* To highlight the loss of faith and meaning in the dystopian world: The poem's somber tone and themes of loss, doubt, and the receding of the "Sea of Faith" perfectly reflect the barren intellectual and emotional landscape of the novel's society. The firemen, who burn books and extinguish knowledge, are a symbol of this loss of faith in the power of ideas and art.
* To contrast the poem's romantic past with the technological present: The poem's setting, a romantic and beautiful beach in England, contrasts sharply with the sterile, technologically dominated world of *Fahrenheit 451*. This contrast emphasizes the loss of beauty and meaning in the novel's society.
* To illustrate the character of Clarisse McClellan: Clarisse, who is fascinated by nature and asks profound questions, is a foil to the society's conformity. Her love for poetry and her interest in "Dover Beach" reveal a yearning for something more than the surface of the dystopian world.
* To foreshadow Montag's awakening: The poem's final lines, "Ah, love, let us be true / To one another!" foreshadow Montag's gradual awakening to the importance of knowledge and truth. As he begins to see the value of books and the beauty of language, he is also awakened to the love for knowledge and the need for genuine human connection.
In essence, "Dover Beach" functions as a powerful symbol in *Fahrenheit 451*, embodying the loss of faith, the importance of knowledge, and the need for genuine connection in a world that has forgotten the value of these things.