(LiE) Man and the Natural World in Fahrenheit 451

@p0stc4rds_ LiteratureinEnglish NatureinFahrenheit 451 ___ Prose ● Asymbolofpeace+innocence● Asymboloftruthandhonestyincontrasttothefakenessofsociety NatureSymbolsinF451● Blood:evenaveryhumanconceptcanbecorrupted○ Ev. ‘Thebloodstreaminthiswomanwasnewanditseemedtohavedoneanewthingtoher’->showsthatthemosthumanthingcanbereplaced○ Highlightsthecommoditythathumanshavebecome● Dandelions:Naturetellsyouthetruthyoudonotwanttohear○ Ev. ‘You’renotinlovewithanyone.’(whenClarisserubbedthedandeliononhisneck)○ Showshowpeopleinthissocietylietothemselves+thetruththatnaturecanprovide● Hearth:thingsthatshouldbringcomfortinthissocietydon’t(theconceptofahome)○ Ev. ‘comingintothecoldmarbledroom’, ‘theroomwascold’○ Hearth:isatraditionalsymbolofthehome,meanttoprovidewarmthandcomfort

○ theperversionofrelationships+feelingsinthissociety Animals● Associatedwithdeath(ironically)○ ‘(thebooks)felllikeslaughteredbirds’->deathofthebooks,deathofknowledge+personificationofbooksincreasesthedisgusttheaudienceshouldfeelaboutthefiremendestroyinglivingthings○ ‘Abooklit,almostobediently,likeawhitepigeon,…wingsfluttering.”’ Makesitseemmuchmoreimpactfulbycomparingthebookstosomethingliving,alsoas ○ ‘Inthetrees, thebirdsthathadflownawaynowcamebackandsettleddown.’->associatedwithfreedom,knowledge=freedom● Whenanimalsarecorruptedwithtechnology->terrifying,corruptionoflife○ Ev. ‘sliddownintoyourstomachlikeablackcobra’->terrifying,perverse○ ‘amaninablackshirtwithanorangesnakestitchedonhisarm’->foreshadowingofBeattyasabadguy○ ‘TheMechanicalHoundsleptbutdidnotsleep,livedbutdidnotlive’->isnotalive,eerie○ ‘grippedingentlingpawswhileafour-inchhollowsteelneedleplungeddown’->thecontrastofthesoftandaffectionatewaythepawsheldhimdown+thetechnologybeingextremelydestructive Fire● Candles:lovingconnotation,relatedtothewarmthonecanprovide○ ‘Onetime, whenhewasachild, inapower-failure, hismotherhadfoundandlitalastcandleandtherehadbeenabriefhourofrediscovery, ofsuchillumination

thatspacelostitsvastdimensionsanddrewcomfortablyaroundthem’->showshowfireisilluminating+comforting○ ‘thestrangelycomfortableandrareandgentlyflatteringlightofthecandle.’->comparesClarissetoacandle,sayssheismorecomfortingthanthe‘hystericallightofelectricity’● Presentedasadestructiveforce,asameansofgrossdestruction(usuallyofbooks)○ ‘Withthisgreatpythonspittingitsvenomouskeroseneupontheworld’->symbolismofapoisonoussnakeshowsthelethalcapabilitiesoffire+useshyperboletoexaggerateandshowtheextremedamagethatthefirecaninflict○ ‘Amazingconductorplayingallthesymphoniesofblazingandburningtobringdownthetattersandcharcoalruinsofhistory’->likensmusictodestructionandshowshowthesocietyinF451viewsburningtobeanartform+thealliterationof‘blazingandburning’createsaharshexplosivesoundthatreinforcestheviolentnatureofthefiremen’swork+showshowfireisusedindestroyingmonumentallylargethingsliketheconceptofhistory● Goesthroughitsowndevelopmentfrom/negativeto/positive,fromharmingpeopletohelpingpeople○ ‘ShewasasrationalasyouandI,moresoperhaps,andweburnedher’->showshowruthlesssocietyis,howdestructivethecapabilitiesoffireare○ Youcouldfeelthewargettingreadyintheskythatnight.(..)andthefeelingthattheskymightfalluponthecityandturnittochalkdust,andthemoongoupinredfire;thatwashowthenightfelt.’->showshowmuchfirecoulddestroyifitcoulddestroysomethingaslargeasthemoon○ ‘Itwasnotburning;itwaswarming’->thecampfireGrangersetupbeingthefewtimewhenfireisdepictedaskindandsoft○ TherewasasillydamnbirdcalledaPhoenixbackbeforeChrist:everyfewhundredyearshebuiltapyreandburnedhimselfup.(..)Anditlookslikewe'redoingthesamething,overandover,butwe'vegotonedamnthingthe

Phoenixneverhad.Weknowthedamnsillythingwejustdid.’->showshowtheexcessivefiresthegovernmentsetwerenotactuallyfixingtheproblem Clarisse● Advocatesforthefreedomnatureprovides● Onlyoneinthebookwhocelebratesnature○ ‘Andsometimes,Itellthem,Iliketoputmyheadback,likethis,andlettherainfallintomymouth.Ittastesjustlikewine’->appreciationfornature,bringsherjoyassheisgenuine+notgluedtoascreen○ "BetIknowsomethingelseyoudon't.There'sdewonthegrassinthemorning."->naturehighlightsherobservanceandherattentiontodetail