Fahrenheit 451 : Symbols

        . The Hearth and the salamander is a important symbol in this book. Both of these symbols have to do with fire, the dominant image of Montag’s life. The hearth because it contains the fire that heats a home, and the salamander because of ancient beliefs that it lives in fire and is unaffected by flames. The hearth, or fireplace, is a traditional symbol of the home; the salamander is one of the official symbols of the firemen, as well as the name they give to their fire trucks
           The phoenix also is a major symbol. After the bombing of the city, Granger compares mankind to a phoenix. Phoenix is a bird that burns itself up and then rises out of its ashes over and over again. Remembering the mistakes of the past, Granger and the group have set a mind that they will rise up one more time. They believe that individuals are not as important as the collective mass of culture and history. The symbol of the phoenix’s rebirth refers not only to the cyclical nature of history and the collective rebirth of humankind but also to Montag’s spiritual resurrection.