Preview

Theme Of Symbolism In Fahrenheit 451

Better Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1386 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Theme Of Symbolism In Fahrenheit 451
“A Song of Pages and Fire”

In the novel Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, symbolism is used all throughout the story.
Not only is it the title of Part 1 of the story, but they are also the two most important symbols used by Bradbury: The Hearth and the Salamander. Each of these symbols have a significant relation to fire. The hearth symbolizes a fireplace, providing comfort and warmth to those around. While the Salamander symbolizes the firemen because it is the official symbol for the firemen and is also the name they give to their fire trucks. The juxtaposition of both symbols in the title suggests a conflict between Montag’s work and home personalities.

The hearth and the salamander can represent a multitude of ideas. Mentioned earlier,
…show more content…
Not far into the book, Montag meets Clarisse McClellan, a 17 year old free thinker who ponders the world around her. Clarisse’s odd personality and thoughts eventually gets Montag to start thinking about the world he lives in and causes him to question the reality of the emotionless world where he lives. She ‘awakened’ him, and he is now becoming part of the 3

“solution” for Montag and those who think like him. Montag and the others who have been awakened to the truth wish to take action, they no longer accept the reality imposed on them by the government, along with others who are scared to question society and why things are the way they are. Clarisse is responsible for sparking the change in Montag and she unknowingly sets him on a course that Montag does not want to abandon because it makes him feel alive and he is motivated to cause a change in the community.

Clarisse helped Montag realize that society is wrong, she makes him start to think about things he never would have imagined, Montag starts exploring and questioning things.

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Ray Bradbury puts motifs to represent and show the audience hints for what is going to happen.…

    • 344 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Symbols are small elements that formulate the themes of the books. Authors used them to disguise the themes otherwise, the story may loose it's drill. Also symbols allow the reader to interpret the ideas based on their perspective. In Fahrenheit 451, Bradbury explains the idea of knowledge and ignorance through a set of symbolic…

    • 55 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Fahrenheit 451 Symbols

    • 348 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Symbols are a big part of the world, without them we wouldn't know what happened in the past. In the book Fahrenheit 451 Bradbury uses symbols as a way to provide imagery and to elaborate on specific ideas. Fahrenheit 451 uses three prominent symbols, the number 451 plastered on the helmets of firemen, the burning of the books within this society, and the phoenix. They all represent big issues in the world.…

    • 348 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    At first, he feels comfortable with his job, but when Mildred tells Montag that Clarisse is “gone”, Montag starts to have thoughts on the questions Clarisse asked him (Bradbury 23). “”How did it start? How did you get into it? How did you pick your work and how did you happen to think to take the job you have?”” Clarisse asks Montag (Bradbury 47). This makes him take a new perspective on his life setting him on his journey to find the truth about his society. While Montag is going through the events, the stress rises within…

    • 508 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    5. Clarisse asks Montag, “Are you happy?” and this is significant because this question loops in Montag’s head for the rest of the book. This question sparks this so-called “revolution” in Montag’s head.…

    • 1086 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Although he did become rebellious to the government he potentially became more aware of the world and started living how it was meant to,not how they’re controlled to. Clarisse was an essential piece to Montag’s questioning of society, sparking the curiosity to seek knowledge which led him to question the oppressive government. Fahrenheit…

    • 807 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Clarisse is open minded because she thinks distinctively from society. She does not believe in violence that of which the firemen grasp. She is queer according to Montag because her questions to him are introspective and silly. However, the questions force Montag over the edge where he has to think about the things that society rejects.…

    • 961 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Clarisse spread the seed of curiosity inside Montag’s heart. She affected his ability to trust and obey; just like the snake within the book of genesis. Her question small and innocence radiating within Guy’s soul; was he happy? At last once those words were spoken the wheels in Guy’s head turn. Even Montag himself didn’t realized it; he let Clarisse change him inside out. He sought knowledge and what it meant to be "happy". Clarisse could be seem as the Prometheus and Montag humanity as a whole. Lost without fire to guide his way out of the darkness, She was the flame that make him realized that the world they live in had lost the real meaning of knowledge, love, and what meant to be…

