It is said that one of the most refuting concepts is society and it’s full circle ways. Throughout time, humans have felt the need to control others, and although we have moved away from slavery and the misogynistic ways of our past, society still feels the need to control others through government, police, and other jurisdictive manners. Kurt Vonnegut Jr.’s short story, Harrison Bergeron, follows the experience of George and Hazel Bergeron and their son Harrison Bergeron in a world of total equality. In the year 2081, the people of the newly emerged dystopian world have finally reached an equilibrium; those who are too talented, smart, or beautiful are disabled to be equivalent to others. A boy named Harrison is taken away from his parents
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When George and Hazel are watching ballerinas on the television, George realizes that the dancers were not the best, and would have been no better than anyone else, but, “they were burdened with sashweights and bags of birdshot and their faces were masked” (1). The weights are a symbol of the oppression that the government forces the citizens into. The society is weighed down into obedience, and because they are accustomed to the way the world functions, they have no wish to break free from their boundaries. Furthermore, George has an intelligence level that is far beyond normal, therefore he has, “a little mental handicap radio over his ear. He was required by law to wear it at all times. … Every twenty seconds or so, the transmitter would send out some sharp noise to keep people like George from taking unfair advantage of their brains” (1). The noises from the mental handicap represent the subconscious feeling that the things are not alright, and the way the citizens are being treated is unjust. The noises act like a punishment for having a level of knowledge that is above average; in their predicament, average meaning stupidity. Symbols like weights and noise suggest that total equivalency amongst a society is not an ideal endeavor, but a mistaken goal that is dangerous and has serious consequences, therefore it is important to be unique, and not to be …show more content…
Harrison is a representation of the parts of a society that long to flaunt their abilities and talents, as well as overpower others. When Harrison is on television with the ballerinas, he removes all his impairments, takes a ballerina as his empress, and exclaims, “‘Even as I stand here ... crippled, hobbled, sickened – I am a greater ruler than any man who ever lived! Now watch me become what I can become!’” (5). Harrison is a reoccurring figure that appears to show the rebellion that will always be present in a government based society. Even when the government tries to slow him down by handicapping him, he is strong. He looks past his obstacles and is self-confidence and brave, which every other citizen is scared to be. The ballerina who willingly stands up to join Harrison as his empress also indicates that there are possibly others who feel the same as Harrison, but due to their disabilities or the fact they could be frightened, they refrain from actions like Harrison’s, which he is brave enough to pursue. In addition, When Hazel and George are talking, Hazel believes she would make a good Handicapper General. She says she would have chimes ringing on Sundays and she would, “‘make em’ real loud. … [She]’d make a good Handicapper General.’ ‘Good as anybody else,’ said George. ‘Who knows better than [she] do what normal is?’” (2). Hazel’s thought that she could be the new Handicapper
When George and Hazel are watching ballerinas on the television, George realizes that the dancers were not the best, and would have been no better than anyone else, but, “they were burdened with sashweights and bags of birdshot and their faces were masked” (1). The weights are a symbol of the oppression that the government forces the citizens into. The society is weighed down into obedience, and because they are accustomed to the way the world functions, they have no wish to break free from their boundaries. Furthermore, George has an intelligence level that is far beyond normal, therefore he has, “a little mental handicap radio over his ear. He was required by law to wear it at all times. … Every twenty seconds or so, the transmitter would send out some sharp noise to keep people like George from taking unfair advantage of their brains” (1). The noises from the mental handicap represent the subconscious feeling that the things are not alright, and the way the citizens are being treated is unjust. The noises act like a punishment for having a level of knowledge that is above average; in their predicament, average meaning stupidity. Symbols like weights and noise suggest that total equivalency amongst a society is not an ideal endeavor, but a mistaken goal that is dangerous and has serious consequences, therefore it is important to be unique, and not to be …show more content…
Harrison is a representation of the parts of a society that long to flaunt their abilities and talents, as well as overpower others. When Harrison is on television with the ballerinas, he removes all his impairments, takes a ballerina as his empress, and exclaims, “‘Even as I stand here ... crippled, hobbled, sickened – I am a greater ruler than any man who ever lived! Now watch me become what I can become!’” (5). Harrison is a reoccurring figure that appears to show the rebellion that will always be present in a government based society. Even when the government tries to slow him down by handicapping him, he is strong. He looks past his obstacles and is self-confidence and brave, which every other citizen is scared to be. The ballerina who willingly stands up to join Harrison as his empress also indicates that there are possibly others who feel the same as Harrison, but due to their disabilities or the fact they could be frightened, they refrain from actions like Harrison’s, which he is brave enough to pursue. In addition, When Hazel and George are talking, Hazel believes she would make a good Handicapper General. She says she would have chimes ringing on Sundays and she would, “‘make em’ real loud. … [She]’d make a good Handicapper General.’ ‘Good as anybody else,’ said George. ‘Who knows better than [she] do what normal is?’” (2). Hazel’s thought that she could be the new Handicapper