Symbolism:

The Phoenix:
On the PowerPoint:
About Phoenix (Granger): “He must have been first cousin to Man. But every time he burnt himself up he
sprang out of the ashes, he got himself born all over again. And it looks like we’re doing the same thing”
(Bradbury 163).

Other Research:
"It is known to be a mythical multi-colored bird of Arabia, with a long history of artistic and literary
symbolism, the Phoenix is one of a kind. At the end of its five-hundred-year existence, it perches on its nest of
spices and sings until sunlight ignites the masses. After the body is consumed in flames, a worm emerges and
develops into the next Phoenix"(24, Cliffs' Notes on Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451).
• The Phoenix symbolizes the rebirth after destruction by fire, only to get burned and be destroyed again.
• 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).
• End of Book: Granger makes reference to Phoenix as city goes into flames.

Burning:
On the PowerPoint:
• Books burn at 451 degrees Fahrenheit.
• The fire burned symbolizes both destruction and comfort.
• Burning acts like the consequences of technology.
• Examples:
Montag: “It was a special pleasure to see things eaten, to see things blackened and changed” (Bradbury 3).
• Beatty: “Burn the book. Serenity, Montag. Peace, Montag…Burn all, burn everything. Fire is bright and
fire is clean” (Bradybury59).
Other Research:
For Montag, fire has been good for the purposes of a fireman.
In Montag’s mind, fire has become a symbol of a good solution for all problems.
Captain Beatty has taught Guy that fire is the solution to everything by destroying books. In reality, fire
destroyed not only books, but home and people including Beatty.
In the end, fire from bombs destroyed the city from which Montag barely escaped.

It is not until the end that 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, but they are still burning books.