    • 831 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Montag’s believes beyond everything that reading the books is going to help him create a better thought on Clarisse and her so called memories she gave to him. Eventually Mildred says she is over her fear of breaking the law and she begins to read the books with Montag (Bradbury ??). Montag notices that Clarisse, and even her family, have gone missing, he starts stressing out because at that moment Montag trusted what Clarisse shared with him and he was intrigued to know and learn more. Mildred mentions to Montag that she was positive Clarisse had been in a car accident and passed away. Clarisse had always been the odd duck in that world’s opinion, but to Montag she is interesting and full of knowledge.…

    • 631 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Beatty did however made the final push of drastically changing Montag's life. Stopping at his house to call him out on all the books and quotes he's been reciting the entire time. Beatty himself has also read plenty of books, of course he's not punished since he has authority. Every single person that crossed paths with Montag has at least read a book or thought differently from others. No one is really sure if Clarisse has books in her house but a numerous amount of searches have been done. It's suspicious enough that she thinks drastically different from most kids. Meanwhile, the old lady, Beatty, and Faber has read a plentiful amount of books in their lifetime. After seeing Beatty for the last time, Montag runs into even more people who have read books to some extent. A large group in fact just like Montag. Both himself and the world he sees has changed from start to…

    • 898 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    The most important and obvious element of symbolism in the novel is fire. Fire represents both good and evil. It symbolizes destruction and conflict. Fire consumes minds, spirits, men, ideas, and books. Not only is fire destructive, it is also a devouring, life-ending force as Montag witnesses with the elderly lady who chooses to burn up in her home. Ironically, to the firemen, fire symbolizes purification through the burning of books. They have “451” labeled on their helmets. And as Bradbury explains, it is “the temperature at which book-paper catches fire, and burns…” (Lenhoff 1).…

    • 1092 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    When Montag meets Clarisse he realizes there is something different about her. Clarisse's personality is something Montag has never seen before. After going on a walk with Clarisse, Montag has many thoughts. On page 9 it says, “ What incredible power of identification the girl had; she was like the eager watcher of a marionette show, anticipating each flicker of an eyelid, each gesture of his hand, each flick of a finger, the moment before it began. How long had they walked together? Three minutes? Five? Yet how large that time seemed now. How immense a figure she was on the stage before him; what a shadow she threw on the wall with her slender body!” Montag thinks this in his head when he gets home from the walk with Clarisse. This is the very beginning of Montag’s realization that there is more to life than what his society is telling him.…

    • 509 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Before he met Clarisse, Montag was an ordinary fireman, doing job. He did not question why, who, or what, he just did what he did. “Are you happy?” she said (14). This question triggered something inside of Montag and started the transformation. He started to think more, and to care more. He was becoming something dangerous. “I’ve tried to imagine,” said Montag, “just how it would feel. I mean, to have firemen burn our houses and our books.” Montag is starting to “defect” from the societal norm and is causing havoc. “Well,” said Beatty, “now you did it. Old Montag wanted to fly near the sun and now that he’s burnt his damn wings, he wonders why. Didn’t I hint enough when I sent the hound around your…

    • 465 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    The book follows Montag after an encounter with a girl named Clarrise who, unlike the rest of the world, thinks, instead of blindly following the pack.After this…

    • 251 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    In life there are many things that people are willing to give up in order to help others or maybe even yourself. The giving up of something of value or someone is identified as a sacrifice. Giving up possessions or even your life is extremely unfathomable, but in throughout Fahrenheit 451 Montag makes it seem extremely facile. When you find something that is of greater value to you than what you already have, then it would make it easier to sacrifice. Montag, in this novel, find the value of books and reading materials to be of more value than his life, in others words he sacrifices his life for books.…

    • 722 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays

Related Topics