In daily experiences, we use fire to do many things. For example, we use fire for cooking, keeping warmth, as light, and as a source of energy. The way we use fire in the list above is beneficial to our daily lives. But fires are also destructive, and people sometimes use it to destroy things that they don't want. For example, we sometimes use fire to destroy evidences and corpses. In Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury creates different meanings and symbolism about the fire throughout the book.
In the beginning of Fahrenheit 451, it tells us that firemen have the duty to burn things that are unpleasant to the society, and fire is used as a destructive tool in this society. In this cases fire represents a purify tool, that firemen use to destroy contaminated things of the society. Furthermore, things like books and thoughts are the examples of things that are contamination of the society. In the book, Bradbury writes, " It was a special pleasure to see things eaten, to see things blackened and changed "playing all the symphonies of blazing and burning to bring down the tatters and charcoal ruins of history,"" about book burning. Because the government wants to get rid of the books, they use the firemen to burn all the books they can find. Another example of burning book in the story, an old woman says "we shall this day light such a candle, by God's grace, in England, as I trust shall never be put out!"" when she burns herself with books. This quote belongs to Bishop Hugh Latimer, who said it when he was burned for heresy during 16th century. This quotation supports my idea that fire is use to purify the society in Fahrenheit 451, because being a heretic is the same as the minority group of people in the society. Therefore, it stated that fire is use to burn things that affect the society.
Later on, as Montag begun to realize himself and starts to read the books that he has hidden, he finds out that having his house burned has became the thing he is aware of.