Mechanical Hound Ray Bradbury Essay - 1,248 words

... ook is a triumph over darkness (de Koster 30). The publication of The Martian Chronicles established Bradbury's mainstream reputation as Americans foremost science-fiction writer; therefore, when the book Fahrenheit 451 was published just 3 years later it confirmed the hype of the first book. There is no doubt that these two books were the greatest and best-known books that Bradbury has written. Some critics think that Fahrenheit 451 is too vague and sentimental, but it is still one of the greatest science fiction satires of our times. It is written in response to the cold war atmosphere after WWII.


Its sarcasm is directed at the destruction of intelligence in America today (Mogen 105). There is one metaphor that stands out above all others; it is the metaphor of the idea of a natural cycle, symbolized by the Phoenix. The Phoenix was a ancient, mythical bird of Egypt that would burn itself to death and then resurrect itself from its ashes to a new youth. Through Granger, Bradbury expresses hope that mankind will realize its faults and stop the supposedly endless cycle of destruction and rebirth. Granger is the leader of the book people. This group of men memorized some of the greatest works of literature, which would be written again when literature was once again allowed.


Guy is told to memorize the Book of Ecclesiastes, which asserts the need to submit to the natural order of things (Sisario 202 - 5). Throughout his novel Fahrenheit 451 Ray Bradbury uses imagery of hands, making them significant reflectors of conscience. Using this imagery Bradbury seems to be suggesting that actions speak louder than words (McGiveron 177). Montag's hands, according to Bradbury, were the hands of some amazing conductor playing all the symphonies of blazing and burning to bring down the tatters and charcoal ruins of history (3). Montag, however, has been taking books from the forbidden libraries he burns.


When we finally witness this, Montag's hands reflect the sudden realization of his conscience: Montag's hand closed like a mouth, crushed the book with wild devotion, with an insanity of mindlessness to his chest. Montag had done nothing. His hand had done it all, his hand with a brain of its own, with a conscience and a curiosity in each trembling finger, had turned thief. Now it plunged the book back under his arm, pressed it tight to sweating armpit, rushed out empty... He gazed, shaken, at that white hand. (37 - 8) His hand had not actually been possessed.


On the contrary, Montag, unwilling to recognize his mistakes as his own, projects them into his hands. It is doubtful, though, that our hands will ever simply reflect the conscience as Montag's so conveniently do, but it is equally doubtless that they should. Another one of the major themes in the story is metamorphosis. During the course of the book Montag changes from a fireman who burns books to a person who memorized Ecclesiastes and becomes a walking book himself. Without machines this book would be worthless because they are one of the most important aspects to the books evolution.


Montag is comfortable with many of the machines that surround him, but some like the medical technicians equipment set of a red flag inside of him. His greatest enemy, though, is the dreadful Mechanical Hound, who as time passes and Montag becomes more aware of the truth, suspects him more and more. At this point in the novel the hound represent the persistent pursuit of the State (Johnson 87). When asked about the warnings of Fahrenheit 451 Ray ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

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Essay Tags: fahrenheit 451, science fiction, ray bradbury, mechanical hound, de koster

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