Fahrenheit 451: The Hearth and the Salamander

In Fahrenheit 451, toward the end of “The Hearth and the Salamander,” Ray Bradbury includes a monologue of society and the history of firemen said by Captain Beatty. He talks to Montag with irony by defending equalization of society while still remaining educated, and describes the use of books as weapons while freely using them that way himself. He says that the word ‘intellectual’ “became a swear word (and that) it deserved to be.” (Bradbury 55) The students at school were learning to be anti-intellectual meaning no modern academic, artistic, social, religious, and other theories were learned. In their society, there were “turning out more runners, jumpers, racers, tinkerers, grabbers, snatchers, fliers, and swimmers instead of examiners, critics, knowers, and imaginative creators…” (Bradbury 55) I agree with Beatty’s view because as the quote shows, the schools cultivated anti-intellectual sentiments and the result of this is shown in the adults of the society also. An example of the result of being taught that in school is shown when Mildred and her friends are talking about politics. They voted in the president election based on physical appearance and superficial qualities, “I laid it on the line for President Noble. I think he’s on of the nicest looking men ever became president.” Today, in Cypress Bay High School most subjects available, if not all, are intellectual to open students minds and prepare for the future. This days competition is rough and the intelligent, superior mind people are the ones who succeed and give the society the chance to advance. In Fahrenheit 451, this type of people rewarded in today’s society were pressured or persecuted in a way until they fall in everyone else way of thinking. Beatty says, “Not everyone born free and equal, as the Constitution says, but everyone made equal.” (Bradbury 55) Some books violate this idea and Bradbury gives and explains some examples. “Colored people don’t like Little Black Sambo. Burn it. White