Post2: Characters

* Who are the main characters in the novel? Do you like them? Why or why not? What is special about them? What do they reveal about the universal human experience?

The main characters in the novel are Guy Montag and Captain Beatty. Guy Montag is the protagonist in this book. I like this character because he stands up for his faith and what is right. He isn’t necessarily a hero, a sage or a doughty man, but because he is a fool, he keeps his opinions and rebels against the society. Montag is a fireman. However, the bizarre thing is that a fireman in this story is not a person who saves people from fire, but starts a fire to burn the books. Later on, Montag realizes that there is something wrong with his actions, and becomes desperate to find the truth and a meaningful way to live. Montag can be compared to other people who learn and want to know more about his life and the society.

Captain Beatty is an antagonist in this novel who is filled with contradictions. He is a book burner just like Montag. I don’t really like him because he tries so hard to convince Montag about the negative things about books. He believes that firemen bring pleasure to people by destructing the books. In page 59, he said, “…People want to be happy, isn’t that right? Haven’t you heard it all you 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? And you must admit our culture provides plenty of these.” He is a narrow-minded person, who is so against reading and strictly follows the law. In page 38, “You know the law,” said Beatty. “Where’s your common sense? None of those books agree with each other.”