Cara answers “Did anyone else found quite revealing that...”

Damian asked this question about Fahrenheit 451:

Did anyone else found quite revealing that Captain Beatty would know so many different book quotes off the top of his head? It seams to me he was an avid reader. What are your thoughts on this?

Cara Oh goodness. If only I could put all my thoughts down in this one little box. Beatty is such a complex character, how could I resist exploring a bunch…moreOh goodness. If only I could put all my thoughts down in this one little box. Beatty is such a complex character, how could I resist exploring a bunch of different ideas on him? I for one, believe that Captain Beatty owns and has read his fair share of books. And by "fair share," I mean hundreds. That's the only way I know of to keep these quotes on the top of his mind. But you of course, have probably already come to this conclusion.
It's obvious Beatty is quite a vain man. The way he talks to Montag, his firemen, and the victims of his fire, it shows just how large of an ego he has. I believe he has a warped sense about the book he read. A sort of "I can handle reading, but you certainly can't" kind of attitude.
However, another completely different take on it could link into his past, which we know so dear little about.
I was actually just recently in a teen production of "Fahrenheit 451," which was a little different than the book and provided more of a backstory to Beatty, who I was cast as. Of course, being a teenage girl, we switched up the gender of the Fire Captain. (Surprisingly enough, the transition was almost too good to be true.) He graces vaguely over the people he lost, and states to Montag that he did once read book after book
The way I interpreted the role, it seemed as if he blamed the books for being the reason he lost his family and friends. Basically, the books he once loved are now the fuel for his hate. Maybe he remembers the words from so long ago that used to be the reason he stayed up late at night, thinking and dreaming, but now only bring a reminder of what he lost. Maybe, a long time ago, he might have been just the same as Clarisse. Maybe he sees himself in Montag, and shows him what he knows, hoping that maybe things can turn out differently for him.
Sorry if this is too lengthy, or doesn't answer your question, but I really do enjoy sharing my thoughts about Beatty!(less)

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