How Captain Beatty of Fahrenheit 451 Illustrates
“The Mindset of Those Who Censor”
Persis Karim said in The New Assault on Libraries, "Obviously, the danger is not in the actual act of reading itself, but rather, the possibility that the texts children read will incite questions, introduce novel ideas, and provoke critical inquiry." Set in the 24th century, Ray Bradbury’s book, Fahrenheit 451, depicts a society in which books have been outlawed by a government fearing an independent-thinking public. Enforcing this law through incineration of book material, homes, and even book owners is the duty of firemen, such as the Chief Captain Beatty, whose insidious personality makes him the quintessence of an antagonist. However, his contradictions
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For example, when an old woman, whose house was being incinerated for keeping books, stays inside, she shouts out “Play the man, Master Ridley!” (pp. 40), originally said by a man condemned to being burned at the stake for heresy in 1555. Beatty understood this quote to the extent that he knew who and when it was said. The numerous books Beatty read had been written by a variety of authors with different and sometimes opposing thoughts and opinions. Considering the society in Fahrenheit 451 is centered about conformation, Beatty is violently averse to the thought of having conflicting vantage points. Beatty even explains to Montag, a fireman with growing inquiry, about “what traitors books can be” in attempts to deter him from reading. By traitors, Beatty means to express his coming away lost due to authors “all of them running about, putting out the stars and extinguishing the sun.” He argues that rather than challenging people with discovering truth themselves, it is in their best interest to not “give them any slippery stuff like philosophy or sociology to tie things up with. That way lies melancholy.” Rather, “Any man who can take a TV wall apart and put it back together again, and most men can nowadays, is happier than any man who tries to slide rule, …show more content…
Despite being initiated by the people within the society, the government took advantage of its insecure people who lended them enough allowance to enforce censorship themselves. Originally being what the public wanted, the extensive measures by those such as the firemen, were disguised as peace. Referring to firemen, “They were given the 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.” Beatty explains, "Colored people don 't like Little Black Sambo. Burn it. White people don 't feel good about Uncle Tom 's Cabin. Burn it. Someone 's written a book on tobacco and cancer of the lungs? The cigarette people are weeping? Bum the book. Serenity, Montag. Peace, Montag.” Fire, a dangerous tool the firemen use to control public activity, symbolizes peace to some, as it cleanses their society of what they’ve considered more dangerous than the act of destroying property and people. Montag burning Beatty to death being the most obvious example of fire being powerful within the book, yet “Fire is bright and fire is clean” (pp. 59) As Michel Foucault says, “Freedom of conscience entails more dangers than authority and despotism.” Besides enforcing censorship through incineration, the government also enacted ways of preventing an ability to desire further knowledge. After all, a naïveté enough group of people don’t warrant much physical power when being used for their ignorance.
Fahrenheit 451 is very different from modern day society. In fahrenheit 451, the firemen go to people 's houses when they get a call that someone has books. Firemen rush to their houses and they search for the book’s if they find any they burn the books as well as the house because they don 't know if there’s anymore hidden “The whole house is going up said beatty”. Fahrenheit 451 porches are illegal, as well they 're not allowed to have their books out in the open and if they do and if anyone even spots them their house goes up in flames.
In addition, taking after Clarisse, Montag begins to ask questions himself, and realizes that the way society functions isn't right, and he is no longer happy with his choice of profession.(STEWE-1) " ‘I've tried to imagine,’ said Montag, ‘just how it would feel. I mean, to have firemen burn our houses and our books’” (Bradbury 31). Here, Montag has his first realization that being a fireman is not only wrong, but also an inaccurate, untruthful version of who he wants to be.(STEWE-2)
In Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury conceptualizes a society based on censorship. In the society depicted in the novel, books are burned when they are discovered in anyone 's possession. Montag’s job is to burn books and the houses containing them to ash. “‘Do you ever read any of the books you burn?’ ‘That’s against the law’”
Censoring Knowledge Censorship, in a crumbling world, does not act as glue; but rather, as a hammer. All throughout Bradbury’s novel, Fahrenheit 451, examples of censorship are seen. In his made-up dystopian society the “more powerful” characters use censorship to cover up anything that is seen as risky or “inappropriate”. In this novel the largest group of censored objects are the books. Books could change one’s view entirely.
Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury, is a uniquely shocking and provocative novel about a dystopian society set in a future where reading is outlawed, thinking is considered a sin, technology is at its prime, and human interaction is scarce. Through his main protagonist, Guy Montag, Bradbury brings attention to the dangers of a controlled society, and the problems that can arise from censorship. As a fireman, it is Guy's job to destroy books, and start fires rather than put them out. After meeting a series of unusual characters, a spark is ignited in Montag and he develops a desire for knowledge and a want to protect the books. Bradbury's novel teaches its readers how too much censorship and control can lead to further damage and the repetition of history’s mistakes through the use of symbolism, imagery, and motif.
By true definition, censorship is the suppression and illegalization of speech, public communication, and other information which may be considered objectionable, harmful, or politically incorrect as determined by the government in authority. The purpose of censorship is perhaps to protect the people, however, negative outcomes typically follow when this route is taken to control a governed people. Censorship directly attack the main characters of Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 and George Orwell’s 1984. Although government censorship was perpetuated to create a whole and perfect society, Fahrenheit 451 and 1984 both demonstrate that censorship brought on by the government negatively controls a community’s thoughts, actions, and their people as a whole.
Beatty, the firehouse captain, had been suspicious of Montag being in possession of literature. His dubious thoughts are found to be correct when Mildred turned Montag in. Montag is forced to go on the run, leaving the city for the countryside, where he finds other outcasted intellectuals. The city is bombed, leaving it completely destroyed and the society in ruins. The society Ray Bradbury creates in Fahrenheit 451 showcases how censorship is a threat to free thinking, society’s humanity, and human relationships through the use of imagery, symbolism and motifs.
The book follows Guy Montag, a fireman who sets things on fire instead of put out fires. He enjoys his job until on one job an old woman decides to burn with her books rather than evacuate. Haunted by her death, Montag becomes confused on why books would mean so much to anyone. He then decides to find out for himself by reading books from a personal stash of stolen books. Montag has a personal revolution; he realizes the dangers of restricting information and intellectual thought.
n. In the book, Fahrenheit 451 written by Ray Bradbury, there was evidence that Beatty was persuading and terrorizing his fellow firemen and society because of the power in his hands. Although, He was educated by reading books, Beatty was not justified for hiding the truth about censorship because he kept society from thinking, used his power for evil instead for good and sent fear throughout society. He is just as guilty as Montag because he to read books. As well as, hid information that was very valid to the knowledge of the people of the society.
The book follows Montag’s physical and emotional journey towards understanding himself. In Fahrenheit 451, Bradbury uses books as a symbol to demonstrate the thematic idea of knowledge is power to express his fear about censorship going too far. “A book is a loaded gun in the house next door. Burn it. ”(Bradbury 88).
Books are banned and burned. Feelings begin to fade. All written imagination and controversial thoughts are considered illegal crimes. Fahrenheit 451 is a dystopian novel written by Ray Bradbury in the early 1950’s. The novel primarily focuses on a fictional U.S society within the 21st century, where books and literature are illegal.
Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury, is a novel about a futuristic society where books are banned and firemen burn books rather than put out fires. The main character Montag is a fireman who lives with his wife Mildred. Montag ends up stealing books which is against the law especially because he is a fireman; and Mildred is against anything that has to do with books. Society wants everyone to be happy but there 's an alarming mechanical hound in this novel that kills people and is asymbol of fear. Bradbury’s novel shows how a society overcomes the eradication of books through the use of symbolism, motif, and imagery.
Censorship in Fahrenheit 451 and throughout history Censorship is the suppression or prohibition of any parts of books, films, news, etc. that are considered obscene, politically unacceptable, Fahrenheit 451 In “Fahrenheit 451" censorship is presented with a unique and interesting way. In this American society book reading or posses is not allowed by law.
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 is a fireman. Firemen used to put out fires, but after every house became fireproof, they act as the government’s official censor to prohibit literary works. This transition is known because of Beatty’s lecture to Montag, including the quote, “They (firemen) were given a new job, as custodians of our peace of mind, the focus of our understandable and rightful dread to be inferior.” (Bradbury 56) This also explains the need for firemen.