Hey there!

Fahrenheit 451 is actually a really good novel. It is easy to understand, but the themes in are deep and profound. In relation to the language, you can find many figures of speech, so words or phrases are interpreted beyond their literal meaning. These literary devices embellish the story, awaken the reader’s imagination and help convey the meaning faster and more vividly than words alone.

1.    Metaphor

“If you read fast and you read all, maybe some of the sand will stay in the sieve” p.74

ü In this moment, he wanted to read the Bible and memorize what he was reading. He recalled a moment of his childhood: when he was at the beach and tried to fill a sieve with sand for a dime. In this phrase the sand represents words or knowledge and the sieve his brain or memory.  The use of this literary device makes the reader realize how difficult it is for Montag to concentrate or think in this distopic future.

2.    Simile

“Delicate, like the petals of a flower” p. 72

ü This phrase is a simile because the author compares Beatty´s voice with a petal of a flower, this phrase makes the reader imagine Beatty´s voice as soft and calm as a petal of a flower is.

3.    Alliteration

“Denham's Dentifrice, Denham's Dandy Dental Detergent, Denham's Dentifrice Dentifrice Dentifrice” p. 75

ü This phrase is an alliteration because there is repetition of beginning sounds. In this part of the story, Montag was in the train trying to read the Bible but he couldn’t because he heard repeatedly this toothpaste commercial. By using this alliteration, it helps to show how everyday and constantly advertisements get into people’s head, and can even control what they think. The reader can understand because of the use of this literary device that the noise is irritating and intense.

4.    Personification

“I can’t talk to the walls because they’re are yelling at me” p.78

ü This phrase is a personification because walls can’t scream or yell, so the author is giving an object (in this case the walls) characteristics than only humans have. With this phrase, the reader can understand that Montag is in a desperate position.

5.    Onomatopoeia

“The train hissed like a snake” p. 76

ü This phrase has three literary devices: personification, simile and onomatopoeia. It is an onomatopoeia because it is imitating the sound of the train and in this way, making the reader imagine it.

6.    Repetition

“Shut up, shut up, shut up” p.75

ü There is a repetition of the word “shut up” as to emphasize on Montag’s frustration because of the noise.

7.    Analogy

“The salamander devours his tail!” p.82 

ü .In this part of the story, Faber and Montag are planning to plant books in the house of some firemen. In this way they will get caught and their houses will be destroyed. The salamander is the firemen, so the salamander devours his tail means that firemen will burn their own houses. It is an analogy because there is a comparison being made between a salamander killing itself and firmen destroying their own houses.

8. Irony
"He heard the fire siren start up and run, and the Salamanders coming, coming to burn Mr. Black's house..."
ü This phrase is ironic because the firmen in this society destroy and burn houses and they don't stop fires like they should. This creates confusion in the reader because that is not what they would normally do.