Symbolism
The Hearth and the Salamander
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Bradbury might have chosen to name the first section of the book "The Hearth and the Salamander" because the hearth or fireplace is a classic symbol of the home. As for the salamander, In the middle ages, it was believed that salamanders were unharmed by fire.
This is ironic because Montag does not live unharmed by fire as he realizes how the burning of books has ruined his society and that his society has ruined his home as evidenced by Mildred's dependence on TV and sleeping pills. Salamander also just so happens to be the name of Montag's fire truck.
This is ironic because Montag does not live unharmed by fire as he realizes how the burning of books has ruined his society and that his society has ruined his home as evidenced by Mildred's dependence on TV and sleeping pills. Salamander also just so happens to be the name of Montag's fire truck.
The Sand and the Sieve
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This is another example of the sections of the book being symbolic. The sand represents the words from the Bible that "fall through" Montag's brain, like a sieve.
Jet Cars
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The jet cars within the book are used to symbolize Bradbury's fears for the future of automobiles. He believes that cars will get so fast that people won't stop to enjoy life, but will instead rush through life at a super fast velocity without having enjoyed any of it.
The Phoenix
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After the city gets bombed, Granger compares man to a phoenix. In mythology, the phoenix was a creature that would burn up at the end of its life and would be reborn in the charred ashes of its predecessor. This is shown in the book through how society shifted away from books (its youth and vibrance), and at the end of its life was destroyed and how the books will return just as the youth and vibrance return to a Phoenix.