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Essay / The fire symbol in Fahrenheit 451
Fahrenheit 451 tells the story of the main character, Guy Montag. At first, Montag carries out his duty as a firefighter without worrying. He is not the traditional fireman, but he burns books belonging to illegal and banned people as well as their owners' homes. However, Montag begins to question the values of books, his profession, and his life in general. Throughout Fahrenheit 451, Montag is in conflict with his entire existence, eventually fleeing society and stumbling to eventually join an underground community of intelligent people. With his new friends, Montag witnesses the bombs falling on his old town and decides to rebuild a new society with the knowledge he now possesses. In this brief summary, however, one central symbol stands out. I chose fire, and I think it's quite an interesting symbol because it can have different meanings in the book and will follow the theme. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an Original Essay Fire, of course, can have its typical meaning. Fire destroys and burns everything in its path. Fire is used at the very beginning of the book when firefighters break into a woman's house to incinerate the book and the woman's house. When the woman refuses to leave the house, they also burn her. You could say that this started a fire in Guy Montag, who witnessed this event with his own eyes. As the reader continues to read the book, we see Guy's flames grow brighter and bigger. He begins to think independently, thinks that censorship is crazy and that books are valuable. This reminds me of a moment in part one where Clarisse talks to Guy about candles (as well as fire) and how, when controlled, they symbolize self-awareness and knowledge. We see him grow more as a character, to the point where he has to escape society, his flames have become very big, but controlled at the same time. I also want to talk about the moment when the city explodes, because that really sets the theme. When I first read the scene where the city was completely demolished, I was shocked. But the more I thought about it, the more it made sense. Much like a forest fire, the destruction of the city was devastating. But since Guy and the rest of the intellectuals can start from scratch, just like a wildfire, they will slowly but surely grow back to become bigger and better. I really like this theme because it's something that everyone can learn and understand. has. The theme is: even when you're completely burned out, you can always grow back and get better. If you're going through tough times, remember that it only gets worse from there. I have another one that I really like. The other theme is: you either let the flames consume and burn you, or you control it and use it to its full potential. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized article from our expert writers now. Get a Custom EssayConclusionIn In conclusion, although fire can be destructive, it can pave the way for new and greater things. Guy in Fahrenheit 451 is a great example of this. The “flames” can get bigger and bigger, but that person must be able to control those flames to become a better person. Fire, of course, is destructive and can hurt you. The question is: what do you do from here??