Color Symbolism In Fahrenheit 451 Analysis

Improved Essays
Light and dark. Two contrasting forces, both destructive and beneficial. One can serve as the path to truth, while the other can lead you to the destructive mystery of life. In Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury use of color symbolism is present throughout its entirety to symbolize the loss of human connection. Montag the protagonist of the novel, is living in a society where the precious connection between humans is lacking. This connection is required, so humans could flourish as a species. Yet in a society where darkness is taking over society, nothing can be done. In the novel Fahrenheit 451 Ray Bradbury uses symbolism to portray the loss of human contact in Montag’s dystopian society. He utilizes color symbolism throughout the text as he portrays …show more content…
Throughout the novel many items and characters are described as having a white or light feature physically on it. One major example from that embodies the symbolism of the color white is Clarisse. In Fahrenheit 451, Montag says “ Her face was slender and milk-white, and in it was a kind of gentle hunger that touched over everything with tireless curiosity.... Her dress was white and it whispered.” In this quote, Montag is describing Clarisse using the color white in order to convey the idea that she is pure, innocent, alive. The description of Clarisse being of white color deeply symbolizes that she is a person that withholds the faith and hope of the human race, as she is one of few people that have the ability to seek the truth. The white color symbolism also paints the image of realization, knowing she is Montag 's catalyst character, the light she contains make other see the truth; hence, symbolizing her ability to make Montag have a period of introspection and realize the truth. Characters tend to be the quintessential representation of the white color symbolism in the novel, yet inanimate objects such as

Related Documents

  • Superior Essays

    Ray Bradbury’s novel Fahrenheit 451 starts off with one sentence: “It was a pleasure to burn” (Bradbury 3). The following paragraph describes the transformations that takes place as books are burned at the hands of our protagonist, Guy Montag. Books are turned black as they are spewed with kerosene and are engulfed in flames of black, red, and yellow. This opening connects to the story’s overall theme of change.…

    • 1246 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury makes a very prominent symbol that changes along with Montag throughout the book. In the beginning, fire is the way the government censors information. As the story progresses, the meaning of fire changes to a softer, healing meaning. Finally, at the end of the book, fire represents rebirth, and starting anew. In Fahrenheit 451, fire takes on new meanings, and changes with the story.…

    • 438 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Originally published in 1953, Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury started out as a small, unnoticed novel. However, its enticing story and universal themes appealed to many readers, and its popularity soon grew. One of the novel’s most defining characteristics is its stance on human nature itself. Through Bradbury’s unique writing style, the themes and messages built upon in the novel are easily conveyed to the audience. Particularly, in Fahrenheit 451, Bradbury expands upon the human nature themes of free thought, courage, and the need for fulfillment.…

    • 1617 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    A girl who looks for the bigger picture and thinks, outside the box. To Clarisse, the world is not a playground that must bow to her command, the world is a mysterious object, that must be found and explored. .She did not fit the status quo in the book. For she was curious, and curiousness is not acceptable, because when you are curious you think, and when you think, you question This is why she changed Guy. Clarisse made Guy think and believe,that there was something out in the world.…

    • 784 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    Fahrenheit 451, the temperature at which books burn is symbolic of the banning at books during the Red Scare. This book contains symbolism throughout the course of the novel; symbolism is Symbolism is the use of symbols to signify ideas and qualities by giving them symbolic meanings that are different from their literal sense. Throughout Fahrenheit 451, Ray bradbury uses symbolism to represent bigger ideas or concepts; three of the symbols he used include the phenix, the mechanical hound (119), and the use of mirrors. In this book there is a symbol called the phoenix, this symbolizes rebirth.…

    • 210 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Great Essays

    Mythological Theory Fahrenheit 451 is about a firefighter named Guy Montag who wants to escape from the dystopian society that has taken over. His quest takes place in the future where everything is fireproof. This means firefighters’ jobs have dramatically changed from what they had traditionally been tasked to do. Instead of putting fires out, they now destroy books using fire.…

    • 2162 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In the novel Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, he separates the story into three parts and uses the titles as a metaphor to help further the plot and show the development of his characters. He uses these three parts to tell a story within the story itself, a story of a man trying to win back his right to think on his own. The titles represent his struggles and his triumphs, which ultimately in the end all tie together to create the overall theme of the novel. Bradbury divides this story into three parts because he wants to show the development of Montag as a character, his struggle with society’s flaws, and the future of humanity if we continue to reject change.…

    • 1206 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Montag’s World Vs. American Society Today There are many dystopian aspects in our world that have a bigger impact on American society than we think. In the novel, Fahrenheit 451, written by Ray Bradbury, the author addresses just a few of the many problems in society. Some of the issues in the book are very different as well as similar to American society today.…

    • 877 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    “A book is a loaded gun in the house next door. Burn it” (58). Quotes like these are what this novel is filled with, quotes that get you thinking. Symbols are very important in Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. Fahrenheit 451 follows the story of Guy Montag, a Fireman.…

    • 1015 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Ray Bradbury uses hands and fire as major symbolic elements to convey the message and theme of creativity in the novel Fahrenheit 451. In Fahrenheit 451, there are…

    • 1456 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Bradbury uses his platform of writing to warn the readers against the exiling of emotion, while this will create the appearance of a dystopia, but in contrary makes a deeper depression in many people. In conclusion, in Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451, Montag’s character is used to raise awareness and critique humanity about its human nature, enthrallment in technology and depression of mind brought on by inequalities. Although the beliefs of today’s people are changing, Bradbury…

    • 936 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    "Fahrenheit 451 — the temperature at which book paper catches fire, and burns". In the beginning of the novel Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury fire was seen as a destructive source that was used to burn books in the futuristic society. Throughout the novel the symbolism of fire began to change and take on new meaning due to different encounters that helped to influence Montag perception. For Montag “IT WAS A PLEASURE TO BURN” (Bradbury 3), fire was always used to solve problems because they never had to think of a solution and could easily get rid of it by using the flamethrower. In Fahrenheit 451 fire is used in the society to suppress knowledge by burning books and creating censorship to keep everyone in a state of equilibrium.…

    • 1002 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Gold is not only related to value but the colors yellow or gold reference corruption in this novel. Therefore, the author compares Daisy to a corrupted princess through this description. Surrounding this yellow is Fitzgerald’s white palace. White is a universal symbol for purity and innocence. By placing the corrupt yet valuable Princess Daisy in a high, white palace, Fitzgerald effectively demonstrates the illusion surrounding Daisy herself.…

    • 1320 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The book Fahrenheit 451 is a dystopian novel by Ray Bradbury. This novel takes place in the future, when books are not only unwelcome, but illegal. Firefighters don’t put out fires, they start them. This dystopian society is very different from our society today in the idea of social interactions and our necessity for books but we are inching closer and closer to the culture in Fahrenheit.…

    • 734 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    White brings innocence, supremacy and happiness. The author uses white mostly when describing Daisy Buchannan or Jordan Baker, who are two very wealthy and successful women. In the story it says that Jordan and Daisy “were both in white, and their…

    • 1513 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Improved Essays