Imagine, a perfect world where everyone is equal. In this world no one is better than anyone else. This world is ideal, right? Not so much through Kurt Vonnegut’s eyes with his short story “Harrison Bergeron”. Kurt Vonnegut’s dystopian style is portrayed through his diction, details, language and many other literature tools. Vonnegut creates a perfect world with a twisted version of equality with his use of short syntax, depressing details, and cold harsh imagery. Vonnegut’s “Harrison Bergeron” brings to light that which we would consider yet never speak of; the dark reality of forced equality and why it would never succeed.
Vonnegut makes use of depressing details in order to bring to life the dark reality of this world he has created and of equality. Vonnegut has created a world in which everyone is equal, no one is better than anyone else, “They weren't only equal before God and the law. They were equal every which way” (Vonnegut …show more content…
“Harrison tore the straps of his handicap harness like wet tissue paper, tore straps guaranteed to support five thousand pounds” (4). People are handicapped to make everyone equal, and those with more abilities are handicapped worse than most. These handicaps are to stop people from taking “unfair” advantage of their strong points. Some of these handicaps include bags of birdshot, headphones tuned to a government broadcasting system that plays a loud sharp noise every few seconds, and many other disturbing ways of diminishing people’s natural talents. “Her voice was a warm, luminous, timeless melody” (3). Even throughout the dark and depressing story, Vonnegut always finds a way to weave in some pleasant imagery. With the handicaps weighing down physically, and mentally for some, everyone is equal. Vonnegut’s use of strong, realistic, solemn imagery to express his ideas on how forced equality would be cruel and flawed it would
Vonnegut makes use of depressing details in order to bring to life the dark reality of this world he has created and of equality. Vonnegut has created a world in which everyone is equal, no one is better than anyone else, “They weren't only equal before God and the law. They were equal every which way” (Vonnegut …show more content…
“Harrison tore the straps of his handicap harness like wet tissue paper, tore straps guaranteed to support five thousand pounds” (4). People are handicapped to make everyone equal, and those with more abilities are handicapped worse than most. These handicaps are to stop people from taking “unfair” advantage of their strong points. Some of these handicaps include bags of birdshot, headphones tuned to a government broadcasting system that plays a loud sharp noise every few seconds, and many other disturbing ways of diminishing people’s natural talents. “Her voice was a warm, luminous, timeless melody” (3). Even throughout the dark and depressing story, Vonnegut always finds a way to weave in some pleasant imagery. With the handicaps weighing down physically, and mentally for some, everyone is equal. Vonnegut’s use of strong, realistic, solemn imagery to express his ideas on how forced equality would be cruel and flawed it would