute” (Bradbury 72). This early sign of civil disobedience hints toward bigger acts of rebellion and is just the beginning of what Montag, unknowingly, has started. This simple act of rebellion leads Beatty to believe that Montag has stashed away a full library of books. As the novel progresses and Montag meets Faber, Guy Montag recognizes even more the importance of rebellion. Montag says to Faber, “Plant the books, turn in an alarm, and see the fireman’s houses burn” (Bradbury 82). This idea itself is an act of rebellion by Montag to try and

Guy Montag, a local ‘firemen’ lives in a despairing dreary world where instead of firemen extinguishing fires they create them, they burn and banish books. They believe that books are a sin and trouble to society. Although Montag is one of the main sources of the books being burned he meets a bright young girl that changes his ways of thinking and

Montag’s entire system of beliefs changes when Guy meets a couple of people with unique perspectives, Clarisse McClellan and Professor Faber. Clarisse McClellan is a seventeen year old girl who Montag met while walking down the street one night. She claims she is crazy and always seeks out the answers to questions that nobody else thinks to ask. Faber is an ex-professor who is old enough to have watched the decline of intellectual life in his country. Montag once met Faber in the park carrying a book of poetry on his person and quoting it. Nevertheless, Guy does not turn Faber in to the authorities for possession of a forbidden book, but keeps Faber’s personal information. These two people alter Montag’s perspective on the world and the stories concealed in it by the media and government. By the ending of the story, Montag transforms into a completely different person who, desiring more out of his life, discovers that he can save his burning society by bringing back books and poetry. Therefore, Montag changes throughout the course of the story by beginning to question authority and doubt the ways of his life and society. From the beginning to the ending, Montag transforms through the influence of the people in his life.

He finds an ex-professor named Faber, whom he met in the park one day. Faber is reluctant, but finally agrees to aid Montag against the firemen. Faber provides Montag with a two-way radio earpiece. That evening Montag loses his temper and breaks out by reading some banned poetry aloud to his wife’s friends. Which wasn’t such a bright decision. That night at the firehouse, Beatty pokes at Montag by quoting contradictory passages from the same books. Which he’s trying to prove that all literature is confusing and problematic. Then he takes Guy to a fire alarm. Which is very astonishing because it’s at Guy’s

Symbolism is used in numerous stories to convey certain ideas to readers. In Ray Bradbury’s novel, Fahrenheit 451, symbolism plays a major role in shaping and communicating ideas. Even though the name “The Hearth and the Salamander” may symbolize many different things, it is symbolic of the different sides of Montag’s character as shown through Montag’s actions and thoughts.

In the movie version of Fahrenheit 451, Francois Truffaut uses an apple to highlight knowledge. In the movie, apple symbolized the knowledge the characters shared. For example, the group of people that Montag was with shared same knowledge as they shared the same apple. However, at the beginning of the movie, one of the firemen couldn’t eat a leftover apple from a bookkeeper as Captain Bettay snatched it. Furthermore, this incident illuminates how the firemen were prohibited to read or gain any knowledge. While obtaining knowledge, the characters have risked their lives, and they had to face many obstructions. For instance, the Montag almost lost his life while escaping as he was among the bookkeepers. Knowledge is one

Every piece of literature has the same elements inbedded into it; symbol, pattern and memory, yet they are not easily pointed out. In Ray Bradburg's "Fahrenheit 451", society has changed into one that supported book burnings and same-tracked thinking for everyone. Symbolism is shown through the story by the form of that society seeming completely other-worldly or improbable, yet our own society is not far from it.

Ray Bradbury chose to include the poem, Dover Beach, in his novel because it represents the society in Fahrenheit 451. Although the Earth is beautiful and almost perfect, the people that live in it are internally struggling. The last stanza is what represents the dystopian society the most. The poem states, “And we are here as on a darkling plain / Swept with confused alarms of struggle and flight” (Arnold 35-36).