Fahrenheit 451 Allusion

Ray Bradbury’s novel, Fahrenheit 451 tells the story of a future society where firemen burn books in an attempt to censor information and knowledge from citizens. This restriction of knowledge is used to create an ignorant yet equal society. The protagonist, Guy Montag, is a fireman who begins to question the morality of his job and the society he lives in. Guy goes against society and collects books, eventually joining a group of rebels in their mission to rebuild society and preserve the knowledge contained within books. Throughout the novel, Bradbury uses the symbolism of characters, titles, and objects to communicate how the discovery of knowledge can awaken a renaissance.

As the novel opens, Bradbury uses the woman burned in the fire

When speaking with his wife, Mildred Montag states “Maybe the books can get us half out of the cave” (Bradbury 70). Bradbury employs an allusion as a literary technique, implying that both the people in Montag’s society and the prisoners in the cave live in ignorance and don’t understand that the information they receive is only a distorted version of reality. The allusion illustrates the symbolism of ignorance and knowledge as both works explore the pursuit of truth. Like the prisoner that is freed, Montag has now gotten a taste of the world outside the cave, and much share the knowledge with the ignorant. Additionally, when speaking with Mildred truly becomes aware of the ignorance he has been living in, he asks her “‘How long is it since you were really bothered? About something important, about something real?’” (Bradbury 49). Bradbury employs repetition as a literary device with the phrase "about something" to emphasize the idea that the Motag is searching for something meaningful and wants Mildred to too. The repetition illustrates the symbolism of ignorance because it shows how people like Mildred are trapped in a limited perspective and could not care less about anything real. Through this symbol of The Allegory of the Cave, Bradbury shows how people have become

After the city is bombed Granger compares their society to a phoenix, because “... every time he burnt himself up he sprang out of the ashes …” (Bradbury 156). Bradbury uses a metaphor as a literary technique to compare Montag’s society to a phoenix, meaning that the city will be reborn or renewed ____ This comparison illuminates the purpose of the symbolism of rebirth by showing how like the phoenix, humans cyclically destroy themselves and their societies only to build up society again. However, according to Granger, humans have the ability to remember and record what has happened in an attempt to avoid repeating past mistakes. In this way, books can help teach people about the past as well as serve as a guide or offer a warning for the future. In addition, when heading to the city Granger tells Montag that “We’re remembering. That’s where we’ll win out in the long run” (Bradbury 157). Bradbury utilizes determined diction through the use of the word “win”. This diction enhances the symbolism of restoration as it creates a sense of determination and suggests that the act of remembering is crucial for achieving success in the future. The quote implies that by acknowledging and learning from the past, one can overcome challenges and ultimately achieve victory or success in the long term. This directly refers to those men who've been living outside of society, and the fact that