Let's face it.
Fahrenheit 451 is about as blatant a political
statement as you're going to find.
That's why it shouldn't come as a surprise
that one of this book's symbols is as obvious
as its message.
It's red, it's hot, and 
it's on practically every page of this book.
What is it?
Fire, of course!
But what does it stand for?
I thought you might ask.
Fire stands for—no pun intended—mankind's
burning need for meaning.
Let me explain.
Remember that during the first half of the
story, fire is used as a destructive force.
It's used to destroy books, to destroy meaning—and
as a weapon against real thought.
But after Montag turns his back on his old
life, he encounters fire again.
First, in the form of the flame-thrower, which
he uses to win his freedom.
And then in the form of a campfire.
With people connecting around it.
Remember Montag's reaction to that campfire:
"He had never in his life thought that it
[in other words, fire] could give as well
as take."
Ultimately, it's fire in this book that brings
Montag to meaning.
It brings him into contact with books.
It brings him freedom from soullessness and
thoughtlessness.
And it brings him new understanding—not
just of fire itself, but also of human relationships,
connection, and knowledge.
