Differences on how the individual affects society The stories “Harrison Bergeron” by Kurt Vonnegut and “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas” by Ursula K. Le Guin are different in their use of theme, setting and imagery which helps describe different ways that people view how the individual affects society. “Harrison Bergeron” is set in the future, and everyone has been handicapped to become equal, no one is smarter, stronger, or more beautiful than anyone else. It tells the story of Harrison is a fourteen year old boy who is in jail for trying to overthrow the government. “Omelas” is a parable that is written about a community where everyone is happy, and there is no fighting or violence, but this comes with a price because one child must suffer
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They have all been handicapped like Harrison’s mother who says to her husband “Go on and rest the bag for a little while,” She said. “I don’t care if you’re not equal to me for awhile.” (Vonnegut, 233). Harrison’s mother is talking about the bag around her husband’s neck, weighing him down so he is equal to her. In “The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas” the theme is that one person has to suffer for the rest of them to be equal. In the story the author states “they all know it is there, all the people of omelas. Some of them have come to see it, others are content merely to know it is there.” (Le Guin, 261). This shows that they know that the child is suffering down in the cellar, but they do nothing because they want to be equal. These two stories show how different communities react to making everyone …show more content…
“Harrison Bergeron” is set in 2081, were everyone is equal; equal in every way. “Nobody was smarter than anybody else. Nobody was better looking than anybody else.” (Vonnegut, 232). No one was allowed to be different, there was no freedom, and they were all wearing handicapping devices to prevent them from even looking pretty or being athletic. For the setting in “Omelas” it is a city by the sea, where everyone was joyous and happy. “They were not naïve and happy children—though their children were, in fact, happy.” (Le Guin, 259). The author Le Guin is making sure that the reader understands that the children are indeed just happy, and that there was no slavery or war and they all got along together. In “Harrison Bergeron” there is no freedom, they can’t even think for themselves, let alone do things that they want; they are being held back by all kinds of devices and weights. But in “Omelas” the people are free to do as they please, even though they know that a child is still being mistreated and
They have all been handicapped like Harrison’s mother who says to her husband “Go on and rest the bag for a little while,” She said. “I don’t care if you’re not equal to me for awhile.” (Vonnegut, 233). Harrison’s mother is talking about the bag around her husband’s neck, weighing him down so he is equal to her. In “The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas” the theme is that one person has to suffer for the rest of them to be equal. In the story the author states “they all know it is there, all the people of omelas. Some of them have come to see it, others are content merely to know it is there.” (Le Guin, 261). This shows that they know that the child is suffering down in the cellar, but they do nothing because they want to be equal. These two stories show how different communities react to making everyone …show more content…
“Harrison Bergeron” is set in 2081, were everyone is equal; equal in every way. “Nobody was smarter than anybody else. Nobody was better looking than anybody else.” (Vonnegut, 232). No one was allowed to be different, there was no freedom, and they were all wearing handicapping devices to prevent them from even looking pretty or being athletic. For the setting in “Omelas” it is a city by the sea, where everyone was joyous and happy. “They were not naïve and happy children—though their children were, in fact, happy.” (Le Guin, 259). The author Le Guin is making sure that the reader understands that the children are indeed just happy, and that there was no slavery or war and they all got along together. In “Harrison Bergeron” there is no freedom, they can’t even think for themselves, let alone do things that they want; they are being held back by all kinds of devices and weights. But in “Omelas” the people are free to do as they please, even though they know that a child is still being mistreated and