Fahrenheit 451
By Ray Bradbury
Symbolism,
Imagery &
Allegory
Fire, Heat, Light
As you might expect from a novel about burning books, there’s a whole lot of fire in
Fahrenheit 451. We’re not just talking about the burning houses, either. When people are
angry, they’re burning with rage inside. When Montag senses Clarisse’s presence, it’s
because he feels body heat. When Granger and Co. pick themselves up after the bombing,
we get the image of a phoenix rising up from the ashes. This imagery is all over the place.
Fire seems to mean a lot of different things at different moments in Fahrenheit 451.
Beatty and his fireman minions use it to destroy. But the woman whose house they burn
interprets it another way: "Play the man, Master Ridley; we shall this day light such a
candle, by God's grace, in England, as I trust shall never be put out." For her, it represents
strength. Montag himself discovers an alternative use for fire at the end of the novel,
when he realizes that it can warm instead of destroy. Like that whole cycle of life thing,
fire has a constructive and destructive half. And like the books that are burned, each
character in the novel is forced to interpret for themselves and confront contradictory
perspectives – just like Beatty said about the books.
Insects and Other Unpleasant Animals
There are several references throughout Fahrenheit 451 to essentially yucky animals an
insects (that’s the technical term). When Mildred gets her stomach pumped, the machine
is like a snake. The earpiece she wears at night is like a praying mantis. The helicopters
in the chase scene are described as insects. Even the Mechanical Hound has eight legs,
like a spider. Notice a pattern here? These references all have to do with technology –
destructive technology that the government uses to control its citizens. It’s basically a
perversion of nature and of the natural order, which fits into the larger themes of
Fahrenheit 451 (because in this world of destruction without construction, the natural
order is off).
Getting Naked in the River
We thought that would get your attention. When the chase draws to a close, Montag
ditches his clothes, bathes in the river, and dons Faber’s attire instead. For a man who’s
been through three or more identity crises, this is significant. He’s leaving the old Montag
behind, cleansing himself of his old identity, and assimilating a new one for the time
being (Faber’s). The fact that another man is captured and killed in Montag’s place is a
great ancillary to this moment.
Setting:
Somewhere in the U.S. in the future, sometime after 1990 (remember
that the novel was written in the 1950s)
We get a sense of the world in which this story takes place from a variety of details. From
Clarisse’s comments we know that violence is prevalent. From the plumbers who come to
the Mildred’s rescue, we know that everyone is unhappy and death isn’t taken seriously.
We know wars are casual – there have been two atomic wars since 1990, and Mildred’s
friends' husbands are off at war…again. Family has gone by the wayside to be replaced
by television, and the same goes for religion. We even get a monetary scale – 6,000
dollars is Montag’s yearly salary. Bradbury skillfully creates an entire world for his story
and characters.
Point Of View:
Third Person (Limited Omniscient)
While the narrative is third person, it’s limited to Guy Montag. We spend a good amount
of time in his brain hearing his thoughts, learning who he is, and understanding his many,
many personal crises. This keeps us on his side and allows us insights into the world of
Fahrenheit 451 we would otherwise have been denied.
Tone:
Dramatic
It’s probably remnants from his hardcore science fiction days, but Bradbury shows a clear
flair for intensity here. Characters are extreme rather than realistic (Clarisse is the kooky
yet wise outsider, Beatty the secretly intellectual, moustache-donning-villain, Mildred the
vacant wife, Faber the reluctantly rebellious ex-professor, etc.). Events are apocalyptic
(big fires, lots of bombs), and confrontations exist only on the grandest of scales (cars
swerving to hit pedestrians, the occasional flame-thrower murder).
Themes:
*Themes are the fundamental and often universal ideas explored in a literary work.
1) Theme of Literature and Writing
In the futuristic world of Fahrenheit 451, books are considered subversive, are banned,
and are burned upon discovery. The novel's characters present a variety of points of view.
One believes that books are problematic in that they present so many varying and often
contradictory viewpoints. They leave the reader confused. Another believes that books
themselves are not important, rather what matters is the information that the best of them
contain: reflections of life and the world at large. A third character insists that those who
study literature stay off the metaphorical pedestal – they are merely receptacles for the
knowledge they carry. Either way, the novel reminds us that knowledge is nothing
without experience, and that lessons are learned more ways than one.
2) Theme of Technology and Modernization
TV is the enemy in Fahrenheit 451. It’s responsible for replacing literature,
intellectualism, and curiosity. On top of that, it’s become a substitute for family,
friendship, and any sort of real conversation. The reason cited is "happiness." People are
happier when they don’t have to think, or so the story goes. TV aside, technology is the
government’s means of oppression, but also provides the renegade’s opportunity to
subvert.
