The Symbolism of the Firemen Fahrenheit 451 The Symbolism of the Firemen

Main Characters in Fahrenheit 451 Guy Montag Clarisse McClelland Mildred (Millie) Montag Captain Beatty Faber

The Legend of the Phoenix A supernatural, beautiful bird Yellow, orange, gold, red feathers (fire) Associated with the sun god, Heilos Only one phoenix lives at a time 1000 years Builds funeral pyre, throws self into flames Reborn from ashes, rises to live again Symbol of immortality, life after death, resurrection

The Salamander Greek, meaning “fire animal” Small lizard, cold-hearted Born of fire & flame- myth Fire-proof skin, can endure flame without damage - myth colors of red, orange & gold = fire, flames

The Beetle A small, black bug Associated with devil Symbol of the immortality; industrialness Cars in their society

The Python Powerful snake Biblical reference to Adam & Eve Symbolic of sin Mildred’s overdose Stomach pump Kerosene hose “great python spitting its venomous kerosene pon the world…burning to bring down the tatters and charcoal ruins of history.” (1)

The Hearth center of the home and source of warmth Contained fire, controlled Symbolic of the home Montag’s home

Symbolic Colors In Fahrenheit 451 Red – fire, blood, war, danger, power & passion Orange – determination & enthusiasm, aggression, thirst for action Gold- wisdom, wealth Yellow – energy Black- devil, evil, power, death

Guy Montag “It was a pleasure to burn” Futuristic fireman Seemed to enjoy his job Futuristic fireman - caretakers of society - keepers of peace of mind 30 years old Married to Millie - thinks they have good marriage - but can’t remember how they met Appears to love job, “forced smile”

Clarisse McClellan Montag meets her on his way home “I’m seventeen & crazy” She doesn’t fear Montag Questions & talks with him She is odd, enjoys walks, talking

Mildred (Millie) Montag Montag’s wife Representative of Society - Escapes - drugs, ear seashells, TV parlor walls - Overdose - Selfish

Millie’s Overdose Overdose on sleeping pills Crew comes, pumps her stomach & blood Crew is very informal, routine - smoking cigarettes, joking around Millie is in denial

Montag & his Meetings with Clarisse These encounters set up Montag’s future and his battle against censorship & banned books They start his quest for knowledge “He wore his happy like a mask and the girl had run off across the lawn with the mask and there was no way…(to) ask for it back.”

Meeting One She meets Montag on his way home from work She likes to walk, talk, look at things, smell things - lives with her parents, uncle - Doesn’t watch parlor walls Not afraid of Montag – others fear firemen “Do you ever read any of the books you burn?” Jet cars race down the street –foreshadowing - people don’t drive slowly, uncle did once- got arrested - miss things like colors of the grass “Are you happy?” Starts his journey of self discovery

Meeting Two “Rain tastes good” Dandelion test She sees a psychiatrist He thinks she is more mature than Millie She is starting to forget he is a fireman Montag doesn’t know how firemen started As she leaves, Montag TASTES rain

Third & Final Meeting Montag feels he has known her for years “Why don’t you have children?” “It has been a long time since anyone cared.” His smile, laugh nicer, more relaxed, not forced like before Anti-social behavior = talking, thinking Ends conversation by saying “goodbye” foreshadowing

Impact of Clarisse Opposite of society and its norms The catalyst – gets Montag thinking - asking questions, softening Montag Discovery of Violence of Teens - Fun Parks - teens smash windows, beat each other - drive recklessly - Afraid of others her own age - “They kill each other”

The Mechanical Hound A programmable, robotic dog, has 8 legs Made of rubber & metal Armed with needles to inject victims with Morphine or procaine Programmed by DNA to find victims Montag fears the dog, “It doesn’t like me”

The Mechanical Hound (cont.) Mechanical – it “functions” Can only be programmed Beatty suspects Montag is “having doubts”

The Firehouse & The Old Woman Alarm sounds, heads to the woman’s house After several warnings, she refuses to leave Her statement about Master Ridley - burned for heresy for a crime he did not commit - she begins the quote, BEATTY FINISHES IT Hugh Latimer, a British clergyman, spoke to his friend as they were both being burned as heretics: “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.” Allusion pdf She lights a match & burns with her books Montag’s hand steals the Bible For the 1st time, Montag is sick after a burning

Back Home After the Burning Montag pretends to be ill, calls in sick to work He hides the book under his pillow Realizes he is no longer in love with Millie Millie tells Montag “Clarisse is gone” Killed and family moved away Beatty – “We’ve watched them carefully” Better off dead

The History of the Firemen Beatty informs Montag of the Firemen People long for a simpler life Classics cut, short, people lost interest in reading English, grammar, spelling neglected Languages dropped Only books allowed - comics, manuals & trade magazines, pornography Money & pleasure - only important things “Minority” groups did not like books Most people can be offended by something

History of the Firemen (cont.) People became too politically correct Too worried about offending others People only want to be happy  Only way to ensure happiness is equality People MUST be made EQUAL Fire is pure & clean – cleanses everything

At Montag’s House “Every firemen gets an itch…..” Beatty knows Montag is curious “I want to hold on to this funny thing.” 64 Montag shows Mildred book collection behind vent wants to read the books just once, to see what’s in them. If there’s nothing there, he’ll burn them Gulliver’s Travels quote – absurdity of conformity

Section 2 The Sieve & The Sand FAHRENHEIT 451 Section 2 The Sieve & The Sand