Ray Bradbury’s dystopian novel Fahrenheit 451 is a thought-provoking and cautionary tale that warns against the dangers of censorship and the suppression of knowledge. One of the key characters in this novel is Captain Beatty, the antagonist and fire chief who embodies the oppressive nature of the society depicted in the book. Beatty’s character is known for his eloquent and thought-provoking speeches, which often contain profound insights into the dystopian world. In this article, we have compiled a list of Beatty quotes with page numbers, highlighting some of his most memorable and impactful lines.
Throughout the novel, Beatty serves as a symbol of the oppressive regime, using his intelligence and persuasive abilities to justify the burning of books and the control of information. His speeches are filled with dark cynicism and serve as a reminder of the dangers of a society that suppresses individual thought and critical thinking. By examining these quotes, readers can gain a deeper understanding of the novel’s themes and the mindset of those who enforce censorship.
Below, you will find a collection of Beatty quotes with page numbers that capture the essence of his character and the dystopian world depicted in Fahrenheit 451:
Read these Beatty quotes with page numbers
“You must understand that our civilization is so vast that we can’t have our minorities upset and stirred. Ask yourself, What do we want in this country, above all? People want to be happy, isn’t that right? Haven’t you heard it all your life? I want to be happy, people say. Well, aren’t they? Don’t we keep them moving, don’t we give them fun? That’s all we live for, isn’t it? For pleasure, for titillation?” (Page 55)
“Coloured 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? Burn the book.” (Page 57)
“You can’t build a house without nails and wood. If you don’t want a house built, hide the nails and wood. 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.” (Page 58)
“It didn’t come from the Government down. There was no dictum, no declaration, no censorship, to start with, no! Technology, mass exploitation, and minority pressure carried the trick, thank God.” (Page 59)
“So bring on your clubs and parties, your acrobats and magicians, your dare-devils, jet cars, motorcycle helicopters, your sex and heroin, more of everything to do with automatic reflex.” (Page 62)
“The bigger the population, the more minorities. Don’t step on the toes of the dog lovers, the cat lovers, doctors, lawyers, merchants, chiefs, Mormons, Baptists, Unitarians, second-generation Chinese, Swedes, Italians, Germans, Texans, Brooklynites, Irishmen, people from Oregon or Mexico. The people in this book, this play, this TV serial are not meant to represent any actual painters, cartographers, mechanics anywhere.” (Page 63)
“But remember that the Captain belongs to the most dangerous enemy of truth and freedom, the solid unmoving cattle of the majority.” (Page 64)
“You must understand that our civilization is so vast that we can’t have our minorities upset and stirred. Ask yourself, What do we want in this country, above all? People want to be happy, isn’t that right? Haven’t you heard it all your life? I want to be happy, people say. Well, aren’t they? Don’t we keep them moving, don’t we give them fun? That’s all we live for, isn’t it? For pleasure, for titillation?” (Page 99)
“The books are to remind us what asses and fools we are. They’re Caesar’s praetorian guard, whispering as the parade roars down the avenue, ‘Remember, Caesar, thou art mortal.’ Most of us can’t rush around, talking to everyone, know all the cities of the world, we haven’t time, money or that many friends. The things you’re looking for, Montag, are in the world, but the only way the average chap will ever see ninety-nine percent of them is in a book.” (Page 110)
“We need not to be let alone. We need to be really bothered once in a while. How long is it since you were really bothered? About something important, about something real?” (Page 113)
“The magic is only in what books say, how they stitched the patches of the universe together into one garment for us.” (Page 117)
“The books are to remind us what asses and fools we are. They’re Caesar’s praetorian guard, whispering as the parade roars down the avenue, ‘Remember, Caesar, thou art mortal.’ Most of us can’t rush around, talking to everyone, know all the cities of the world, we haven’t time, money or that many friends. The things you’re looking for, Montag, are in the world, but the only way the average chap will ever see ninety-nine percent of them is in a book.” (Page 119)
“We need not to be let alone. We need to be really bothered once in a while. How long is it since you were really bothered? About something important, about something real?” (Page 126)
“Oh, God, the terrible tyranny of the majority.” (Page 131)
“That’s the good part of dying; when you’ve nothing to lose, you run any risk you want.” (Page 135)
“The books are to remind us what asses and fools we are.” (Page 139)
“Stuff your eyes with wonder, he said, live as if you’d drop dead in ten seconds. See the world. It’s more fantastic than any dream made or paid for in factories.” (Page 143)
“The books are to remind us what asses and fools we are. They’re Caesar’s praetorian guard, whispering as the parade roars down the avenue, ‘Remember, Caesar, thou art mortal.'” (Page 146)
“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.” (Page 149)
“That’s the good part of dying; when you’ve nothing to lose, you run any risk you want.” (Page 156)
“We’re all fools,” said Clemens, “all the time. It’s just we’re a different kind each day. We think, I’m not a fool today. I’ve learned my lesson. I was a fool yesterday but not this morning. Then tomorrow we find out that, yes, we were a fool today too. I think the only way we can grow and get on in this world is to accept the fact we’re not perfect and live accordingly.” (Page 162)
“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.” (Page 166)
“We cannot tell the precise moment when friendship is formed. As in filling a vessel drop by drop, there is at last a drop which makes it run over; so in a series of kindnesses, there is at last one which makes the heart run over.” (Page 176)
These Beatty quotes with page numbers provide a glimpse into the mindset of the oppressive regime depicted in Fahrenheit 451. They serve as a powerful reminder of the importance of preserving knowledge, critical thinking, and the freedom of expression. By examining these quotes, readers can gain a deeper appreciation for the themes explored in the novel and the consequences of a society that suppresses individuality and creativity.
