When The Hunger Game: Mockingjay Part Two opens November 20, 2015, I, like many of my peers, hope to witness Katniss Everdeen’s final defiance against the Capitol. Her passion is infectious, partially because her desire to cure the injustice in a dysfunctional world intrigues me. Similarly, social change has been evoked by using dystopian societies to present an overly negative view of the world; Kurt Vonnegut’s short story “ˆHarrison Bergeron” is no exception. In both the short story and the film adaptation, the authors use Harrison’s demise to illustrate how total equality is not the panacea expected. While both versions portray Harrison as an archetypical martyr, they differ in their characterization of Harrison as well as in subtleties
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At the age of fourteen, he is described as “a genius and an athlete” (Vonnegut) and seven feet tall. In an attempt to make all men equal, Harrison was given handicaps to offset his strength, his looks, and his intelligence. When Harrison storms the television station, his formidable appearance is evident; this exaggeration of size helps solidify his superhero status. He proclaims himself “Emperor of the World” (Vonnegut) and leaps to the ceiling with unbelievable prowess. Pittman’s screen adaptation characterizes Harrison as extremely intelligent, but no mention of athletic prowess or strength is mentioned. When shown in scenes with other actors, Harrison appears to be the same height as other men. His only handicaps are those that interfere with thought processes; nothing is shown to disguise his looks or strength. (Harrison Bergeron) In the print version, Harrison is imprisoned for his intelligence; in the movie, he is recruited into a secret governmental society. In both, Harrison is willing to speak out against authority and is against the egalitarian nature of …show more content…
In the short story, Vonnegut paints a sterile futuristic society in 2081 where television is prominent; the film version initially appears to be set in the 1950’s. The viewers later learn that this apparent discrepancy is intentional; the 1950’s were an idyllic era – much like the society that was trying to be created. Ironically, this was also the time period where communism and socialism were coming to the forefront, indicating that perhaps Vonnegut was making a political statement against the Communistic society. (Khawaja). The dialogue of Harrison’s parents, Hazel and George, also resembles the comedic banter between George and Gracie Burns, popular during the 1950’s. (Khawaja) Interestingly, once Harrison is whisked away and recruited by the secret governmental organization, the setting becomes more futuristic and less like the American Dream portrayed earlier in the film. Ironically, both the film and the short story promote the antithesis of the American dream, because mediocrity is desired in the dystopian state. The implications are tremendous. While the film focuses on the suppression of mental and musical talents, the short story includes athletic and strength as well. When equality is forced, creativity and talent are suppressed, and society suffers as a direct result.
At the age of fourteen, he is described as “a genius and an athlete” (Vonnegut) and seven feet tall. In an attempt to make all men equal, Harrison was given handicaps to offset his strength, his looks, and his intelligence. When Harrison storms the television station, his formidable appearance is evident; this exaggeration of size helps solidify his superhero status. He proclaims himself “Emperor of the World” (Vonnegut) and leaps to the ceiling with unbelievable prowess. Pittman’s screen adaptation characterizes Harrison as extremely intelligent, but no mention of athletic prowess or strength is mentioned. When shown in scenes with other actors, Harrison appears to be the same height as other men. His only handicaps are those that interfere with thought processes; nothing is shown to disguise his looks or strength. (Harrison Bergeron) In the print version, Harrison is imprisoned for his intelligence; in the movie, he is recruited into a secret governmental society. In both, Harrison is willing to speak out against authority and is against the egalitarian nature of …show more content…
In the short story, Vonnegut paints a sterile futuristic society in 2081 where television is prominent; the film version initially appears to be set in the 1950’s. The viewers later learn that this apparent discrepancy is intentional; the 1950’s were an idyllic era – much like the society that was trying to be created. Ironically, this was also the time period where communism and socialism were coming to the forefront, indicating that perhaps Vonnegut was making a political statement against the Communistic society. (Khawaja). The dialogue of Harrison’s parents, Hazel and George, also resembles the comedic banter between George and Gracie Burns, popular during the 1950’s. (Khawaja) Interestingly, once Harrison is whisked away and recruited by the secret governmental organization, the setting becomes more futuristic and less like the American Dream portrayed earlier in the film. Ironically, both the film and the short story promote the antithesis of the American dream, because mediocrity is desired in the dystopian state. The implications are tremendous. While the film focuses on the suppression of mental and musical talents, the short story includes athletic and strength as well. When equality is forced, creativity and talent are suppressed, and society suffers as a direct result.