Harrison Bergeron

Words: 659

Pages: 3

Open Document

In the short story, “Harrison Bergeron”, by Kurt Vonnegut, the year is 2081, and the government has made everyone the same. Everyone is finally equal, there are absolutely no differences between one another. Everyone was equal every which way possible, there was no one that was smarter, stronger, faster, or better looking. If anyone were to be advantageous in any of these traits, the government would give them a handicap to make sure they stay even with the public. This was due to the 211th, 212th, and 213th Amendments in the Constitution. This type of government seems to limit the rights of everyone in this dystopian world, especially the three main characters of this short story, George, Harrison Bergeron, and a ballerina.
George is a handicapped citizen in this …show more content…
The text says, “She must have been extraordinarily beautiful because the mask she wore was hideous” (Vonnegut 3). The government makes sure that everyone is equal, not only by physical and mental traits, but also by phenotypes. Therefore, the government makes sure everyone who is better-looking than anyone else, must wear a mask. The ballerina also wears bags with weight, to prevent her from her physical strength. “For her handicap bags were as big as those worn by two hundred-pound men”(Vonnegut 3). This quote explains how the handicap bags can get very heavy compared to the strength of the average human. Perhaps, the bags could be just as heavy as the citizens who in very well shape or those who work out often. This type of government limits the freedom of the three main characters of the short story, “Harrison Bergeron” by Kurt Vonnegut. The government is highly oppressive and takes away freedoms by mental strength, physical strength, and physical appearance. If this story were to become a reality, the scenes in the story could also happen in the real

Essay On Harrison Bergeron

Harrison Bergeron In the science fiction story Harrison Bergeron by Kurt Vonnegut Jr. we are 65 years into the future, where the government has made everyone equal. Harrison, being a fourteen year old boy, wanted to overthrow the handicapper generals and free everybody from the handicaps. Bergeron was an antagonist that was nefarious, athletic and opinionated. First of all, the ballerinas were all stopped as a news reporter interrupted. The man had a speech impediment and couldn’t read it, so one…

Words 552 - Pages 3

Harrison Bergeron Symbolism

a reference to a well known story, work of art, historical figure/ event, or movie. An allusion is similar to a symbol. Each author in Harrison Bergeron, 2BR02B, and The Lottery uses symbolism in a countless number of ways. Kurt Vonnegut, the author of Harrison Bergeron, gives us some examples of symbolism. To start off with, George Bergeron,the father of Harrison, hears a 21 gun salute in his ear piece. Normally you hear a 21 gun salute for a fallen hero. For example, when someone in the army dies…

Words 654 - Pages 3

Harrison Bergeron Theme

Harrison Bergeron The story "Harrison Bergeron" by Kurt Vonnegut Jr. tells the story of a society that has created a system to force everyone to be equal to one another. This is achieved using a series of laws and assigning each person handicaps specific to their own talents and abnormalities thats would give them an advantage over others. The plot, basically, is about George and Hazel watching a televised ballet performance when that is interrupted by a news broadcast telling of Harrison Bergeron…

Words 635 - Pages 3

Symbolism In Harrison Bergeron

In the short stories Harrison Bergeron, 2BRO2B, and THe Lottery with have lots of symbolism. Symbolism is a object,person or setting that represents something. First, in the story Harrison Bergeron written by Kurt Vonnegut. In the story Harrison Bergeron Shirley Jackson uses alot of symbolism like int the beginning she says that Harrison Bergeron’s father heard gun shots in his ear which could symbolize Harrison getting shot. Also towards the end when Harrison Bergeron escapes that could symbolize…

Words 268 - Pages 2

Harrison Bergeron: Summary

In 2081, George and Hazel Bergeron’s son, Harrison Bergeron, get taken away by the Handicapper General’s men. The parents continue watching television after he gets taken away, due to their lack of ability to retain thought. The ballerina program they were watching was interrupted by a news bulletin. The news bulletin reveals that Harrison Bergeron had escaped from jail, was brilliant, an athlete, under- handicapped, and extremely dangerous. Harrison breaks into the studio and claims to be the emperor…

Words 151 - Pages 1

Harrison Bergeron Summary

Cycle Assignment #3 “The year was 2081, and everyone was finally equal.” Summary of Harrison Bergeron The dystopian tale, “Harrison Bergeron”, describes a world where the government had decided mankind’s competitive tendencies had gone too far. The government then created handicaps for people that were gifted in any way. Harrison Bergeron was one of the most difficult to control, most would say impossible. Harrison was incredibly strong, he even broke the straps holding his handicaps on, straps that…

Words 713 - Pages 3

Harrison Bergeron Essay

In a world of control and a society ridden with freedom, the short story “Harrison Bergeron” shows the underlying effects that the external factors of a totalitarian government can have on the individuality of a person. From start to finish of this text, this dystopian society is brought down to a level of equality. The physical and mental elements that encompass an individual are leveled to an average to fulfill this “utopia” of equality, “... everybody is finally equal. They weren’t equal before…

Words 561 - Pages 3

Response To Harrison Bergeron

Christian VonThun Mrs.Delf LA 11 16 september 2016 Harrison Bergeron Response One big theme in the story Harrison Bergeron by Kurt Vonnegut Jr. is equality. It had people who were handicapped because they were superior to others. So they would put weights on people that were too strong and when people could hear too well they would give them headphones. The president made sure everyone was equal and there was no reason to argue. Those who had rebelled were sent to jail.…

Words 82 - Pages 1

Harrison Bergeron Summary

Harrison is a wanted criminal. In “Harrison Bergeron” by Kurt Vonnegut is a story about Harrison Bergeron. He was sent to jail because he didn’t have his handicaps on. When his parents George and Hazel were watching a ballet show on tv, but it was interrupted will an important news bulletin. Saying that Harrison has escaped from jail. It showed a picture of him on the news of what he looked like with all his scrapmetal on him. These paragraph will be about Harrison, George, and one of the ballerinas…

Words 588 - Pages 3

Egalitarianism In Harrison Bergeron

"Harrison Bergeron" offers vigorous political and social criticisms of both America in general and the America. The political system depicted in story is base on the principles of egalitarianism, which holds that people should be equal in every way, and story show the comparison of real society and society in story, which reflect the equal is create base on the polities of communist, and the story also show the people are numb about what happen and they were treated. The story irony reflect the society…

Words 89 - Pages 1