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In Fahrenheit 451, what does the fire hose spray instead of water?
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In Fahrenheit 451, the fire hose sprays kerosene instead of water. This flammable liquid is used by firemen to ignite and destroy books, symbolizing the oppressive regime's control over knowledge and culture. Kerosene's persistence and smell represent the difficulty of eradicating the regime's influence and the indelible mark it leaves on individuals like Montag, who struggles to shed his identity as a state enforcer.
In the topsy-turvy world of Fahrenheit 451, where firemen start fires instead of putting them out, kerosene comes out of fire-hoses instead of water. As a colorless liquid, kerosene is an ideal symbol for the emotionless, matter-of-fact way that the firemen go about their business. It's also hard to wash off. This represents the difficulty that Montag will have in completely erasing his identity as a state functionary. It's almost as if kerosene has entered his soul, his very being.
Kerosene's indelible properties also suggest the huge challenge that Montag, Faber, and other dissidents face in overthrowing this totalitarian regime. For even if they do manage to succeed in their rebellion, the lasting effects of the regime's tyranny will, like the smell of kerosene, linger on for quite some time.
Kerosene. The firemen need an accelerant to spread the fire, so they hose kerosene all over the house, then light a...
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match. The second sentence of the book states of the firehose that it is a "great python spitting its venomous kerosene". And, kerosene really smells; Clarisse knew Montag was coming down the street even before she saw him because the smell on Montag is so strong. Montag says, "you never wash it off completely," in acknowledgment that that smell of kerosene always stays on him, no matter what he does.
I hope that helps!
What do the firemen spray instead of water in Fahrenheit 451?
Fahrenheit 451 is the temperature at which books burn. In order to destroy them completely, the firemen spray kerosene on them to accelerate the fire. It allows them to burn hot and turn to ash. It is the fire department's job to find and burn books. By using gasoline, the books are forever destroyed and cannot be recovered for any knowledge. By completely burning them, they are "out of the sight and mind" of society. Therefore, according to the government, people are happier and lack the intelligence and knowledge of philosophy, history, science, and literature of the past. All knowledge is wiped out, and the people don't have to worry their little minds about things like religion, history, or the war waging around them. They are free to be content to watch soap operas on wall size televisions.