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Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Science

ISSN Online: 2576-0548 Downloads: 1273493 Total View: 8504349
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ArticleOpen Access http://dx.doi.org/10.26855/jhass.2025.10.030

A Probe into the Cultural Connotation of Metaphors in Fahrenheit 451 from the Perspective of Cognitive Linguistics

Zhimin Chen

Xinjiang University, Wulumuqi 830002, Xinjiang, China.

*Corresponding author: Zhimin Chen

Published: November 13,2025

Abstract

Based on the related theories of cognitive metaphor, this study conducts an analysis of the metaphors in Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451, uncovering their cultural connotations and cognitive meanings. By examining the mapping relationships between the source domain and target domain, this research deciphers the dystopian world depicted in the novel, revealing its critique theme on the suppression of thought. The analysis yields two key findings: first, metaphorical thinking is experiential, grounded in and continually shaped by social context, operating within a framework where it both originates from and influences society; second, it is inherently pluralistic, as the interpretation of metaphors is dynamically constrained by cultural models. This study demonstrates that, in the context of international communication, a cross-cultural study from the perspective of cognitive metaphor provides essential guidance for achieving effective communication and accurate interpretation of original texts. At the same time, it offers new insights for reflecting on history and understanding contemporary realities.

Keywords

Fahrenheit 451; cultural connotations; cognitive metaphor; cross-cultural study

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How to cite this paper

A Probe into the Cultural Connotation of Metaphors in Fahrenheit 451 from the Perspective of Cognitive Linguistics

How to cite this paper: Zhimin Chen. (2025) A Probe into the Cultural Connotation of Metaphors in Fahrenheit 451 from the Perspective of Cognitive Linguisticsy. Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Science9(10), 2018-2022.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.26855/jhass.2025.10.030