“Don’t be sorry for the truth. A harsh truth is less damaging than a tender lie, and the worst lies are the ones we tell ourselves.” In the story, The Giver by Lois Lowry, and the article, “Harrison Bergeron” by Kurt Vonnegut, both main characters are poised as hero’s. In The Giver, Jonas is selected as the receiver of memory. After many months of training, Jonas’s realizes that there is more beyond what he has learned in his community. He learns about family, music, and most of all, love. Jonas believes that the feelings he has experienced should be shared with everyone in his community, but his message isn’t vivid, for it is clouded by his own emotions. In the article, “Harrison Bergeron” the lives of many are unfair and painful, especially
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No one was smarter, kinder, stronger, better looking, or more athletic than anyone. Unfortunately, the only way to make sure of this was to inflict pain upon the one’s who were special, and Harrison was extremely maddened by this. The text states, “Clanking, clownish, and huge, Harrison stood in the center of the studio. The knob of the uprooted studio door was in his hand. Ballerinas, technicians, musicians, and announcers cowered on their knees before him, expecting to die. ‘I am the Emperor!’ cried Harrison. ‘Do you hear? I am the Emperor! Everybody must do what I say at once!” He stamped his foot and the studio shook. “Even as I stand here -’ he bellowed, ‘crippled, hobbled, sickened - I am a greater ruler than any man who ever lived! Now watch me become what I can become!’”(Vonnegut 3). This quote from the article does indeed show that Harrison was not only damaged, but self absorbed. He gloated about his abilities that were far superior to others, and pronounced himself as Emperor for no real reason. Yes, Harrison was tortured because of his talents, but what makes him any better than the people who had done this to him. Ultimately, Harrison was angry, vengeful, and malign, proofing that he was in no position to be remembered as a
No one was smarter, kinder, stronger, better looking, or more athletic than anyone. Unfortunately, the only way to make sure of this was to inflict pain upon the one’s who were special, and Harrison was extremely maddened by this. The text states, “Clanking, clownish, and huge, Harrison stood in the center of the studio. The knob of the uprooted studio door was in his hand. Ballerinas, technicians, musicians, and announcers cowered on their knees before him, expecting to die. ‘I am the Emperor!’ cried Harrison. ‘Do you hear? I am the Emperor! Everybody must do what I say at once!” He stamped his foot and the studio shook. “Even as I stand here -’ he bellowed, ‘crippled, hobbled, sickened - I am a greater ruler than any man who ever lived! Now watch me become what I can become!’”(Vonnegut 3). This quote from the article does indeed show that Harrison was not only damaged, but self absorbed. He gloated about his abilities that were far superior to others, and pronounced himself as Emperor for no real reason. Yes, Harrison was tortured because of his talents, but what makes him any better than the people who had done this to him. Ultimately, Harrison was angry, vengeful, and malign, proofing that he was in no position to be remembered as a