Fahrenheit 451 - Symbolism

Want to read the rest of this paper? Join Essayworld today to view this entire essay and over 50,000 other term papers

it (Slusser 63). Symbolism is involved in many aspects of the story. In Fahrenheit 451Ray Bradbury employs various significant symbols through his distinct writing style.
First, burning is an important symbol in the novel. The beginning of Fahrenheit 451 begins with, "it was a pleasure to burn. It was a pleasure to see things blackened and changed" (3). Burning rouses the "consequences of unharnessed technology and contemporary man’s contented refusal to acknowledge these consequences" (Watt 1). In these first two sentences he creates a sense of curiosity and irony because in the story change is something controlled and unwanted by the government and society, so it is very unlikely that anything in Guy Montag’s society could be changed. The burning described at this point represents the constructive energy that later leads to "apocalyptic catastrophe" which are the "polls" of the novel (Watt 1). At one instance, after Montag ...

Get instant access to over 50,000 essays. Write better papers. Get better grades. Already a member? Login

spirit while in contrast, Beatty symbolizes the destroying function of fire (Watt 2). Fire, Montag’s reality and world, refines and purifies his mind and also gives unity and depth to the story (McNelly 3). Montag interprets his experiences in terms of fire (Watt 2). In Montag’s society the fireman’s torch has become a flame of reason (Slusser 63). Scientists also consider fire a "mystery" in the novel (115). Fire is a consequential symbol in the story.

Thirdly, the Mechanical Hound is a meaningful symbol. The narrator describes the hound as follows, "the Mechanical Hound slept but did not sleep, lived but did not live…it was like a great bee come home from ...

Succeed in your coursework without stepping into a library. Get access to a growing library of notes, book reports, and research papers in 2 minutes or less.

CITE THIS PAGE: