Kurt Vonnegut's Harrison Bergeron

John. C. Maxwell, a writer, and a priest, once said “There are two kinds of pride, ‘good pride’ represents our dignity and self-respect. ‘Bad’ pride is the deadly sin of superiority that reeks of conceit and arrogance” (Quotefancy). Just as there are two sides to pride there are two sides to every human trait, each trait has an advantage and a disadvantage. Being stubborn could mean working towards goals until they have been achieved, or it could mean closing one’s mind so much so they miss out on opportunities they are not looking for. John Maxwell’s paradox of traits is shown through the idea of equality in Kurt Vonnegut Jr’s “Harrison Bergeron”. In this story the society is led to believe everyone is equal because of handicaps, but

Equality is what a society wants in order to not have competition. For instance, “They were equal every which way. Nobody was smarter than anybody else. Nobody was better looking than anybody else. Nobody was stronger or quicker than anybody else” (Vonnegut 22). People not competing with one another shows how living in harmony amongst one another to avoid conflicts is what the government wants for the people. However, people always will think against what the government wants for instance, “George was toying with the vague notion that maybe dancers shouldn't be handicapped” (Vonnegut 22). This shows how even when made equal to everyone people still have these thoughts that contradict with that the

The theme is equal in both movie and book and we can appreciate how Kurt Vonnegut saw the future he would never know. He creates a place where everyone is exactly the same. Not only in the eyes of God, and the law, but in the eyes of every single person in the United States. In the movie, we see the whole process of how Harrison realized the way they were living was not a suitable way to live. He then, illegally takes control of a broadcasting station and plays unedited and uncontrolled movies and music to the public, while he asks them to take off their mind controlling head bands. Unfortunately, Harrison later learns that only 1.3% of the public actually heard the true meaning of his program, and removed their bands for good. Harrison is urged to tell the people of the country that it was all a play he performed, in order for the people to remain calm. He does this but, in perfect irony, commits suicide on live television that leaves to show the reality of the situation to the people. In the short story, his parents are watching a ballet program on television when Harrison, who had been taken by the Handicapper generals, shows up on the screen and demands everyone take off their handicaps. He screams he will take over the government; takes a dancer and jumps and leaps gracefully in the sky. They kiss while floating, symbolizing freedom. They are finally free from the horrible weights and masks that hid their true selves. In both the book and movie they government wanted them all to be exactly the

Harrison Bergeron is a valuable story that has underlying themes, which are very relevant in our current society. The theme of equality can be seen throughout the book, and it is the principle that is enshrined in America’s constitution now, whereby they claim that all men are equal. Kurt Vonnegut demonstrates the issue of equality in a Utopian society. Vonnegut in his story, cautions Americans on the dangers of creating a truly equalitarian society, whereby citizens go to an extent of sacrificing their freedom, and individuality to the state, to create a place where all people are equal. Vonnegut creates a society whereby, all people are made equal. The beautiful are forced to wear hideous masks to disfigure their beauty, those considered intelligent are to wear radio calls, and ear splitting noises that are supposed to impede their thinking, and the strong are forced to wear weights around their necks throughout the day. The author uses masks, and the weights as symbols to symbolize

In this story a man and woman, George and Hazel Bergeron, have a son whose name is Harrison. In this futuristic world, people are meant to all be treated as equals, which is where the theme of the story comes from. It is much like the movie Equilibrium. If you are too intelligent, they dumb you down, as with George Bergeron they have an earpiece implanted that randomly makes noises in order to distract his thought process. Those who are too beautiful are made to look disfigured and those who are graceful or strong have to weight themselves down in order to have less appealing stature. Harrison had been taken away from the Bergeron parents, and when they were sat down watching television, an announcement came on

In the short story, Harrison is used to showing what happens when you aren’t like the others in other words “average”. Harrison is forced to wear weights, glasses, earphones, rubber nose, and teeth caps that try to handicap him so that he is “average”. “Instead of a little ear radio for a mental handicap, he wore a

Harrison Bergeron, a short story by Kurt Vonnegut, is not written for the light reader. This story of equality shows deeply of how horrid it would be to be born special, different, smarter, faster, stronger, etc, in a world where you are forced to be equal. Despite the usual connotation of the word equality, Kurt Vonnegut looks at the cost of making everyone be the same. He has shown through his words the torture you must endure in order to make you the same as everyone else, being a radio intending to scatter your thoughts, weights to weigh you down, or even a hideous, grotesque, mask used to hide your charming face. After you’ve lived with these handicaps a man, named Harrison Bergeron, trying to change how things are interrupts your show.