3) Theme of Rules and Order
TV is the enemy in Fahrenheit 451. It’s responsible for replacing literature,
intellectualism, and curiosity. On top of that, it’s become a substitute for family,
friendship, and any sort of real conversation. The reason cited is "happiness." People are
happier when they don’t have to think, or so the story goes. TV aside, technology is the
government’s means of oppression, but also provides the renegade’s opportunity to
subvert.
4) Theme of Wisdom and Knowledge
In Fahrenheit 451, wisdom and knowledge are gained through both experience and
scholarship. Most important is critical thinking – challenging ideas rather than accepting
them as absolutely correct. Mentors and teachers are integral to this process, not only for
passing on knowledge but for opening the door to independent thought.
5) Theme of Violence
Excessive violence in the futuristic world of Fahrenheit 451 betrays a problematic
underbelly to the status quo. Teenagers go around killing each other, TV is filled to the
brim with violence, and even driving a car brings on the crazed thirst for speed and
destruction. Violence is an outlet, and the cravings for such behavior mark the
dissatisfaction of the general populous
6) Theme of Identity
The crisis of identity is at the core of Fahrenheit 451. As the main character learns from a
series of mentors and teachers, he sees his own identity melding with that of his
instructors. This is also a means of scapegoating – if your identity is not entirely your
own, then you are not entirely responsible for your actions. The novel explores the
question of how to define the self, and seems to answer: actions.
7) Theme of Man and The Natural World
Fahrenheit 451 creates a dichotomy between the world of technology and the world of
nature. The former is cold and destructive, while the latter is engaging and informative. It
is only in nature that the novel’s main character is able to think clearly and draw
conclusions from his experiences. The novel argues that nature, in fact all of life, is a
cycle of construction and destruction. This is the natural way of things, but technology
has focused only on destruction and violence, leaving man in a devastating, unnatural
state.
8) Theme of Dissatisfaction
In the world of Fahrenheit 451, everyone seems to be happy. They watch TV all day,
they never ask difficult questions, they’re never forced to face anything unpleasant, and
they’re never truly bothered by anything. That being said, everyone is horribly
dissatisfied. It’s just that no one is willing to admit it. The deep boredom that runs
through the population is subdued by mindless activity and an insistence on happiness,
both on the part of the government and the citizens themselves.
Major Characters:
Guy Montag - A third-generation fireman who suddenly realizes the emptiness of his
life and starts to search for meaning in the books he is supposed to be burning. Though he
is sometimes rash and has a hard time thinking for himself, he is determined to break free
from the oppression of ignorance. He quickly forms unusually strong attachments with
anyone who seems receptive to true friendship. His biggest regret in life is not having a
better relationship with his wife.
Mildred Montag - Montag’s brittle, sickly looking wife. She is obsessed with watching
television and refuses to engage in frank conversation with her husband about their
marriage or her feelings. Her suicide attempt, which she refuses even to acknowledge,
clearly indicates that she harbors a great deal of pain. Small-minded and childish,
Mildred does not understand her husband and apparently has no desire to do so.
Captain Beatty - The captain of Montag’s fire department. Although he is himself
extremely well-read, paradoxically he hates books and people who insist on reading
them. He is cunning and devious, and so perceptive that he appears to read Montag’s
thoughts.
Professor Faber - A retired English professor whom Montag encountered a year before
the book opens. Faber still possesses a few precious books and aches to have more. He
readily admits that the current state of society is due to the cowardice of people like
himself, who would not speak out against book burning when they still could have
stopped it. He berates himself for being a coward, but he shows himself capable of acts
that require great courage and place him in considerable danger.
Clarisse McClellan - A beautiful seventeen-year-old who introduces Montag to the
world’s potential for beauty and meaning with her gentle innocence and curiosity. She is
an outcast from society because of her odd habits, which include hiking, playing with
flowers, and asking questions, but she and her (equally odd) family seem genuinely
happy with themselves and each other.
Granger - The leader of the “Book People,” the group of hobo intellectuals Montag
finds in the country. Granger is intelligent, patient, and confident in the strength of the
human spirit. He is committed to preserving literature through the current Dark Age.
Mrs. Phelps - One of Mildred’s vapid friends. She is emotionally disconnected from her
life, appearing unconcerned when her third husband is sent off to war. Yet she breaks
down crying when Montag reads her a poem, revealing suppressed feelings and
sensibilities.
Mrs. Bowles - One of Mildred’s friends. Like Mrs. Phelps, she does not seem to care
deeply about her own miserable life, which includes one divorce, one husband killed in
an accident, one husband who commits suicide, and two children who hate her. Both of
Mildred’s friends are represented as typical specimens of their society.
Stoneman and Black - Two firemen who work with Montag. They share the lean,
shadowed look common to all firemen and go about their jobs unquestioningly.