10 E Fahrenheit 451 Symbolism Note Cards

The Mechanical Hound: • The Hound represents government control and manipulation of technology. Originally, dogs served as the rescuers for firemen. They were given the job of sniffing out the injured or weak. • However, in this dystopia, the Hound has been made into a watchdog of society. • The Mechanical Hound has been programmed (by the government) to avenge and punish citizens who break society’s rules. • The ones who are not loyal to the rules must especially be punished, and the Hound serves as the enforcer of these rules. Burning • For Montag, fire has been good for the purposes of a fireman. • Fire has become a symbol of a good solution for all problems. In reality, fire destroyed not only books, but home and people including Beatty. • Ex. In the end, fire from bombs destroyed the city from which Montag barely escaped. • Guy realizes fire does not have to be destructive; it can be good by providing warmth and security. He associates fire with good when he meets the rest of the escapees, in the secret camp, because they are all sitting around a campfire sharing ideas and reading. The campfire is no longer destruction, it is providing warmth for them.

The Phoenix • The Phoenix symbolizes the rebirth after destruction by fire. • Firemen wear the Phoenix on their uniforms • Beatty drives a Phoenix car. •

Montag, after reaching the realization that fire and destruction have destroyed him, wishes to be "reborn". As part of his "rebirth", he goes to Faber with ideas to save the books, and he hides books in his house. Montag tells the audience that he’s stealing books from houses that he is supposed to be destroying. But a Phoenix is "reborn" only to get destroyed again. *Guy's life is a cycle of getting burnt, then coming alive once again, then being burnt, until one time the Phoenix survives and flies away (where Montag goes to the escape camp), or the Phoenix dies in the flames, never to be reborn again (where Montag kills Captain Beatty by igniting him with the liquid fire).

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End of Book: Granger makes reference to Phoenix as city goes into flames.

The Mechanical Hound • The Hound represents government control and manipulation of technology. •

The Hound has been made into a watchdog of society.

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The Hound enforces rules.

Burning • For Montag, fire has been good for the purposes of a fireman. •

Fire has become a symbol of a good solution for all problems.

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Guy realizes fire does not have to be destructive; it can be good by providing warmth and security.

The Phoenix • The Phoenix symbolizes the rebirth after destruction by fire. • Firemen wear the Phoenix on their uniforms • Beatty drives a Phoenix car. • Montag goes through both a phase of “rebirth” similar to the Phoenix throughout the whole book. • End of Book: Granger makes reference to Phoenix as city goes into flames.