Utopia and Dystopia in Harrison Bergeron and The Lottery

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Utopia and Dystopia are themes that explore the substantial extents of deceiving ascendancy and contrive an impelling illusion of a ‘perfect‘ society. Utopia is described as a place, state, or condition that is ideally perfect in respect of politics, laws, customs, and conditions while a dystopia, or a negative utopia, is a society characterized as an illusion of a perfect society maintained through oppressive societal control, in which exploits into an exaggerated worst-case scenario. The short stories, Harrison Bergeron, and The Lottery, are both literary examples imparted around a utopian society.

Harrison Bergeron, was written by Kurt Vonnegut in 1961. This story elucidates a dystopian society that is derived of its individuality and is expected to conform to authorities. The Lottery, is a short story written by Shirley Jackson that was published in June, 1948 and exerts a story that an impelling outlook on a seamlessly reticent and amicable society though is confounded by the deceptive idea of a utopia.

These literary examples of a dystopian and utopian narratives share many of the same characteristics. These include: the society is an allusion of a perfect world, citizens appear to be under constant surveillance, a figure head, or concept is worshipped by the citizens of the society, and citizens have a fear of the outside world.

The characteristic, the society is an allusion of a perfect world, is a distinctive component in these dystopian narratives. In Harrison Bergeron, citizens are alluded to conform to consistent expectations and are derived of their individuality. They are subverted to pervade equality throughout the society by wearing handicaps. By conforming to this, the society perceives that they live in a...

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...inhibits their independent thought or freedom. This quote excerpts the satire manner of The Lottery, “The people separated good-humoredly to let her through. "Here comes your, Missus, Hutchinson," and "Bill, she made it after all." Mrs. Hutchinson reached her husband, and Mr. Summers, who had been waiting, said cheerfully. "Thought we were going to have to get on without you, Tessie." Mrs. Hutchinson said. grinning, "Wouldn't have me leave m'dishes in the sink, now, would you. Joe?," and soft laughter ran through the crowd…”. This is very confounding considering the abhorrent ending this precludes to, though goes to show the chilling nature of the lottery.

Harrison Bergeron, and The Lottery, are narratives that emphasize invoking themes that contrive an emotional response. They diligently exert the overlapping barriers between a dystopian and utopian society.

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