The title of the first section of Fahrenheit 451, The Hearth and the Salamander references to the symbolism of fire in the novel. A hearth is the floor of a fireplace where …show more content…
Ray Bradbury especially does with the symbolism of fire by putting clever titles for the sections as we see him do in section one of The Hearth and the Salamander, changing Montag’s perception of fire, and having fire capture both destruction and renewal when he brings the topic of the mythical bird Phoenix.The title of the first section of Fahrenheit 451, In the title of “The Hearth and the Salamander” the hearth references to the floor of a fireplace where people bond and build relationships on it and “the Salamander” is also associated with the firemen’s uniforms and fire truck. in the novel wear salamanders on their uniforms and the firemen also call their fire truck a “salamander.” Montag’s understanding of fire also factors into the story because fire play the role of a destructive, devouring, and life ending force, and the role of a nourishing flame where people used it for warmth. Montag also finds an alternative to seeing fire as a destructive force when he sees the fire warming instead of burning which helps him realize that fire can give as well as take away. The Phoenix that Granger mentions at the end of the novel is the epitome of fire being both destructive and renewing. Fire is an interesting theme in Fahrenheit 451 because it significantly factors into the novel and the meaning of it changes as you read