Early in the novel, fire used to be feared, whereas now it is used out of fear (Bradbury 110). Harold Bloom said it is "especially important [to the symbolic meaning] is the power fire possesses to grow without limitation", this says that the destruction of fire also represents the destroying nature of society and technology (Bloom). In Fahrenheit 451, Bradbury, early on makes the differences in the symbolic meaning of fire. In doing so, he named the first part of his novel "The Hearth and the Salamander". The salamander represents the symbol of the firemen, who is someone that personifies fire's destruction; along with the salamander we have the hearth. Located at home, the hearth is a fireplace. In that fireplace is a flame that provides a spark to renew relationships as well as warmth.
Mr. Ray starts to give us a hint that fire represents two things, passion and hope. This starts very early in Fahrenheit 451 and Montag is oblivious to these two meanings. When Montag first meets Clarisse, he is reminded of the times with his mother. A specific time when she had lit a candle and said "and there had brief hour of rediscovery, of such illumination that space lost its vast dimensions and drew comfortably around them" (Bradbury 7). In reading that quote, one can only see that fire can symbolize easiness and hope and provide that as well. Montag and his mother had special connection with each other, they had a common denominator in a lifeless and vast world. In the beginning of the book, Bradbury used a python to describe fire, saying it is "venomous, blazing and gorging," He describes fire in this instance using words such as "comfortably, hoping, illumination, and rediscovery". Montag has now started his mental transformation and the meaning of fire has changed to him. We can also compare this to the death of the woman who burned her books.