Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury is a futuristic novel, taking the reader
             to a time where books and thinking are outlawed. In a time so dreadful where
             those who want to better themselves by thinking, and by reading are outlaws
             as well. Books and ideas are burned, books are burned physically, where as
             ideas are burned from the mind. Bradbury uses literary devices, such as
             symbolism, but it is the idea he wants to convey that makes this novel so
             devastating. Bradbury warns us of what may happen if we stop expressing
             our ideas, and we let people take away our books, and thoughts. Bradbury
             notices what has been going on in the world, with regards to censorship, and
             McCarthyism in America. That is what he is speaking out against. Bradbury's
             use of symbolism throughout the novel makes the book moving and
             powerful by using symbolism to reinforce the ideas of anti-censorship.
             The Hearth and the Salamander, the title of part one, is the first
             example of symbolism. The title suggests two things having to do with fire,
             the hearth is a source of warmth and goodness, showing the positive, non-
             destructive side of fire. Whereas a salamander is a small lizard-like
             amphibian, and also in mythology, is known to endure fire without getting
             burnt by it. Perhaps the salamander is symbolic of Guy Montag, who is
             being described as a salamander because he works with fire, and endures it,
             but believes that he can escape the fire and survive, much like a salamander
             does. On the other hand, it is ironic that Guy, and the other firemen believe
             themselves to be salamanders because both Capt. Beatty's and Montag's
             destruction comes from the all mighty flame, from which they thought they
             The symbol of a Phoenix is used throughout the novel. This quote
             accurately describes the Phoenix, "It is known to be a mythical multi-colored
             bird of Arabia, with a long history of artistic and literary sy...