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Beatty's Use Of Pathos In Fahrenheit 451

Decent Essays

Although Beatty decides to reject what he learned when given the opportunity to read books, Beatty is unhappy with his life as a fireman and persuades Montag to kill him by using pathos as shown through his words and actions. Firstly, Beatty orders Montag to burn Montag’s own house, creating anger and sadness within Montag. Messing with Montag’s emotions makes it a pathos appeal. This action alone does not make Montag kill Beatty, but it does push to that goal. In addition, Beatty continues to irritate Montag by insulting him, saying “It was the act of a silly, damn snob” (Bradbury 118). Even though Montag was acting like a snob, or a stuck-up individual, when he read the “Dover Beach” poem to Mildred and her friends, Beatty calling Montag …show more content…

Later on, Beatty exclaimed, “...you fumbling snob” (Bradbury 119). Repetition of the word “snob” is used to add to Montag’s negative emotions, the comment getting into Montag’s head. After, Beatty shows Montag that he also read books by quoting from Shakespeare, “‘There is no terror, Cassius, in your threats… they pass me as an idle wind, which I respect not!’” (Bradbury 119). Beatty’s action reveals to Montag that Beatty understood what Montag went through, but doesn’t care. Beatty is boasting that he knows as much, if not more, about books than Montag would ever know, generating the feeling of more anger and foolishness inside Montag. Telling Montag that he is being outwitted and outplayed, Beatty creates disappointment and shifts even closer to his goal. Therefore, he says to Montag “Go ahead now, you second-hand litterateur, pull the trigger” (Bradbury 119). A litterateur is a person who understands literature, but using the words “second-hand” implies that Montag only knows how to read, but doesn’t understand literature, so the phrase builds up Montag’s negative emotions. Beatty also dares Montag to kill him, making Montag feel the urge to commit

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