Fahrenheit 451 Beatty Analysis

The fear of the truth and admitting the truth is boldly seen in Fahrenheit 451, and then when it is revealed to the person, it results in brokenness and sorrow. Beatty is a prime example of avoiding the truth. Throughout the book, he hints at knowing the truth, but covers it up by burning books and peoples' opinions, and then building technology full of junk. Because of this, Beatty is left broken and sad, and eventually, he pays for it. When Montag was burning his house along with the books, he pointed the flame thrower at Beatty and stood there. He turned it on and flames ate Beatty up, then he thought to himself afterwards that "Beatty wanted to die. In the middle of crying Montag knew it for the truth. Beatty wanted to die. He had just stood there, not really trying to save himself, just stood there, joking, needling, thought Montag, and the thought was enough to stifle his sobbing and let him pause for air" (116).

Towards the end of the passage, Montag threatens Beatty with a fire hose, prompting a lengthy dialogue from Beatty. Beatty responds to Montag’s threats with an allusion to Shakespeare, saying, “‘There is no terror, Cassius, in your threats, for I am arm’d so strong in honesty that they pass by me as an idle wind, which I respect not!’ How’s that?” Beatty’s ease and familiarity with Shakespeare confirm that Beatty has definitely read books, and that he is an intelligent man has some notion of what books have held deep within their pages. In this way, Beatty is similar to Montag, he is another book burner that is knowledgeable about literature. What separates the two is that Beatty is simply unable to diverge from societal norms, and his stubbornness takes over and refuses to admit the worth of books. This differs greatly from Montag, who is finally starting to rebel against society. In this same scene, Beatty also taunts Montag when the fire hose is pointed at him, urging Montag to, “Go ahead now, you second-hand litterateur, pull the trigger.” While this may have just been Beatty egging Montag on, later on Beatty’s lack of resistance seems to suggest that Beatty really didn’t care whether or not he died. Moments before his death, Beatty simply says, “‘Hand it over, Guy,” and then proceeds to smile as he knows he is about to be burnt. Through dialogue, Bradbury is able to reveal information about Beatty’s background and knowledge of books, as well as his

Society has a powerful influence over individuals’ actions, but that power and influence is not carried over to an individuals’ mindset. In the novel Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, the two characters Faber and Beatty have very similar personalities. Though the way of society has drastically influenced how each responds accordingly to social standards. Faber has followed the path that society has paved for him, but he wants to be the man that can help change society’s view of books. Beatty is fulfilling his duties as fire chief, and is seen as a power head, though he may not be as happy as society depicts him to be. Both characters are well read,

Of all literary works regarding dystopian societies, Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 is perhaps one of the most bluntly shocking, insightful, and relatable of them. Set in a United States of the future, this novel contains a government that has banned books and a society that constantly watches television. However, Guy Montag, a fireman (one who burns books as opposed to actually putting out fires) discovers books and a spark of desire for knowledge is ignited within him. Unfortunately his boss, the belligerent Captain Beatty, catches on to his newfound thirst for literature. A man of great duplicity, Beatty sets up Montag to ultimately have his home destroyed and to be expulsed from the city. On the other hand, Beatty is a much rounder

Beatty is essentially an anti-Clarisse. Beatty represents the unseen force that drags people into conformity, giving Montag a sugarcoated explanation of how books came to be banned. Throughout most of the book, Beatty is trying to undo the effect of Clarisse. However, all this does is lead Montag to antagonize Beatty, so Beatty confronts Montag about the books. After going home, Montag’s wife has friends come over and Montag gets frustrated and forces the women to read with him. The next day, Mildred’s (Montag’s wife) friends report Montag’s books to the firemen, which Beatty “let ride.”Later, Mildred reports it and Beatty decides to take action, realizing that re-corrupting Montag is futile. Beatty forces Montag to burn his own house down. After this, Montag burns Beatty alive with the flamethrower he used to burn the house, knocking the other two firemen unconscious

The book “Fahrenheit 451” by Ray Bradbury was about a fireman name Guy Montag. Montag does the opposite from what regular fireman do. He starts fires instead of putting them out. Books in Montag's society is forbidden to read and if caught reading the book would be set on fire. Instead of reading, that society watches large amounts of television as big as the wall and listens to the radio attached to their ears. It was not normal for pedestrians to talk and have meaningful conversations until Montag met a teenager name Clarisse. Clarisse was a strange girl that opened up Montag thoughts. She asked him about his work and what made him become a fireman. One question that really got him to think was the statement “Are you happy”(Bradbury 10). Montag believed that Clarisse was odd. She wasn’t like the norm of the society. She read books, walked the city like a pedestrian and, had meaningful conversations. After that encounter with Clarisse a number of events started to happen to him; his wife Mildred tried to commit suicide with prescription pills, a woman that hid books in her home decides to burn a live with her books, and Clarisse is killed in a car accident., With all these tragic events occuring, Montag tries to find a solution to this epidemic. The society has become controlled from power, a sense of censorship. Bradbury has shown his viewpoint of society through this novel.

