Fahrenheit 451 Captain Beatty

            One of the characters in Fahrenheit 451 is Captain Beatty.  He is an odd ball because he is in charge of burning books, but he knows so much about literature.  This makes you think.  Did he used to read and passionately enjoy books? 

            Captain Beatty is Guy Montag’s boss.  The day after they burn the old lady’s house down with her in it, Beatty came to check and see how Montag was doing.  “’Just thought I’d come by and see how the sick man is doing’” (Bradbury 53). Beatty just knew that Montag would not feel good after that disturbing scene.  While at Montag’s home, Beatty goes on this rant where he talks about the history of firefighting and why books are bad.  “’When did it all start, you ask, this job of ours, how did it come about, where, when? Well, I’d say it really got started around about a thing called the Civil War. Even though our rule-book claims it was founded earlier. The fact is we didn’t get along well until photography came into its own. Then — motion pictures in the early twentieth century. Radio. Television. Things began to have mass’” (Bradbury 54).  This is the start of his speech to Guy.  All this line means is that books was the main focus and then things started to get different.  The radio was invented along with television.  Books became less popular. 

            “Speed up the film, Montag, quick. Click? Pic? Look, Eye, Now, Flick, Here, There, Swift, Pace, Up, Down, In, Out, Why, How, Who, What, Where, Eh? Uh! Bang! Smack! Wallop, Bing, Bong, Boom!’” (Bradbury 55)  I really enjoyed reading this because you do not usually see this in a novel.  Beatty is talking about fast forwarding through time where everything is being shortened and made easier to read.  It makes him mad because he wants people to see the whole story.

Bradbury, Ray. Fahrenheit 451. New York: Del Rey Book, 1991. Print.