“Harrison Bergeron” is a short story that takes place in a dystopian society where everyone has equal mental and physical capabilities forced on them by the government. In this short story, Harrison Bergeron supposedly plays a big role in society by being ‘the savior,” but his goal to protest against the handicapper general and try and save the society from being handicapped ultimately did not work out in his favor. Harrison symbolizes a savior figure who intends to take down a totalitarian government but fails, which provides the ultimate irony of the story

The forced equality in Harrison Bergeron is wrong. We are taught to use what we are blessed with. Everyone with some sort of gift is handicapped, to stop them from being better than anyone else. Harrison’s dad is blessed with intelligence, and he is forced to wear a headset to keep him from using his intelligence. The government don’t want him to overcome others that are not as smart as him. The handicaps are holding back the potential that he is given. “He flung away his rubber-ball nose, revealed a man that would have awed Thor, the god of thunder,” (198). Harrison Bergeron must wear large glasses, heavy weights, and an earpiece because he is strong, smart, and he has good eyesight. The gifts he was given

The desire to be different in a world full of people trying to be equal, is a challenge most people have encountered. In the short story “Harrison Bergeron,” by Kurt Vonnegut, the main character, or the character which the story is based upon, lives in a futuristic society, which the government has tried to make equal. Harrison is forbidden to use his above average intelligence and physic to stand out, or to become anything more than equal to the average person. The reader becomes aware that Harrison has been imprisoned due to rebellion against the government, which controls his every move or action. Harrison escapes from prison, breaks rules, and is ultimately killed for his actions. Harrison’s character development and desire to be different

In the futuristic short story, “Harrison Bergeron” by Kurt Vonnegut Jr., the world is finally living up to America’s first amendment of everyone being created equal. In this society, the gifted, strong, and beautiful are required to wear handicaps of earphones, heavy weights, and hideous masks. These constraints leave the world equal from brains to strength to beauty. With the world constantly pushing for equality among people, Vonnegut reveals a world that society is rapidly working toward. Through this foreshadowing of the future, Vonnegut attempts to use Diana Moon Glampers and Harrison Bergeron as puppets to reveal and warn of the dangers of the two extremes,too equal or too unjust reality there could be ahead of us. If it was possible to do the same, but not by tearing people down, but

Harrison Bergeron and Equality 7-2521 are both rule breaking outcasts in their dystopian societies. Already frowned upon for their physical and intellectual superiority, they both dare to be different by discovering alone (Equality 7-2521) and showing his true self (Harrison Bergeron). At the same time they are different because Harrison Bergeron’s society is a lot sctricter and taking his handicaps off unfortunately ended in his death. Both characters made many sacrafices but their courage and bravery has changed their societies

The main character Harrison Bergeron is the biggest, the strongest, the smartest, and for all intents and purposes the most spectacular human alive. Because Harrison is so great, they imprison him. Later he breaks free, goes on television, and forces everyone in the studio to perform music and dance to the best of they’re abilities without the handicaps they are forced to wear. After which the government swiftly comes in and kills everyone who participated. I believe Mr. Vonnegut did not simply write this story to entertain readers he was trying to make a strong political statement i.e. this is what happens when the government gets to much power, and it just so happens that is almost the definition of socialism.

When you look at it, the perfect society is what Russia was looking to achieve

The subject of “Harrison Bergeron” by Kurt Vonnegut is equality. The theme of this short story is that society should make an effort to value individuality and fairness, in which everyone receives what they need to prosper, instead of universal equality. The forms used to elevate this subject and theme are point of view, syntax, characterization, irony, and humor.