Fahrenheit 451 Captain Beatty
by Ray Bradbury

Captain Beatty is the captain of the fire station where Montag works and represents the authority who encourages the ignorance of the populace. Beatty has a fair knowledge of books, but he despises them. Beatty, like many men in the world of the novel, is so unhappy that he verges on the suicidal. He is onto Montag early in the novel, continually trying to draw him into condemning admissions. He believes he is the protector of happiness, that ignorant people are happy people. He argues that books are great betrayers and muddy up the waters, thus causing unhappiness. He is the antithesis to Professor Faber. Like the other firemen, he possesses physical traits reminiscent of smoke and fire.