Symbolism in “Fahrenheit 451”
The novel “Fahrenheit 451”, by Ray Bradbury, has many symbols. The novel is about a fireman, Guy Montag, who realizes knowledge is the most important thing to society. In the novel, firemen burn books instead of stopping fires from burning. Books are illegal. The symbols in the novel create a mystery to the novel. What is the meaning behind the title? Why did Bradbury use the salamander as the logo for the firemen? What is the story behind the sand and the sieve? Many readers question the diction choices in the novel and here are the genius reasons why Bradbury uses these symbols.
The title “Fahrenheit 451” is symbolic because it is the degree of which books burn. It can also symbolize the temperature of society
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It is believed that Bradbury uses the diction choice of salamander because salamanders are said to be able to live in fire. Both, hearth and salamander, are connected to fire which is the significant image in Montag’s life.
In the part two title, “The Sand and the Sieve”, Montag flashes back to his childhood memory where his cousin tells him to fill a sieve with sand in exchange for a dime. Montag goes back to this memory because he believes if he reads the bible quick enough, he will be able to keep it in his mind for a moment. The sand represents the knowledge he seeks and the sieve represents the mind trying to seize the information that is impossible to grasp in any indefinite way. Another symbol in the novel is the story of the phoenix. Towards the end of the novel, Granger compares humans to the story of the phoenix. The story of the phoenix is about a bird that is destroyed by fire then rises from the ashes. Both, humans and the phoenix, are consumed by fire. The phoenix is also a symbol for the restoration of mankind. Humans can learn from their mistakes and rise from the ashes and rebuild