Beatty appeals to her audience’s sense of ethos by admitting her lack of knowledge on certain topics in order to appear honest. She openly states, “I wondered, For what?” This acknowledgement of her confusion attempts of show the audience that she writes the entire account of her story, both positive and negative. That simple inclusion of a thought train gains her credibility with her readers. Her goal in including those thoughts seems to be to gain trust and respect that makes her story appear trustworthy.

Montag’s motivation would be the urge to know the truth, he is very curious about things. For instance, Clarisse states, “ No one has time anymore for anyone else. You’re one of the few who put up with me. That’s why I think it’s so strange you’re a fireman. It just doesn’t seem right for you somehow.” (Bradbury 23,24). Montag is an inquisitive person who considers the well being of his society in a rightful manner. Beatty is motivated by thinking that his job, corrects the society and it is correct for the society. When Beatty burns books, it is the right thing to do for the society, according to him. Specifically, Beatty professes, “They [firemen] were given a new job, as custodians of our peace of mind, the focus of our understandable and rightful dread of being inferior: official censors, judges, and executors. That’s you, Montag, and that’s

Montag soon becomes curious as to what is actually inside the books he is burning. He decides to hide them and eventually decides to read one. *****By making the decision to read the book, Montag is introduced to thought and a new view on life. He has finally come to realization of what is important and what truly gives life. Although Montag has this sudden realization of the importance of literature, another character, Captain Beatty, believes in the exact opposite. *******Through the characterization of Beatty, readers believe that he has no actual thought and is full of just random facts. However, when Captain Beatty becomes face to face with death, surprisingly, he quotes Shakespeare, indicating Captain Beatty does have thought, just does not want others to know. "There is no terror, Cassius, in your threats, for I am arm'd so strong in honesty that they pass by me as an idle wind, which I respect not!" (Bradbury 113). This quote referenced from Beatty is an allusion to the death of Caesar which symbolizes an honorable death used to maintain honor. Beatty wanted to die and felt as if he had nothing to live for without being able to openly share thought and gain thought without being

Beatty is a perplexing character in Fahrenheit 451. He is a fireman who strictly follows the rules and demands that nobody has or reads books, yet he vociferated quotes from books at Montag. He says that Clarisse is a broken person, yet talks as if he truly does care about her and is intrigued by her. Then again, Beatty acts just like everyone else in the zombie world, he believes that knowledge is of little value. Beatty is the mediator between the zombie world and the imaginative world of books.

Beatty insists that books are not needed in their current society where homogeneity and structure is mandated by the government. During Beatty’s visit, Millie tries to organize the bedroom and ends up finding the book under his pillow, which we later find out is only one of about 20 that he has stolen over the years.

In the book Fahrenheit 451 Beatty is killed by Montag. To understand this event we need to understand what's happened. Beatty addresses Montag on the dangers of books. Beatty makes Montag feel intimidated. In his hand is a flamethrower at this time.

Captain Beatty lectures Montag, “‘We must all be alike. Not everyone born free and equal, as the Constitution says, but everyone made equal. . .A book is a loaded gun in the house next door. Burn it. Take the shot from the weapon. Breach man’s mind”’(56). Captain Beatty is telling Montag how dangerous books are in their society, which means that they are a helpful to the person with the right mind. If one wants to protect themselves against a negative influence, one should read to have an impenetrable mind, therefore books are helpful to them. Faber explains to Montag, ‘“Books were only one type of receptacle where we stored a lot of things we were afraid we might forget. There is nothing magical in them at all. The magic is only in what books say, how they stitched the patches of the universe together into one garment for us”’(79). Faber explains that the sole purpose of books are to help humans comprehend life and the universe. This evidence is unique because Faber speaks as if books weren’t written for people to feel uncomfortable, yet that is the whole reason they are outlawed in his world. As Montag approaches the burning city, he thinks to himself “To everything there is a reason. Yes. A time to break down, and a time to build up. Yes. A time to keep silence and a time to speak. Yes, all that. But what else. What else? Something, something…. And on either side of the river was there a tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month; And the leaves of the tree were for the healing of nations. Yes thought Montag, that’s the one I’ll save for noon.... When we reach the city”(158). Montag tells the reader that he will spread his whimsical knowledge of the Biblical verse as if to to rekindle and heal the citizens corrupt minds now that the old society is gone. Montag will use the verse from the Book of Revelations as encouragement to other people that the city will

Now at first glance anyone may look at the book and wonder what does Fahrenheit 451 mean? Well Fahrenheit 451 is the temperature at which paper catches on fire. This is our first glimpse into Ray Bradbury’s dystopian world in Fahrenheit 451. So, this book was originally published in 1953 during World War II and starting the Cold War, which plays a huge role in what this book symbolizes. The author of Fahrenheit 451 is Ray Bradbury.

In this novel, it is clear that the “knowledge” coming from the books, would result in the power. This is included to help support Guy Montag and his belief in books being legal. This quote is included where Beatty explains the dream he has which involves Guy Montag. The argument described between the two presents each of their sides on the ownership of books. As Beatty believes they are dangerous, Guy Montag thinks that the books and what is inside of them could be beneficial and teach a lot. Beatty voices that Montag exclaims “Knowledge is power” (Bradbury 167). This quote by Sir Francis Bacon in his Essay “Meditationes Sacrae” published in 1597 (“Sir Francis,” 2015), really does