Allusions In Fahrenheit 451

Ray Bradbury, author of Fahrenheit 451, excels in figurative language, especially allusions. By skillfully incorporating numerous allusions into the novel, Bradbury gives the reader a better insight as to what events are taking place. His strongest allusions come from popular sources: the Bible, Shakespeare, and Greek mythology. Referencing these sources, Bradbury creates powerful descriptions that heavily impact how the reader understands the story. As one of the most referenced piece of literature, it is no surprise that Bradbury uses the Bible to enhance his book. While united as a nation, the people of Shinar wished to build a tower that reached the heavens; God was not pleased. And God said, “Come, let us go down, and confuse their language there, so that they will not understand one another’s speech” (New Revised Standard Version Student Bible, Genesis 11.7). The people

In the Greek tale of Icarus and Daedalus, Icarus and his father, Daedalus, are imprisoned in a high tower and the only way to escape is by flight. Daedalus crafts wax wings and warns Icarus about flying too close to the sun, or else his wings will melt resulting in a possible death. Then Icarus flies too close to the sun and his wings get wrecked, thus, causing him to fall to his death (Greeka). Icarus, pushing his luck, disobeyed his father’s warning and it resulted in his death. Additionally, when Montag is standing in front of his house, Captain Beatty says, “Old Montag wanted to fly near the sun and now that he’s burnt his damn wings, he wonders why (Bradbury 107). Beatty sent the Hound around Montag’s house and that was his warning, Montag disobeyed the warning and “flew too close to the sun” which resulted in Montag’s fall from grace. He thought that him, a fireman, would get caught with books. In conclusion, if Montag had been more cautious he would not have had to become a