An allusion is when an author makes a reference to an outside source that the reader might know about. Allusions can be historical, mythical, political, etc. This helps the reader make a mental connection from the outside world to a message that the author wants to send. In Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451, many different types of allusions can be found. One allusion that Captain Beatty uses is about the Pierian spring, which is known as a fountain...
An allusion is when an author makes a reference to an outside source that the reader might know about. Allusions can be historical, mythical, political, etc. This helps the reader make a mental connection from the outside world to a message that the author wants to send. In Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451, many different types of allusions can be found. One allusion that Captain Beatty uses is about the Pierian spring, which is known as a fountain of knowledge. Beatty actually quotes Alexander Pope by saying the following:
"A little learning is a dangerous thing. Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian spring; There shallow draughts intoxicate the brain, and drinking largely sobers us again" (106).
The above passage shows Beatty making an allusion to Pope, who makes an allusion to the Pierian spring. If readers follow the line of thinking in the quote, then they will understand the connection between the spring of knowledge and what is going on with Montag in the story.
Another allusion is when Captain Beatty reacts to Montag returning to the firehouse after taking a day or two off to explore books. Beatty says, "Well... the crisis is past and all is well, the sheep returns to the fold. We're all sheep who have strayed at times" (105). When Beatty mentions sheep, he is alluding to the Bible and the parable that mentions returning a sheep to its fold. Readers who know this would make the connection that Beatty sees Montag as a sheep returning to his fold—the firemen at the firehouse.
One final example of an allusion is the one Granger mentions about a phoenix. The city Montag escapes from is blown up by an atomic bomb. Granger hopes humanity will recover from this catastrophe like a phoenix who is reborn from the ashes of fire. Granger explains as follows:
"There was a silly damn bird called a phoenix back before Christ, every few hundred years he built a pyre and burnt himself up. . . But every time he burnt himself up he sprang out of the ashes, he got himself born all over again. And it looks like we're doing the same thing" (163).
After an atomic bomb levels the city, that city is probably smoldering with coals and ashes. This helps to provide a mental image for the reader about what Montag and the other men see in the aftermath. The allusion to the phoenix also gives readers hope that maybe humanity will be reborn and be able to rebuild a better society than what Montag lived in.
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