| “ | We must all be alike. Not everyone born free and equal, as the Constitution says, but everyone made equal. Each man the image of every other; then all are happy, for there are no mountains to make them cower, to judge themselves against. So! A book is a loaded gun in the house next door. Burn it. Take the shot from the weapon. Breach man’s mind. Who knows who might be the target of the well-read man? Me? I won’t stomach them for a minute. And so when houses were finally fireproofed completely, all over the world (you were correct in your assumption the other night) there was no longer need of firemen for the old purposes. 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. That’s you, Montag, and that’s me. | „ |
| ~ Captain Beatty to Montag, about the importance of firemen in society. |
| “ | If you don't want a man unhappy politically, don't give him two sides to a question to worry him; give him one. Better yet, give him none. Let him forget there is such a thing as war. If the Government is inefficient, top-heavy, and tax-mad, better it be all those than that people worry over it. Peace, Montag. Give the people contests they win by remembering the words to more popular songs or the names of state capitals or how much corn Iowa grew last year. Cram them full of non-combustible data, chock them so damned full of 'facts' they feel stuffed, but absolutely `brilliant' with information. Then they'll feel they're thinking, they'll get a sense of motion without moving. And they'll be happy, because facts of that sort don't change. Don't give them any slippery stuff like philosophy or sociology to tie things up with. That way lies melancholy. 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, measure, and equate the universe, which just won't be measured or equated without making man feel bestial and lonely. | „ |
| ~ Capt. Beatty to Montag, on the importance of destroying books. |
| “ | We are not born equal, so we must be made equal by the fire, so that we can be happy. | „ |
| ~ Captain Beatty in the 2018 film. |
Captain John Beatty is the main antagonist of Ray Bradbury's 1953 novel Fahrenheit 451, its 1966 film adaptation and its 2018 remake of the same name.
He is the chief of a fire station in a future society where books are illegal, and firemen's purpose is to burn them and any house that holds them.
He was portrayed by the late Cyril Cusack in the 1966 film and by Michael Shannon in the 2018 HBO remake, who also played Frankie Lombardo in Kangaroo Jack, Richard Kuklinski in The Iceman, Zod in Man of Steel, Rick Carver in 99 Homes, Colonel Richard Strickland in The Shape of Water, Peter Evans in Bug, Bobby Monday in Premium Rush and White Death in Bullet Train.
Biography[]
Captain Beatty runs a fire station with an iron fist and employs firemen to set books and houses afire. Devious and calculating, he sends his employees, including the main protagonist, Montag, to prevent people from thinking about things and keep them "happy", according to the new laws. Not above showing the townspeople no mercy and torching those trapped inside houses, Beatty is willing to sacrifice anything and anyone to achieve his goals.
When Guy Montag begins to question the reason behind burning books, Beatty pays him a visit and explains how books became illegal. As technology became more personalized and entertainment centered, book sales dropped off and attention spans grew shorter. Less people grew up to become intellectuals and became more distrustful than usual of those who did. This combined with many different groups trying to censor certain books that were offensive, which was soon expanded to all books. In Beatty's mind, people are happier without being exposed to written ideas. He tells Montag a fireman is permitted to read one book for 24 hours. He instructs Montag to burn the book after he discovers how useless it is.
Instead, Montag begins to question every aspect of his life. When he returns to the fire station, Beatty further tries to break his spirit. He subjects Montag to a barrage of contradicting literary quotes to show him how painful knowledge creates confusion and conflict. He reveals that he himself was once an avid reader and an intellectual before rejecting books and the new order.
A call comes in of a house containing books. It turns out to be Montag's house, Montag having been informed on by his wife Mildred. Though Montag obeys orders to burn his own house, Beatty continues to taunt him. When he discovers Montag has been in contact with a retired professor, he threatens to hunt him down. He taunts Montag until he turns his flamethrower on him. Beatty is burned alive while his own men look in confusion. While on the run, Montag reflects and concludes that Beatty had taunted him because he wanted to die.
Quotes[]
| “ | We are not equal. We must be made equal by the fire, and then we can be happy. | „ |
| ~ Captain Beatty in the 2018 film. |
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 Villains
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Novels/Novellas Something Wicked This Way Comes: Mr. Dark | Autumn People | Cooger & Dark's Pandemonium Shadow Show The Martian Chronicles: Yll | Martians | Jeff Spender | William Stendahl | Sam Parkhill Dandelion Wine: The Lonely One Short stories Others | ||