A fire burns, a fire destroys, and a fire gives rebirth. Water is cool, water is cleansing, and water gives new life. Blood fills the body of every mammal that has ever set foot on Earth, and along with fire and water, is needed to keep that mammal alive. In the novel Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, there is a continuing contrast and correlation between the ideas of fire, water, and blood. All these ideas are recurring symbols that present the main character's development into realizing that life can be destroyed, but rebuilt, with the images and events that he encounters.

Fire is a force in life that provides for the heat and warmth of the world. In Fahrenheit 451, Guy Montag is a firefighter with an ironic twist. Instead of putting out fires, he starts them. This creates numerous problems for him when he is dealt with the on...