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Fahrenheit 451 Fire Imagery

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Fire Burning From Within William Golding uses his words to foreshadow the impending conflict between chaos and order. Golding uses of imagery through his words and phrases such as “stirred restlessly” and “Beastie” (page 36) are used in a manner that promotes fear. The imagery allows the reader to imagine what the little boys are seeing and this intern allows people to understand better what the boys think they are fearing. This fear is shown in the way the younger boys, who are seen as innocent, describe the strange creature. The “Beastie” is a symbol for the evil in humans and how just like the creature can take over the imagination of the boys, it can take over the character of them as well. This shows how the boys believe that evil comes …show more content…

This symbolizes how in a similar way that conch was forgotten and left on the platform, so was the order they had created. As the fire is being formed, it is described with, “one side the air was cool, but on the other the fire thrust out a savage arm of heat that crinkled hair on the instant.” (page 41). This creates a chaotic feel and gives the idea of nature being very hostile. This in turn resembles the boys exhibiting animal like qualities in the way they treat Piggy. Golding also uses this phrase to show the conflicting sides that humans have and the chaos that forms in people. Golden shows the boys realization of what the fire shows by saying, “Startled, Ralph realized that the boys were falling still and silent, feeling the beginnings of awe at the power set free below them. The knowledge and awe made him savage.” (page 44). The phrase symbolizes the uncontrolled break from order that the boys created and how without the order to control them, the boys will eventually lose complete control of themselves to their environment. Ultimately, the fire is a symbol of barbarity and savagery because the fire causes more chaos than the order they already had. Golden describes the scene as, “life became a race

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