Harrison Bergeron Tone

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In “Harrison Bergeron,” Kurt Vonnegut tells a story of an American future where everyone is completely equal. At first readers might think this might be an ideal type of society due to the fact that no one can be better than anyone else. Only further into the story, it is understood that this society is very dangerous. If everyone is equal, that means that no one can be more intelligent than the other person due to handicaps that the government forces Americans to wear. The fact that no one but Harrison Bergeron tries to make a change is even more frightening. People in this futuristic time have no individuality to try to stop the government. Vonnegut uses characterization, symbolism, and tone to show readers what the outcome of total equality can be if Americans lose their voice to speak up against …show more content…
The tone helps readers understand that even though the story at first sounds humorous, it is in fact very serious. The author’s straightforward tone makes the story seem very casual. “Harrison Bergeron” starts off by saying, “The year was 2081, and everybody was finally equal” (1). Vonnegut’s use of the word “finally” helps readers understand that equality was what all Americans were after. However, soon readers discover the absurdity of the society that has been constructed by the government. The announcer was having too much trouble reading the announcement, so he gave the bulletin to the ballerina to read. Vonnegut wrote, “And she had to apologize at once for her voice, which was a very unfair voice for a woman to use. Her voice was a warm, luminous, timeless melody. “Excuse me-” she said, and she began again, making her voice absolutely uncompetitive” (4). The descriptive language used at first enacts a serene feeling, but then transforms after the ballerina changes her voice so she would not sound more talented than any other person. The establishment of tone assists readers in grasping the theme of the

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stories Harrison Bergeron, by Kurt Vonnegut Jr, is very similar to Shirley Jackson’s The Possibility of Evil. Both have almost identical conflicts and characterization. The two stories also share similar character intentions and resolutions. However, neither narrative shares the same setting, tone, nor purpose. When it comes to theme Harrison Bergeron centers more on what people believe in, while The Possibility of Evil leans more towards something karma related. While Harrison Bergeron and The Possibility…

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Harrison Bergeron And 2081 Comparison Essay

bring. “Harrison Bergeron” by Kurt Vonnegut and the movie 2081 by Chandler Tuttle are very different concerning the characters in both stories. In both stories, the characters are influenced greatly by the government, but their personalities don’t match up. The story of “Harrison Bergeron” comes across like a joke, but in 2081 the mood feels much more serious and characters, like George, look empty like there’s no hope. I believe there is more hidden meaning in 2081, unlike “Harrison Bergeron” which…

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Compare And Contrast Anthem And Harrison Bergeron

Ayn Rand’s “Anthem” and Kurt Vonnegut’s “Harrison Bergeron” are the two stories that condemn the idea of communism, but they differ in the tone which the author chose to write, different ego from the hero, and the way to achieve equality. Although both the stories are making fun of communism, they both have a different point of view of a futuristic society that is influenced by the collectivism. In Vonnegut’s “Harrison Bergeron”, he uses a humorous tone to tell the story. For example, ““I’d think…

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Literary Techniques In Kurt Vonnegut's Harrison Bergeron

The story “Harrison Bergeron” is set in the year 2081 where amendments are set so that every citizen is equal in every way. This is achieved by putting handicaps on those that are superior in any way. This story, at first look, seems to be a hard read because of it's length. It is surprisingly easy to read for a story of its length. The story takes a dark and dystopian setting where everyone is altered by the government through certain handicaps. The handicaps that are set ensured that everyone was…

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Equality In Kurt Vonnegut's Harrison Bergeron

Vonnegut’s “Harrison Bergeron” entails the story of the journey of equality in the future, which is spreading all around in many nations. This story is very powerful; it describes how equality can have horrible impacts on society and people’s individuality. The entire story revolves around Harrison Bergeron, who throughout the story is the symbol for defiance and individuality. He represents the citizens who will stand up and rebel against the government. Through the characterization of Harrison and the…

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Harrison Bergeron Essay

I originally read Harrison Bergeron in 9th grade, so it was interesting to see how my perception of the story has changed since then. Upon reading this, I was drawn to the implied criticism of actual, total equality. As the story explores, people in the United States “were equal every which way” (Vonnegut 1). While I absolutely support general equality and equal opportunity, Harrison Bergeron draws attention to what would happen if the concept of equality was taken too far and individuality was no…

Words 425 - Pages 2