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Kurt Vonnegut Quotes

Decent Essays

Equality—“in every which way”—reigns supreme in the year 2081. Noise devices are placed in individuals’ ears to disturb “unfair” intelligent thought, “handicap bags” are placed on necks to equalize performance and to make them “no better than anybody else,” and masks are to be worn by those who are attractive. The United States Handicapper General, or H-G men, who has newly acquired power from “the 211th, 212th and 213th Amendments to the Constitution,” enforces this new state. And the H-G men have whisked away “a genius and an athlete” boy named Harrison Bergeron, the son of Hazel and George, whom are his parents and sit watching ballerinas perform on the television set in their living room. As the ballerinas take the stage, an announcement is made about the jail escape of Harrison, and he soon jumps onto the stage, declares himself and a ballerina Emperor and Empress, and they begin to dance. Each are eventually shot dead by a shotgun by Diana Moon Glampers, the Handicapper General, and George misses the tragedy as he had “gone out into the kitchen,” but he questions Hazel upon his return about her tears and her response of “I forget” is suitable enough for George. …show more content…

Vonnegut infused government, family, rebellion, law and order, and death into this four-page short story. I just sat and thought about my own ideals and moral compass for a few minutes after I finished. He created an egalitarian state in every which way, showing the ridiculousness of striving towards such a state. But I also found it interesting that he didn’t mention any handicaps on the H-G men, particularly Diana Gloom Glampers. He could be leaving it to the reader to rationalize, or ground, one’s ideals with pragmatism. His line at the beginning “they weren’t only equal before God and the law” may be a signal for what to strive towards in society and not get carried

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