Salamander: The Salamander insignia
represents the firemen of Bradbury's brave new world. Bradbury uses the Salamander to exemplify
the decrepit nature of the government. This society, like a salamander, has sunk into the depths
of depravity, and now, though seemingly modern, is really more primitive than ever.
Seashells: The seashells, or ear-radios, are used
to promote the propaganda of the government and advance its agenda, or lack thereof. Using these
shells, the people drift off to sea, so to speak, and lose sight of reality.
Parlor family/television: This artificial family
embodies the quality that the government seeks most to promote in its people: superficiality.
The parlor family knows nothing of reality, but instead is focused on temporal pleasures. Like
the seashells, the televised family serves as a distraction and a mindless way to occupy man's mind.
Montag: It's interesting
to note that the name Montag is actually the name of a paper manufacturing company. In many ways,
Montag is a blank slate who picks up bits of knowledge from Clarisse, Faber, and finally Granger. Bradbury
chuckles about this "coincidence" in his afterword to Fahrenheit 451.
Faber: Faber is the name of a pencil manufacturing company. Bradbury also chuckles about
this in his afterword. In many ways, Faber, the instructing professor, is like a pencil, writing
on Montag's notepad. On a metaphorical level, Faber symbolizes the tool (as his name implies) of learning.
Fire: Fire is an artificial
substitute for the reality of truth, which can only be found in books. Beatty dedicates his life
to burning when he can't find satisfaction in the books he reads.
Mechanical Hound: The Hound is a computerized animal used by the government to punish its enemies,
such as Montag. Though Montag torches the first Hound, a second one is brought in to track him.
The Hound represents the strong hand of dictatorship. It is the enforcer of government policy.
Beatty: If there is one,
Beatty represents the mastermind behind government censorship. He is not a robot like Montag,
but a man who consciously chooses to do evil.
Sieve and Sand: The Sieve and the Sand image is used by Bradbury to explain Montag's goal to
learn the knowledge he reads in books. Like sand falling through a sieve, Montag thinks that if
he reads fast enough, at least some of the books' wisdom will be retained before it falls through the
sieve of his mind.
Nature: Throughout his novel, Bradbury uses allusions to nature to symbolize reality or truth. When
Montag reaches land, after floating down the river to escape, he experiences the sensation of smell
for the first time. The lifestyle of the wandering resistance also exemplifies this idea.
They live with nature, out in the country away from the city, where they experience reality.
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