Fahrenheit 451

Symbols

“The Hearth and the Salamander”

• When the symbol occurs in the novel: Part One

• Explanation of symbol: Hearth= symbol of home, positive fire. Salamander= ancient belief they live in fire and be unharmed by it.

• What it represents: Positive fire, Montag like a salamander, firetrucks were called salamanders

“The Sieve and the Sand”

• When the symbol occurs in the novel: Part Two, when Montag reading Bible in subway.

• Explanation of symbol: Montag recalls a childhood memory where a cousin challenged him to fill the sieve with sand.

• What it represents: Sand = the truth Montag seeks in books, understanding the reading. Sieve= how impossible it was to grasp in any permanent way.

Blood

• When the symbol occurs in the novel: When Mildred overdoses, they replace her blood

• Explanation of symbol: Blood is an vital part of people’s body. It gives life, but can also show their damaged bodies.

• What it represents: Her poisoned, replaceable blood represents the empty lifelessness of Mildred and the other people like her.

The Phoenix

• When the symbol occurs in the novel: Granger compares mankind to a phoenix after the bombing of the city.

• Explanation of symbol: a phoenix is a mythical bird that builds a nest and ignites in flames at the end of its life. When it dies, it is reborn from its own ashes

• What it represents: The rebirth of mankind after nuclear war & Montag’s rebirth after his changes throughout the novel.

Mirrors

• When the symbol occurs in the novel: Montag calls Clarisse a mirror in Part One. At end of book, Granger says they must build a mirror factory to truly look at themselves. Montag imagines Mildred seeing herself in mirror as bomb drops.

• Explanation of symbol: Mirrors reflect the exact image they see.

• What it represents: They represent being able to see things clearly and self-reflection