What is the thematic and symbolic significance of Fahrenheit 451?

The thematic significance of Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
is the dire warning that the book preaches for future generations. In this
novel, society has gotten rid of books and relies completely on technology.
Even those people who want books are not allowed to have them and fire fighters
burn down houses where books are suspected to be (Bradbury 37). Without books,
the population has become mentally lazy and does not bother to think. In the
novel society has become attached to adrenaline and leisure activities. Without
knowing it they have given up their intellectual freedom. A good example of
this is Montag’s wife named Mildred. Mildred spends most of her time watching
television or listening to her radio. She even calls the people on the
television affectionately her family, but does not seem very happy or fulfilled
(Bradbury 49). When Montag begins to read to Mildred in the novel she cannot
take the thought that the book provokes and starts to freak out (Bradbury 68).
This shows us that we need to keep our intellectual freedom for happiness and
sanity sake.

The symbolic significance of Fahrenheit 451 was the fire symbolism that appeared
throughout the whole novel. The fire in this novel represents both destruction
and creation. At the beginning of the novel Montag revels in the pleasure of burning
and destroying books (Bradbury 3). In the middle of the novel, fire turns into
something that burns and devours and cannot be stopped. This represents the
course that Montag is on. He has begun to rebel against his society and has
chosen to revive books (Bradbury 86). Once he chooses this course of action he
cannot turn back and he seems to be racing towards fate. It seems that his
choice to lead a life of knowledge destroys most of the life that he has known
for such a long time. Near the end of the book, fire once again takes on a new meaning . As the city gets bombed and consumed by flames at the end of the
novel, Montag realizes that this destruction will give way to creation as the
city rebuilds (Bradbury 160). He realizes that this is the chance for the world
to change and that the destruction of his old life now gives him a chance to
start over.

Bibliography: Bradbury, Ray. Farenheit 451. New York: Ballantine, 1953. Print