Literature is always comparable and contrastable in the views of the reader. Stories can compared through different literary elements, such as the Marxist Theory, which is the class struggles, and through symbolism. Harrison Bergeron and The Interlopers are two stories that can be both compared and contrasted through these two literary elements. Therefore, Harrison Bergeron and The Interlopers can be compared and contrasted through Marxist Theory and symbolism, because both contain different aspects of the theory, and both stories depict symbols that affect the overall story differently. The two short stories contain elements of the Marxist Theory to build up the central conflict. In Harrison Bergeron, equality is forced amongst the citizens. To enforce such, governmental officials placed handicaps on people, causing people like Harrison to look like a “walking junkyard. In the race of life, Harrison carried three hundred pounds” (pg. 36). Because of his stature, the government placed handicaps all over his body. In this sense, the government was oppressing Harrison’s athletic skills and character with the handicaps. Though there was no capital involved in this story, the government resembles the bourgeois and upper-class who oppressed the handicapped citizens, or proletarians. This overall conflict with the country, as well with Harrison, is a class struggle. Through the lens of the Marxist theory, The Interlopers also contained many aspects of the class struggle, as
The story “Harrison Bergeron” written by Kurt VOnnegut Jr. explores the idea of a perfect society. A life where you are completely oppressed to be like everyone else. A young boy known as Harrison Bergeron seeks to have change in society and for everyone to be free.
The main conflict of the story is between Harrison Bergeron and the government. Harrison disagrees with the government’s way of controlling and handicapping society, especially since he has been given several handicaps. Harrison does not believe one should be limited, however, he is
Picture a society, far in the future, where everyone, by government control, must be on the same level. Would this be Hell or a utopia? This is the subject of Kurt Vonnegut’s short story, “Harrison Bergeron”. In this society, the gifted, strong, and beautiful are required to wear multiple handicaps of earphones, heavy weights, and hideous masks. In turn, these constraints leave the world equal, or arguably devoid of, from brains to brawn to beauty. With the constant push for equality among all people, Vonnegut reveals a world that society is diligently working toward. “Harrison Bergeron” is written as a form of satire with heavy irony, to demonstrate the clear difference between equity and equality in society. “Harrison Bergeron” is
In the story Harrison Bergeron in the year 2081 everyone is equal, no one is smatter, better looking, stronger, faster, etc. than anyone else, but rather everyone is “average”. This story raises the idea of tall poppy syndrome. A derogatory term used to describe a social phenomenon in which people are resented, attacked, put down, and criticized by society because their talents or achievements place them above and distinguish them from their peers. This is evident in the characters Harrison Bergeron, George Bergeron, and the ballerina whose talents are being hindered by the government (handicapper general) in the story. Harrison Bergeron is and absurdly handsome, strong, genius who outpaces his peers.
