Part III: Burning Bright

Authors use symbols to give their stories richness and depth, forcing readers to look for meaning below the surface. In this post, analyze the importance of one of the symbols in Fahrenheit 451. Explain the symbol and its significance to the novel. How does it relate to Montag and his journey? Why do you think Bradbury chose that symbol? What is Bradbury trying to help us understand about the novel and the world?

Symbols:

- Fahrenheit 451:

Things to think about: 451 degrees Fahrenheit is the temperature at which paper burns. Bradbury originally titled the novel The Firemen. Why do you think he changed it?

Pages to start your search: 3, 8

- The Salamander:

Things to think about: Legends associate salamanders with being so cold blooded that they can live in fire and not get burned. They are also said to be able to spit poison and are indestructible. If their tail falls off, they can regrow it. Why are the firemen's lighters and fire engines in the shape of salamanders? How is the salamander and apt symbol for the firemen?

Pages to start your search: 6, 13, 19, 86, 104

- The Sieve and the Sand

Things to think about: Look at the story on page 78. Why did Bradbury choose this symbol as the title for Part II? How are Montag's past and present connected?

Page to start your search: 78

- The Phoenix

Things to think about: We see a phoenix at the beginning and end of the novel. How does this symbol evolve as Montag changes? (If you don't know the legend of the phoenix, google it.)

Pages to start your search: 6, 163-4

- Mirrors

Things to think about: Why are mirrors important? Who serves as a mirror in the novel? Pages to start your search: 4, 11, 154-5, 164

- "The Family"

Things to think about: What is the family? How does this symbol contribute to Bradbury's warning to his readers? Think about the historical context of the novel.

Pages to start your search: 20-21, 44, 48-52, 77, 159

- The Mechanical Hound

Things to think about: What do we typically associate with dogs? What do they usually symbolize? How is this hound different? What does that tell us about society?

Pages to start your search: 24 -27, 72, 120, 133-7, 144

Part II: The Sieve and the Sand

Montag and Faber team up to try to fix society by sabotaging the firehouses from the inside and reminding people about the power of books. In your post, respond to any of the following questions:

- According to Faber, why are books so powerful? Why are they more powerful than TV, even though everyone's living room walls have become 4 giant TV screens that are on 24 hours a day? How do we see the power of books and poetry as Montag confronts his wife's friends in the living room?

- In Montag's discussion with Faber and his conversations with Milred and her friends, we learn a lot about the problems in this futuristic American society. What are some of the problems in this society? What do you think Bradbury is trying to warn his (1950's American) society about?

- In the firehouse, Montag is caught between the two sides - literally hearing Capt. Beatty's voice in one ear and Faber's voice in the other. Which side do you think he'll ultimately choose? Why? Can he and Faber singlehandedly change society? Why is it so important to Montag that he not simply follow Faber's orders but rather make his own decisions?