Describe at least 2 scenes from "Fahrenheit 451", which feature fire and use them to explain what/fire/flames symbolize in the novel. How has the...

Two scenes from Ray Bradbury’s "Fahrenheit 451" that feature fire are:

1. The opening scene in Part One of the novel

This first part of the novel is entitled “The Hearth and the Salamander”. In this opening scene in Part One, Montag, the story’s protagonist, is engaged, with his other team members (firemen), in the burning down of a house. The owner is being punished by the totalitarian government because books were found in the house. Books are banned in this futuristic society. As a result, when banned books are found at a residence, firemen are dispatched to destroy the house and the books contained therein.

The fire/flames in this opening scene symbolize the power of the totalitarian government to do whatever it desires in response to illegal activities by certain citizens. These destructive flames symbolize that the government has complete power. The fire symbolizes that the government will not tolerate dissent; that the government will forcefully enforce its edicts.

2. The scene where the woman ignites her own home

In addition, in Part one of the novel, the firemen arrive at a house where a woman lives. She has been found to have books in her house as well. She refuses to leave her home and says, “You can’t ever have my books.” She resists all attempts to get her to leave the house before it is incinerated to the ground. She stands her ground and pulls out an ordinary kitchen match. She’s not afraid to stand up for her beliefs. She is willing to die for her beliefs – in fact, willing to become a martyr for her cause.

The fire/flames in this scene symbolize the courage of those who are willing to fight for what they believe in. The fire that results from the woman scraping the kitchen match on the porch railing, and igniting the trail of kerosene leading up to her porch, symbolizes righteous opposition to a decadent and immoral government.

The meaning of fire has changed in this story in that fire was once looked upon as something to quench. Now, under this totalitarian government, fire is looked upon as something to start. This government, in this oppressed society, sees fire as a cleansing tool. It uses fire to clean up neighborhoods that have homes where books are found – they simple destroy these homes. If need be, the government also engages in cleansing society of undesirables - people who oppose the government’s laws.