Things Do Not Change In Fahrenheit 451

“Things do not change, we change.” Henry David Thoreau. Fire will always be a material that will not change based on how one uses it. In Fahrenheit 451, fire is used to show destruction, knowledge, and Montag’s view on society.
Fire in the novel represents destruction. A job in their society is a fireman. Fireman are the people who start the fires. Throughout the novel fire destroys books, the fireman destroy books because the society wants to be equal and if there are no books than no one will be able to learn. Fire also represents a destruction for humans. When there was a call for the woman at eleventh Elm, before she would get into trouble for owning books she ends up burning herself. Not only are books and life's a destruction by fire in the novel but,
responsibility is destroyed. When it comes to responsibility it means there is a problem in society. Beatty stated, “Its real beauty is that it destroys responsibility and consequences” (109). Not only does fire destroy the society, but it also destroys the lack of knowledge.
The symbol fire can stand for destroying the characters lack of knowledge. Montag had to ask Mildred “Where and when did they meet?” (40). That proves that once something happens in that society they will try to forget about it. The fire destroys the lack of information for Beatty, based on how all books end. Beatty assumed that all books end boring and that they are filled with evil thoughts (55). Throughout the novel, fire has been destroying people's knowledge because the characters do not understand what it takes to have knowledge. In order to have knowledge, the society will need to have the quality of information and texture which means details reveal the truth. Also, the society will need to have leisure which means to have time to think. Lastly, the fire destroyed knowledge because the society does not have knowledge to be able to carry out actions. To carry out actions is based on what one has learned from the interactions based on the information and the time one thought about it. In the novel, fire hasn’t just destroyed one's knowledge, but Montag has changed his view on fire throughout the novel.
Montag began stating “It was a pleasure to burn” (1).
Montag begins as a fireman who viewed fire as a danger, which makes him proud. Montag slowly changes his view on fire after he meets a girl named Clarisse. Once Clarisse stated, “Are you happy?” (10). The question makes Montag realize that burning books is not something to be proud of. In fact, when Montag had a fire call one night it made him feel sick. The fire call makes him sick because he realizes that burning books and homes and people are not the answers. He also realizes that he did not know why he is burning the books. Later on, Montag realizes another meaning of fire. “It was not burning it was warming” (139). Montag figures out that fire can be peaceful when it comes to a camp fire and it is not always used as a destroying tool.
Throughout the novel Fahrenheit 451, the destruction of fire and knowledge has made an impact on Montag’s view of fire. The fire representing destruction caused the society to be unable to fix any issues. The fire also represents the lack of knowledge that the community has. Fire has also proven how Montag has changed his thoughts on fire. No matter what it may be, an object or a symbol can have more than one
meaning.