FAHRENHEIT 451
The influence of " Fire " in Fahrenheit 451
Fire, which is the most powerful symbols in Fahrenheit 451, it has two totally different meaning in this story. What’s more, fire is also influence the development of the story.
-The Symbolism Of Fire
First of all, I am willing to talk about the symbolism of fire. Fire not only means burning and destroying, it but also means hope and reborn in this story.
https://youtu.be/hYc1QQyvVUA
- Let’s take the quote that is said by capital Beatty as an example, “Burn all, burn everything. Fire is bright and fire is clean.”(Bradbury 57). According to this quote fire is being used as a way of destroying things and choosing to avoid problems. It is without any doubt that fire is the symbolism of burning and ruining in this society. Fire is just a tool of breaking things. The government tried to eliminate troubles and conflicts by using fire to destroy them. For instance, firemen strongly believe that books are the root of strife, and they have responsibility of removing these hidden dangers. However, the most ironic thing is that destruction cannot solve any problems, it is just a pretence of evading responsibility.
- On the other hand, fire also means renewal and reborn in this story. For example, at the end of the story, when Montag saw the burning fire, which was set by Granger’s group, he thought, “That small motion, the white and red color, a strange fire because it meant a different thing to him. It was not burning, it was warming.”(Bradbury 139). When Montag stood in the river, the first he sees is the fire, which means hope and rebirth. Fire helps people to resist cold and brings light. It is beyond any question that fire is the symbol of hoping and warming in the end of the novel. Even the fire is same at any moment, but the meaning of the fire is still different. Because the fire itself doesn’t have meaning, the sense is depended by the people who uses the fire. This is the reason why fire have several different meaning in this story.
-Montag's Understanding of Fire at the Beginning
- “It was a pleasure to burn. It was a special pleasure to see things eaten, to see things blackened and changed.”(Bradbury 1).
He can’t feel any guilt and sadness, because he strongly believes that he is helping the society by burning books and this is the responsibility for a fireman to burn books. What’s more, the writer also mentions Montag’s “fierce grin”. When Montag comes back to the firehouse and looks in the mirror, he winks at himself. While he lays in his bed at night, his smile doesn’t go away.
-Montag's Understanding of Fire at the End
- After Montag becomes Clarisse’s friend, he starts to realize that his life is happless and meaningless.
- Eventrually, what really changed Montag’s mind was the old woman’s death.
-The meaning of the Phoenix in Fahrenheit 451
As we all know, Phoenix is a kind of mystery animal, it can rebirth by burning itself. But it doesn't exist in our real life.
- As we all know, Phoenix is a kind of mystery animal, which doesn't exist in people’s real life. So, Why did the writer use Phoenix as the metaphor of the fire, rather than use an actual animal. Because of the reason that Bradbury wants to use the Phoenix to explain rebirth. For example, at the end of the story, Granger and Montag were standing beside the fire, “ Granger looked into the fire.“Phoenix”.”(Bradbury 156). Phoenix is the bird that is consumed by its own flames but then rises from the ashes. According this quote, we can learn that If something wants to be created, it must be destroyed first. The writher wanted to show that even thought the city has been destroyed and turned into ruins, but this is just a new start, new change and return.
The Jezabels - Come Alive [Official Video]
* Works Cited
- Anderson, Ken. Fahrenheit 451 1966. Purdue U, 29 Apr. 2013, http://lecinemadreams.blogspot.ca/2013/04/fahrenheit-451-1966.html. Accessed 28 Nov. 2016.
- Angerloricci, Via. Tempus Fugit. Purdue U, 21 Jan. 2011, http://ceneredirose.tumblr.com/post/2854850708/e-quando-ti-chiederanno-che-cosa-facciamo-tu-gli. Accessed 28 Nov. 2016.
- Bradbury, Ray. Fahrenheit 451. A Division of Simon & Schuster, Inc., 2013.
- "Come alive.", YouTube, uploaded by The Jezabels, 18 Nov 2015, https://youtu.be/zoLWLsO-ApQ.
- " Fahrenheit 45|Symbol 1|60second Recap." YouTube, uploaded by 60second Recap, 28 Feb 2010, http://www.60secondrecap.com/study-gu....
- Getz, Dana. Fahrenheit 451 film in the works at HBO. Purdue U, 13 Apr. 2016, http://www.ew.com/article/2016/04/13/fahrenheit-451-film-hbo. Accesswd 28 Nov. 2016.
- Harrington, Kaitlyn. fire_.Purdue U, 20 June. 2013, https://texturefabrik.com/category/fire/. Accessed 28 Nov. 2016.
- Shugart, Chris. Phoenix Theory. Purdue U, 6 Jan. 2014, https://www.t-nation.com/powerful-words/phoenix-theory. Accessed 28 Nov. 2016.