Fahrenheit 451 Essay, Research Paper

Fahrenheit 451

Fire, books, and the character of Faber are all symbols of some kind in this story. They each represent a quality or idea that stands for something important in the story. They all fit into place in the story and each of them has their own part.

Fire is a symbol of many things in this story. It symbolizes hate because of the way fire is used to burn the books. These books were once loved but are now hated because they are being burned. Fire also symbolizes ignorance and illiteracy because the people could have saved books but they were too lazy to want to read them. The people didn’t want to waste time reading long books that were about made up things. Fire also symbolizes prejudice because nobody really even gave books a chance. They were raised to watch television or play sports. The firemen scared even the people who did not own books. Fire can also be a symbol of misunderstanding because nobody really understood fully what kind of knowledge books could bring. Montag started to realize this knowledge after Clarisse and Faber opened his eyes to it. He was able to understand the knowledge that books brought to people.

Books are the most important symbol in this story. They are very significant because they symbolize the most meaningful elements in the story. Books symbolize knowledge because books contain wisdom and this is why the government did not want people to read books. Once more people started reading books then they would become smarter. Books can also symbolize trust and security because anyone who owned a book could be trusted by another who also owned books. They had support and protection from one another.

The character of Faber is also an important symbol in the story because he symbolizes many notable qualities. The character of Faber symbolizes hope because he is one of the few people left who still believes that books can be brought back. He gives hope to Montag and Montag believes in him. He is also a symbol of cowardice because he does not want to go out into the action because he is so old and afraid of being caught. Instead he stays inside his home and instructs Montag what to do through the two-way radio. Although he is somewhat of a coward, he is able to teach Montag the knowledge in books and lead him to safety.