Examples Of Figurative Language In Fahrenheit 451

The government suddenly makes it a law that all books and novels are illegal and must be reported to be burned. Firefighters no longer fight against fire, but now with it. They are ordered to burn every last page of information off the surface of the planet. This harsh and terrifying reality is illustrated in Ray Bradbury’s novel where society is overtaken by technology and every aspect of humanity’s thoughts and emotions are controlled and discouraged. The lack of intellectual curiosity leads to an “empty” culture that not many are able to identify and break free from. In the dystopian novel Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury uses vivid figurative language to create a culture where the loss of individuality and critical thinking catalyzes the downfall

On the very first page of the novel, Montag expresses his passion for burning in the quote, “With the brass nozzle in his fists, with this great python spitting its venomous kerosene upon the world, the blood pounded in his head, and his hands were the hands of some amazing conductor playing all the symphonies of blazing and burning to bring down the tatters and charcoal ruins of history” (Bradbury 1). His brass nozzle is compared to a python which then “spits” out its venomous kerosene demonstrating an example of both a metaphor and personification. The correlation to a python portrays the dangerous nature of the hose and the carnage it will inflict on the victims. The inclusion of personification also showcases hints of animal imagery. This animal imagery showcases that the lack and manipulation of nature cause destruction as society shifts all of its focus to technology rather than nature. Montag is aware of his dangerous acts but seems to enjoy it through the

A clear example of this present in the novel is Mildred. When Montag finally reveals a dozen novels he has been hiding, Mildred’s response is, “See what you're doing? You'll ruin us! Who's more important, me or that Bible?" She was beginning to shriek now, sitting there like a wax doll melting in its own heat” (Bradbury 72). What Mildred is expressing is a clear use of situational irony. At the beginning of the novel, Mildred is engrossed in technology from her parlor walls to the seashell radio paying Montag no mind. Only now that her “family” aka technology is in danger, she now cares about his standing on her. Her frenzy continues comparing her to a wax doll melting its own heat using the terms “like” or “as”: a smile. This analogy from her to a wax doll is an indication of how her soul has been affected by technology. She’s almost inhuman, as her lack of knowledge and critical thinking prevents her from forming her own beliefs to the government’s propaganda. Overall, Mildred contributes to Fahrenheit 451’s warning of the dangers of complacency and is a model of the average member impacted by the lack of knowledge