Religious Symbolism in Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

Throughout the many chapters of Fahrenheit 451, The Bible is touched upon thoroughly, and Ray Bradbury mentions it for a specific reason, as linking the story to a religious symbol will make it appeal to the audience more. It is, in a lot of ways, a gateway for the main character to wake up, realize what's happening around him, from denying knowledge through burning the books and portraying reading them as a felony. Therefore, he would change into the more reflective person that he becomes near the end of the story. This relates to the theme of the story, which is about the government's involvement in people's lives – restricting their freedom and robbing them of their Faith – since the Bible immediately contradicts such ideology, and exposes them to a less materialistic belief. This essay showcases how this theme is explored, and how the Bible's symbolism is used in the book, as it is a symbol of enlightenment that people need in their lives in order to be well aware of the proper way to act, whether it is in regards of reading and appreciating books, or generally using the commands in the Bible to pursue a happy and well-guided life.

The most significant way in which the Bible is used in the story is as a trigger which portrays Montag's character development, where he changes from a character that contributes to the fall of literacy, as he was a fireman who participated in burning the books and denying people the right to read, to one that actively works to restore books and their culture. This is most evident when he reads the book of Matthew on the train, chapter 6, verses 27-29.

'And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit unto [a]the measure of his life? 28 And why are ye anxious concerning raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: 29 yet I say unto you, that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.' 

This verse, when analyzed, is a call to action, that encourages people to care less about the materialistic parts in life, and more about the longer term things, like godly and humanly connections. These include the relationship the person has with their God, and how they should appreciate God's creation and learn more about it through reading books. The moment in which this verse is used in the story is also significant, as it serves as foreshadowing for this crucial change, for when he reads it, he's on a subway filled with advertisements of trivial products. As Mrs. Stoller states, these advertisements keep 'Montag from absorbing the words that he is trying to read' (Bible Gateway). Again, this is almost like the world is trying to prevent him from realizing that there is significance in it outside of mere products and keep him following the same belief everyone else is following. This is further emphasized in the writer's style, as he uses repetition of the words, 'shut up,' while Montag tries to read the Bible, but fails to focus because of the advertisements, to show the inward struggle he has in trying to break free of the government's brainwashing. This is a symbol of complying with the rules of the majority, as people nowadays would follow the crowd and would not question the opinion of the majority even if it contradicted with their own beliefs. Additionally, the repetition of the name of the product, Denham's Dental freeze, further emphasizes society's pressuring him and its attempt to try and keep that materialistic mentality engraved in his mind.

This leads to the next point, which describes how the government is trying to rob people of their Faith and keep them in line. It 'cram[s] them full of non-combustible data, choke them so damned full of 'facts' they feel stuffed, but absolutely 'brilliant' with information … and they'll be happy, because facts of that sort don't change'. It claims that giving them 'slippery stuff like philosophy and sociology' will allow them to link things together and think outside the box, thus, questioning a lot of rules and laws the government enforces on them. It also brainwashes people to think that books and freedom of thought are inherently bad, as it differentiates people based on their intellectual level, and it would raise insecurities within those who are not able to analyze books and understand their deeper meanings. Therefore, in order to maintain people's happiness, books are banned, as 'any man who can take a TV wall apart and put it back together again, and most men can, nowadays, is happier than any man who tries to slide rule, measure, and equate the universe'. This goes directly against the Bible, whose fundamental root is Faith in God and His Wisdom, as he is the reason for happiness and satisfaction in life. This is subtly hinted at, as when Montag finally begins to believe in things outside what the government imposes on him, one of the main books he tries to memorize is the Bible, which in a way is a show of his acquiring the Faith that the Bible talks about. Another point of Faith is that brought up by the mention of the Book of Job, a rather significant allusion that works as a parallel for Montag's own experiences. In the Book of Job, Satan tries to prove that Job, a good man who's blessed with a comfortable life and a family, only serves God for the rewards which God gives him. He does so by taking away everything Job has, expecting to destroy the bond between him and God, but instead proves the opposite, as Job does not lose his Faith, proving it is not dependent on things. This, in a way, is directly related to Montag and his own journey in Fahrenheit 451, where, after losing all his freedom and family to materialism, he ultimately rises up from this with his own Faith, his belief in books and the dimensions and thoughts which they expose a person to, the experiences which they allow people to undergo, and the ways in which they enrich people's lives.

In conclusion, the Bible plays a critical position in the book Fahrenheit 451 as a way of developing Montag's character evolution and growth from someone who used to burn books to memorizing the Bible to pass on to future generations. Reading the Bible is a fundamental way of strengthening and believing in God and having faith, but that privilege is taken away by the government by claiming that without books, the world would be happier.