The two text are similar for various reasons. They are generally similar because they both have someone attempting to deny or rebel against society or government and they both get are unsuccessful and killed in the end. As seen in Harrison Bergeron this conflict occurs when Harrison
Literary devices will be a primary source used to compare and contrast the narrative and stylistic choices made in the short story, “Harrison Bergeron” by Kurt Vonnegut, and the film 2081 directed by Chandler Tuttle. In the film the director is able to express visuals, sounds, and physical characters, to establish a firm idea of how the characters within the story act and feel based on their surroundings and what is happening around them. However, an Author in a short story is reliant on his words alone to paint the picture for the reader to understand the movement of the plot and its impact on the atmosphere. The literary devices used in creating and shaping pieces of literature will heavily impact the point of view of the
Imagine a world where an oppressive government captures what many call diversity. Where ugly is known as beauty and intelligence is insignificant. “They weren't only equal before God and the law. 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) This is the future that Harrison experiences, in the short story “Harrison Bergeron,” by Kurt Vonnegut. It is the year 2081 and the government handicaps every citizen with make up or weights to create equality. Where there are over than 200 amendments and the government has full control of all citizens, this is indeed against what America had been
“Harrison Bergeron” by Kurt Vonnegut is about a fictional time in the future where everyone is forced to wear handicapping devices to ensure that everyone is equal. As the story begins, George and Hazel Bergeron are sitting on the couch watching television. George is intellectually superior so every few seconds a raucous noise is played in his ear to keep him from being able to hold a consistent thought, which happens continuously throughout the story. This system of “handicappers” is overseen by a rather unsympathetic woman named Diana Moon Glampers. As George and Hazel are watching a ballet on the T.V., the show is interrupted by a bulletin warning viewers that Harrison Bergeron, George and Hazel 's son, has
Harrison Bergeron is a story written by Kurt Vonnegut. Vonnegut’s story is a warning to the world about the quest of equality, which is spreading all round in many nations with America on the lead. The story shows the reader how the equality issue can have negative impacts on people’s individuality, and the society. The story revolves around the protagonist, Harrison Bergeron who is an archetypical symbol that represents defiance, and individuality. He is used to represent the people who will stand up, and protest against cruel laws imposed by the state on equality, and encourage others to protest with him. Through the characterization of Harrison, George and Hazel, Vonnegut shows how the equality idea can go to the extreme. The
Have you ever been told you can’t do something because you are too qualified? In Vonnegut’s short story “Harrison Bergeron” this is what America has turned into in 2081. Vonnegut uses characters in his story to show the effects of a truly “equal” society with what happens when they want everyone equal and what happens to some of their health. Some of the characters he uses are Harrison, George, and the ballerinas.
The future can be a strange and scary thing to think about, especially when its predictions are not good. Dystopian authors don’t necessarily predict the future as much as they warn against what the present could become. They warn readers by using something called satire. Satire in dystopian novels is when authors exaggerate society’s current situation so that readers learn from their actions. Authors like Ray Bradbury and Kurt Vonnegut use satire to warn against rules of society like conformity, equality, and censorship.
Second, as there are only a few characters in both short stories, they are very different characters but left imprints in my mind. First, in “Harrison Bergeron” there is Harrison Bergeron who is 14 years old, a genius, a strong athlete, and wears the strongest handicaps of all the people such as bifocals to damage his sight, three hundred pound weights hold him down, and the loudest ear radio. Second, there is Harrison’s father, George Bergeron who is also handicapped by the government for being smart and strong. Third, his mother, Hazel Bergeron who doesn’t need any handicaps because they classify her as an average American who lacks smarts, beauty, and brains. Then the TV announcer who has a speech impediment tried to speak for a few moments on an interrupted new cast, but then passes the microphone to a ballerina to read, who people could tell was beautiful, and strong because
When you look at it, the perfect society is what Russia was looking to achieve
The point of view in “Harrison Bergeron” is third person with limited insight. The focal character is George Bergeron, the titular character’s father. The story is written to show two settings: the living room of George and Hazel Bergeron, and the scene they are watching on their television. This point of view helps to develop the theme by showing what we assume to be an average couple in a futuristic setting, and by establishing a societal norm for the dystopian setting. The mundane point of view contrasts nicely with the very outrageous personality of Harrison Bergeron and his theatrical antics. This point of view also gives the reader a relatively objective look into the conflict between Harrison and the United States Handicapper General. The use of George as the focal character gives the reader insight into the mind of a man who wears a mental and a physical handicap. This allows the reader to see into George’s thoughts and how they process with the mental handicap in place, “every twenty seconds or so, the transmitter would send out some sharp noise to keep people like George from taking advantage of their
In the short story “Harrison Bergeron”, a futuristic society has been determined to be average, except Harrison Burgener. He’ seen as a danger to people because he rebels against the government's orders. Harrison’s rebellion conveys that he is a headstrong leader who wants to fight what he believes is right, although, he shows it to people in a way that terrifies him. He values the thoughts of his civilization having people that are exclusive and unrepeatable. Harrison displays a show of interest on the society he lives in and how it’s being overseen.