Figurative Language In Fahrenheit 451

The books Fahrenheit 451, written by Ray Bradbury, and The Last Book in The Universe, written by Rodman Philbrick, are similar in plot and theme. Both books highlight the negative effect of technology in futuristic dystopian worlds. The ideas of censorship play a big role in the two stories. While the ideas of both books may be similar, the way they have been written are very differently. Fahrenheit 451 has a unique style, full of symbolism, figurative language, and rich vocabulary which is Bradbury’s trademark. On the other hand, The Last Book in The Universe has a more informal style, that would be a target novel for young readers. Symbols still plays a big part in Philbrick’s book, but it is more overt. Philbrick’s use of dialogue is less

He is easy to discern from other authors because of his use of metaphors, similes and other types of figurative language. This is illustrated in the quote from Fahrenheit 451, “With the brass nozzle in his fists, with this great python spitting its venomous kerosene upon the world. . .” ( p. 1 ). Bradbury compares the way the fire hose spews out water to the way a snake would spit out poison. Bradbury effectively uses figurative language to paint a vivid picture in the reader's mind. Figurative language is not the only literary device he uses. Bradbury also finds a way to weave complicated yet eloquent vocabulary into his text. This makes his books challenging for younger reads, but on the flip side for those that are able to stay with it; it becomes much more interesting. Bradbury also uses point of view to help sculpt his writing. Fahrenheit 451 is written in third person limited omniscient, this enables the reader to know all the thoughts, actions, and feelings of all the characters which helps to explain the whole

The vocabulary is at a lower level and there is far less figurative language. The Last Book of the Universe is written is first person this makes for an easier read, because it is much easier to follow. All of these aspects can be see here, “My cube is small and dingy, with a chunk of foam on the floor, not a real bed, but it’s way better than not having a place to sleep or just hang” ( page ). As shown, the vocabulary never gets much harder than “dingy” and there is no figurative language. Not only is this passage written in first-person, but it is a very relaxed first person, it gives of the feel of a friendly conversation. All of these factors make this a good target novel for younger readers. Despite the differences in writing style both books are equally engaging and would be a good pick for any age